Before 18th Birthday...

[RWSmith]

Would like to see RWSmith's take on all this since he wrote the guide we all use and is the "unofficial GURU" on how this all works.

I'm flattered, but... Huh? Who, me? I looked for the "guide"; but I can't find it. Would you mind refreshing my memory? I.e., where is it? I need to review this thing and make any corrections, if necessary. (Thanks.)

In the meantime though, I will say this... Paul knows his stuff. If he says "XYZ is BSA (National) policy", you can be assured it's correct. Period. Paul, like Wagionvigil and myself, has no compunction whatsoever contacting the right people (who have the final word) on clarifying policy, and then, posting it places like here, so others don't have to.

[smtroop168]

RW... I know you're just yanking my chain. Paul, Jerry and you all are fountains of knowledge on scouting and I know you have called Terry Lawson many times.

So guys what's your take on Req 6? Does anyone send the scout's statement to National as the application appears to require?

[Bill Pitcher]

To all: Has any Scout ever earned his Eagle with out submitting the Eagle Application? I think not! Therefore, the application, requirement 6, the workbook and the project are all REQUIREMENTS and need to be submitted by the 18th. birthday, period. No where does it say, some by the 18th., oh, and by the way, some after you turn 18. It's a deadline, so meet it! What are we teaching these young men if we keep extending it?
I have had learning disabled scouts meet the 18th. birthday requirement even with the knowledge that they can ask for an extension. They chose to get things done ON TIME!

[Nuts4Scouts]

Requirement #6 is to take part in a SM Conference - Not to fill out an Eagle Application.

BTW - Requirement #7 is to successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review. And BSA states plainly that this requirement can be completed after the 18th birthday.

So YES, somewhere it DOES say, "some by the 18th., oh, and by the way, some after you turn 18".

[Bill Pitcher]

Yes, I know. My point is that everything this thread is discussing is a "requirement" and we have 3 mo. to hold a BOR. And it is obvious, due to the ambiguity of the way things are written, that every council in the BSA does something different. And no, the requirement 6 attachment does not go to National. Heck, the application doesn't always go to national either! An electronic version is filled out by the council's advancement guru and e-mailed to them. We in the RV W Council have even found that MB's earned and listed for Star and Life, but the dates don't match for the 6 mo. wait between ranks, are OK for Eagle, as long as they are earned by the 18th. birthday! Go figure!

[Mrw]

We have always told our boys the paperwork and SMC needed to be completed by their 18th birthday and that the packet should be turned in on or before their birthday to Council.

It is a clear deadline and there is no opening for interpretation. As far as i know we haven't had anyone ask for any way around that. We did though have a boy several years ago work like heck the last month to get a project done and get things turned in on time. He made it, but had really left things too long before getting serious about finishing.

Sure, that's the best way. I'm not denying that.

But when I was SM, I had a boy that finished his last 3 merit badges the evening before his birthday, and had finished his project the week before, as I recall. He came to my house at about 10:00 pm for his SMC. He completed the paperwork (application and workbook) the following week, and we turned them in about a week later. The date of the SMC, the project completion date, and the dates for all merit badges were before his birthday. The dates by the signatures of the SM, CC, and Project recipient were all after that date.

No problem was ever raised by GCC or the national office, since all work on requirements was done before he turned 18.

The guy who barely finished by 18 - he was in for the final signatures and SMC the night before his birthday - is used as a reason not to let it go quite that long. If the question comes up, I would always double-check before laying down the law, but describing finished as including the paperwork relieves all of us of needing to split hairs regarding the definitions. As the SMC signature on the application is the final step, getting the paperwork done by then makes sense too. Our SM expects to have all the paperwork to go over with the boy during the SMC to make sure all the details are completed.

[smtroop168]

NUTS4SCOUTS: I'm talking about Requirement 6 on the 2008 Eagle Application. The verbiage is listed after the SMC part as shown in my post.

[Mrw]

NUTS4SCOUTS: I'm talking about Requirement 6 on the 2008 Eagle Application. The verbiage is listed after the SMC part as shown in my post.

Although this is part of the Eagle packet, it stays with the scout after his EBOR. National does not ever see it. At least in this part of the woods....

[smtroop168]

I don't disagree. I think it's interpreted that the statement must be attached to the application when the scout submits it so that the EBOR can be held. What happens after and what goes to National is secondary.

Although these statements would make a great book! Maybe a Legacy of Honor sequel. It would let you know what's on the minds of the newest Eagle Scouts.