Why Rush?

[WeeWillie]

On my honor I will do my duty to God.....

LDS troops are meeting the 1st duty of every Scout. I don't see the differences between LDS troops meeting their religious responsibilities and Jewish troops observing Kosher, or Moslem Scouts not eating pork.... This year the Catholic Scouts in our troop will be returning early from camping trips for Confirmation preparations.

Maricopasem and I live in AZ (different councils) and interact with LDS Scouts and Troops on a frequent basis. That probably explains our admiration for their religious convictions AND Scout Spirit.

[evmori]

I'm genuinely curious as to why it seems that LDS units are run differently. I have yet to hear an explanation or an observation on this that makes sense.

Read whats in the link posted earlier in this thread.

[ronin718]

I'm genuinely curious as to why it seems that LDS units are run differently. I have yet to hear an explanation or an observation on this that makes sense.

Okay, I've tried to comment from the sidelines on this one, but with apologies to WV, I'm going to come into this one full force.

I have a unique perspective on this. I'm an LDS Scouter working in a community troop, so I know both perspectives rather intimately. I laugh at comments that imply that the LDS folks have twisted the Scouting program into some unrecognizable (there's another term that comes to mind, but like WV said, this is a youth-friendly forum) version of Scouting. So to answer Marico's question, here are the unique aspects of LDS Scouting:

1. LDS Webelos generally do not cross over into Boy Scouts until they turn 11 y/o, regardless of the school calendar.

2. LDS 11 y/o scouts generally do not meet with the main troop, but meet separately and have their own activities (for the most part). They do meet with the main troop for CoH, but they can only attend summer camp with the main troop if the boy's father attends as well.

3. LDS EYOS (aka 11 y/o scouts) are only permitted three Scout-sponsored camping excursions during their first year. These are typically Stake- (like a Diocese, think District for Scouts) organized events specifically for EYOS. They also don't typically camp with the regular troop, but do their own overnighters.

4. While in EYOS, the program focus is on helping the boy to earn his First Class rank prior to turning 12.

5. Once the boy turns 12, he joins the LDS Young Men's program, which is where the Scouting program kicks in full force. The LDS Scouting program breaks out here into the Scout troop (12-13 y/o), the Varsity team (14-15 y/o), and the Venturing crew (16-18 y/o). The emphasis on rank advancement takes place in the Scout troop, which is why you will see younger Eagles in the LDS program. The Varsity/Venturing programs are typically less organized towards Scouting, so there may be less emphasis towards advancements in general.

6. LDS troops do not generally pull their members from the community, but typically form their membership from their congregation. This is why you may see an LDS troop with only 2-3 boys.

7. LDS Scouters are typically not volunteers, but are appointed (aka "called") by the Bishop (the congregational leader). The duration of this "calling" is totally dependent upon what the Bishop sees as the needs of the congregation, so these Scouters may be around for a while, or may only work in Scouts for a few months. This is something that LDS HQ is attempting to work on, getting those who are "called" to be Scouters to have a longer tenure so they can get trained and use that training to improve the program. This also helps explain why LDS Scouters may or may not be trained, because it depends on how motivated the individual is to truly engage in the program. Some do, some don't.

Hopefully this has helped to dispel some of the confusion about the LDS Scouting program. If you want to know more, PLEASE feel free to go to this site: http://www.lds-scouts.org. It's focus is on the NCAC area, but much of the information applies across the LDS program.

[Swim4lyfe]

After reading the last six posts I don't know if this is still relevant but...

Concerning Scouts rushing to get Eagle, for me it was to prove to myself I could do it - fast. Why fast? I just wanted to. A Scout making Eagle faster than others doesn't make them any more or less of a Scout. I got Star rank when I was ten and Life when I was eleven and continue to be one of the youngest kids in my region to earn the ranks that quickly (I slowed down a bit though... Got Eagle at 14, heh).

I personally don't think it matters as long as the Scout is having fun and continues to show growing knowledge as he advances through the ranks. Earning the ranks faster doesn't mean he doesn't know as much or is missing something or is having any less fun.

[ronin718]

I think Swim4lyfe has hit on something not often taken into consideration... the choice of the boy. My son has set himself a goal to get his Eagle before he turns 13. He's been in his troop now for not yet a year, and he's working on his Star. He needs one more Eagle MB to finish that aspect of the reqs, he's already serving as a Den Chief, and we've got a project coming up where he'll be able to do his service hours. Assuming all goes smoothly, he'll earn his Star less than one month after his one-year mark. If he stays on track, he'll be able to complete his Life and Eagle roughly four months before he turns 13.

Now will this happen? Who knows? There is always the possibility that he'll burn out at some point or decide he wants to slow down so he can do other things. The important thing to me as his father is that I enable him to attain his goals by helping him to attend as many troop activities as possible and plan activities that will assist him in completing his reqs.

What burns me is when troop leadership tries to throw the brakes on the young boys because they're "going too fast", but then struggle to light a fire under the older boys because they're running out of time. Let the flame burn as long as it will, because at some point the fuel will get low and then it will just flicker along.

[lifescoutforlife]

ronin718 I like what you say about let the flame burn, most boys are eager from the start to do things and some can never get enough when they first start out. We all hear the same thing over and over. He's to young, he waited to the last minute. Fact is national has already set the rules. And if a boy meets them he is a Eagle reguardless what others think.

[kimberbakos]

My son is also on the "fast track" to Eagle. He is currently 11 and He joined Scouts in January. At last night's COH he got Tenderfoot and 2nd Class and did the cooking this weekend for his 1st Class. He also has completed 11 MBs, including 3 ER. They had to state their year's goal and long term goal this weekend for planning, and his is to get 1st Class and Star at the January COH on his one year anniversary in Scouting, finish up Life at summer camp next year, and get Eagle by the following summer, when he is 13. Although he's very focused on getting his Eagle rank, he's still working on optional MBs he's interested in and wants to learn as much from Scouting as possible, regardless of rank. My grandfather, his great-grandfather, was a young Eagle back in 1932 and my son wants to follow his example. He's gotten some comments about slowing down so he doesn't burn out, but as long as he's willing to do the work, I'm not stopping him. Our family has a bunch of Life Scouts, just a MB or two short of Eagle, and I'd rather him be a young Eagle then to miss the mark.

[ASM-142]

... and his is to get 1st Class and Star at the January COH on his one year anniversary in Scouting...

Do you mean to say that he will be awarded his 1st Class and Star at the January COH? I am asking this because a scout can not get Star until he has been 1st Class a minimum of 4 months.

[Mrw]

I would hope that if he earns fisrt class at least four months before that January COH, that he does not have to wait until then to actually receive it!

[FrankJ]

I cannot speak for the scout in question, but we have COHs ever six months. The scouts receives ranks & merit badges as they earn them. They are recognized again at the COH although they have been wearing the patch since the time they earned it.

[kimberbakos]

We have three COHs a year, and the kids get everything they've earned since the last one presented there. So with one in August and the next one not happening until January, there is 5 months in between. That is how my son will be able to get First class and Star presented, but not earned, at the same time. Our kids don't mind waiting to get the rank, since they know they've already earned it, and as a mom I sure don't mind not having to re-sew patches as frequently!

[Mrw]

Our kids get their patches within a month of earning them and would never be satisfied by wating five months. Most troops that have a member posting here will award the patch as soon as possible and the recognized the boy again at the COH. Especially before activities where they will see other troops - summer camp, camporees, etc - our boys very much want their latest rank and merit badge patches on display on their uniforms.

[Quailman]

This has sort of changed the topic of this thread, but our troop awards rank advancements when earned (or at the next meeting) and MB's at the CoH (3x per year). Ranks get sewn on uniforms right away, and they get recognized at the CoH.

[Hubert]

Instant rec. Thats what we do as well.

[WVBeaver05]

Same here!

Scouts receive the patch (rank or MB) the same night they earn it or the next meeting. Never known anyone to have to wait longer than 1 week - well, make that 1 meeting (we had one right before Christmas and didn't have a meeting for 2 more weeks). Regardless of whether we have the patch, they are recognized at the meeting closing immediately on the night they earn the rank or turn in their blue MB card.

At the COR (2-3 times a year) they receive the card for the rank or ranks and all MB cards.

YiS

[Swim4lyfe]

We do everything at the court of honor. Installation of leadership, mbs, ranks, etc.

[deweylure]

The scouting theory is Scout thru 1ST class in a year.

Its true once a boy hits high school they get very busy with the extra curricular activities then at the magic age of 16 in my state they can get a drivers license then the girls.

We have 1 boy at Life he was planning to do a project this summer it did not work. He told the the other boys at a meeting to get the ranks done early since he has 4 hours of homework a night.

Potentially we have 2 young scouts at age 13.5 and 12.5 who are going to be Life .14 looks like the magic age

Dewey

[AquilaNegra2]

Anyone know if RReeder's son ever got all the MBs? We're here in the Northwest as well, and one of the reasons that so many MBs are earned (in my experience, many more than our friends in other areas of the country) is because it's cold and wet so much! That gives the boys a lot of time to do the studying part inside; and when it's warm, they're taking advantage of that, getting outside, and meeting requirements.

I feel sorry for Scouts who have gorgeous weather all the time, and can therefore actually plan to be outdoors. They have too many distractions to work on badges.

[milominderbinder2]

Get Eagle by 14 or 15 automatic move to a Venturing Crew until 21.

That is almost exactly what the Advancement Policies show:

A basic goal should be for each Scout to advance a rank during the year. New Scouts should earn their First Class rank during their first year in the troop.

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php?ti ... ment_Goals

Those 'basic' goals add up to:

Join: age 10 1/2 - 11
+1 First Class in a year
+1 Star
+1 Life
+1 Eagle

So the basic goal would be for an average active Scout to make Eagle at age 14 1/2 to 15. Some will be faster, some slower, and some will never make it.

Let's not even open the can of worms over what is 'average' or 'active' for that matter.

I also contend that it can become almost impossible for many 'active' boys to make Eagle past their freshman year. Getting a job can end it but the real problem is when the fumes hit: Gas fumes and perfumes.

One final thing to consider is that when you make Eagle you have only done 21 merit badges. You still have 100 other things to try. (Plus all that Venturing!) Too many leaders see Eagle as the end of the road instead of the beginning.

- Craig

[joat]

A basic goal should be for each Scout to advance a rank during the year. New Scouts should earn their First Class rank during their first year in the troop.
http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php?ti ... ment_Goals

I've heard of First Class Emphasis, but where does BSA talk about earning one rank per year after that?