Court of Honor

[Scouting179]

ASM-142 Wrote:

""""4. The Boy Scout is recognized. When the board of review has certified a boy's advancement, he deserves to receive recognition as soon as possible. This should be done at a ceremony at the next troop meeting. The certificate for his new rank may be presented later at a formal court of honor.
Can't be much clearer."""""

Actually, it could be because this doesn't specify what form that recognition is. It could be announcing it, passing out a badge etc. If you want to give them a badge and your troop somehow hasn't managed to stockpile rank badges, then somehow has to run to council with an advancement report every time you have a BOR (or complete a MB) and that assumes you live within reasonable driving distance and don't have to do it by mail.

This is why I agree (I think T305spl said it) that the guidelines don't precisely specify how to recognize someone. Most troops have a COH every three months and this works fine for them. If we have someone miss a COH, they wait til the next one. When that pass a BOR, we have over the years stockpiled rank badges and give them one that same night and replace them stock when I (the ADV CHAIR) do another adv report to council.

This issue is up to each troop as long as some sort of immediate recognition is made and whether someone outside of that unit agrees or not simply doesn't matter.

[ASM-142]

I think we are making some comparisons that are difficult and not related. I believe that immediate recognition is deserved but give the boys some credit for understanding. If you explain the process to them and you are consistent with that process that is what they will come to expect. These are not Cub Scouts.

Yes, I believe at times we need to agree to disagree but don't let emotions run to high. Remember scouting is for the boys.

Scouting is for the boys. That is why they should have the badges they have earned at the next meeting. This will allow them to wear them with pride and also might encourage other boys to work harder if they see "badges"

[Scouting179]

ASM-142: Does your troop have a stockpile of rank badges or does someone run to council every time there is a BOR? Do you have BORs on a set schedule? We have them the week after someone has a SM Conference, even if that means we have them every week. But we also have a stockpile of rank badges to hand out right away.

Do you feel the same for MBs or just rank badges?

[ASM-142]

ASM-142: Does your troop have a stockpile of rank badges or does someone run to council every time there is a BOR? Do you have BORs on a set schedule? We have them the week after someone has a SM Conference, even if that means we have them every week. But we also have a stockpile of rank badges to hand out right away.

Do you feel the same for MBs or just rank badges?

We do not have a stockpile of rank badges or MBs. BORs are held when a scout is ready and not on a pre-defined schedule which means we can also have them every week. If a scout earns a rank badge or a MB, an adult (rotates between multiple adults) makes a run to council with the advancement form and picks up the badges so they can be awarded at the next weekly meeting. Our council office is roughy a 35 minute drive from where we live but our troop feels that the scouts desrve to get what they have earned so it can be worn proudly.

[Scouting179]

That's fine. I have no problem with that as long as you have the adults willing and able to run to council. While we all love Scouting and want to help the boys, sometimes in certain troops and localities, time and money inhibit how much we can do (this could more of an issue as gas prices rise-;). So, I can understand that being an issue in some cases.

For me, I spend as much time on Scouting as my paying job, but that's fine because I love Scouting and what it stands for.

[ASM-142]

That's fine. I have no problem with that as long as you have the adults willing and able to run to council. While we all love Scouting and want to help the boys, sometimes in certain troops and localities, time and money inhibit how much we can do (this could more of an issue as gas prices rise-;). So, I can understand that being an issue in some cases.

For me, I spend as much time on Scouting as my paying job, but that's fine because I love Scouting and what it stands for.

Even without driving to council, badges can still be obtained through the mail which does not cost adults time, gas or wear and tear on their cars.

[Scouting179]

True-postage is cheaper, but snail mail takes longer.

[Woodbadgegirl]

Our Adavancement Chair keeps several of the popular MB's and all Rank badges on hand with cards. She keeps them in a tackle box!! As soon as the boy earns them, she fills out the card, has the SM sign it, and tucks it away. She then gives the badge to the SM to present at circle time during the troop meeting.

The card is then presented at the next COH.

[t305spl]

Even without driving to council, badges can still be obtained through the mail which does not cost adults time, gas or wear and tear on their cars.

The scouts in my council would most likely wait till the COH. My council runs extremely slow. It took me 5 months to get a den chief book and 7 months to get a JLTC award. We do not have the supply of willing adults to run out to council so we do the best we can.

[Woodbadgegirl]

The scouts in my council would most likely wait till the COH. My council runs extremely slow. It took me 5 months to get a den chief book and 7 months to get a JLTC award. We do not have the supply of willing adults to run out to council so we do the best we can.

You can order these things online at http://www.scoutstuff.org/

[t305spl]

You can order MB's and Rank patches from there?

[Woodbadgegirl]

You can order MB's and Rank patches from there?

Well I just looked and I didn't see any. You can order books and everything else. Sorry about that. I thought they had badges!! I will keep looking for ya!!

[t305spl]

Thanks though. It would have been an excellent source if they did have it. I will keep looking too.

[Mick Scouter]

Whew, I took me a couple minutes to get caught up on all the posts. Once again thanks for all the ideas. If I get a new idea reading and responding is great. Some things may change for the better because of the suggestions and then again sometimes things will continue as they have always been. Once again thanks.

[diamondbackAPL]

Because we dont run out 30 miles to council everytime a completion comes in. We go out and buy them all at once. If you are willing to run out and buy them for us I will be sure to make the change to awarding them the next week. No parent has been able too.

this is the case in our troop. most of the people live at least 30 minutes away from the store. I know that earlier I said that some scouts buy the badge for themselves when they earn the badge, but I don't think anyone is willing to buy the badges once someone passes.

also, I like the idea of having a stockpile of badges.

[Mick Scouter]

For us in rural areas (I live an hour from the local scout shop), we must try our best and the boys must understand that we are trying our best for recognition. My experience has shown they understand. How often does a boy make rank or get a new MB and run home and have it put on his uniform immediately.

[Woodbadgegirl]

Ok, I confess, it has taken me 2 months to finally get my son's Star rank sewn onto his shirt and we have been in the new troop 3 weeks now and I haven't changed the numbers yet!

I think the boys are going to understand!

[diamondbackAPL]

why don't the boys do it themselves? that's what I do (if you looked closely, you could tell)

[Mrw]

We recognize the boys verbally at the closing of the meeting if they have easrned a rank or merit badge.

They receive the patch as soon as possible, but it may be a week or two before someone gets to the scout shop to pick them up.

They are again recognized at the next COH, so the parents can see all the good things our boys are doing.

A boy who misses the COH, for whatever reason, is announced anyways. If he had awards to pick up and missed it, he would receive them at the next meeting.

Council will not sell awards without the advancement report in hand, so sending the boys to get their own is not an option. We have been working on using up an inventory of on-hand patches, but most that are left are things the boys are not interested in.

[Troop160]

Our Troop alway stockpile of rank badges on time tables. We do not stockpile on MB.

When our boy advandge the rank after BORs, I give them the rank badge at that time in meeting.

For MB, that move to Court of Honor.

For Court of Honor, I give MB, Mother pin, Blue Card, MB cards and Rank Card (they get two rank badge). (mostly I keep those cards in my note book). Boys can lose blue card very easy.

Three boys I know have lost at least two of them that requiral for Eagle and they have to retake the course again. Council have no record of them (they throw away after three years)[old troop].

Lucky, I have pink copy of Record and prove to council and Eagle Broad of Review [new troop]. That why I keep all blue card as soon as the boys finish their project.

Those who do not attend the Court of Honor, they have to wait for next COH. Period.

Rank badge is the only time the boy get at the meeting after BOR meeting.

We had problem on boys who don't go to COH under old way. Now, boy must attend to receive the award or else don't get it at all. Most problem boys will get ScoutMaster meeting with other leader why did not attend the COH.

Did you know most boys forot about COH. I alway call their parents day before the COH.

When you give them the hard copy of notes or newsletter, wait until the meeting end or otherwise the boys will make paper plane during the meeting.