Thunderbird

Arrow of Light is a rank, but it is not a separate den level / type. The BSA sometimes uses the term "award" loosely where all ranks are awards, but not all awards are ranks.

The formal rule in the Guide to Advancement is what I posted above. The Scoutmaster may (has the discretion to) sign off on his or her own son's / daughter's advancements. Whether this is a good or wise thing to do is a separate question. Some troops have policies against parents signing off on their own children. Some troops are small and don't have as many options as larger troops. There might also be cases where a parent is the only merit badge counselor for a particular merit badge. Personally, I agree with @Jameson76 and think it's a good thing for Scouts to interact with other adults whenever possible. @Ranman328 also makes some good points. It's a judgement call. Boards of review are different. There is no discretion here: 8.0.0.3 Composition of the Board of Review Unit leaders [Scoumasters] and assistants [Assistant Scoutmasters] shall not serve on a board of review for a Scout in their own unit. Parents, guardians, or relatives shall not serve on a board for their child. The candidate or the candidate’s parent(s) or guardian(s), or relative(s) shall have no part in selecting any board of review members.

From the Guide to Advancement: Mechanics of Advancement in Scouts BSA "Parents or guardians are involved at home encouraging, mentoring, and supporting, but they do not sign for rank advancement requirements unless they serve as registered leaders and have been designated by the unit leader to approve advancement or are Lone Scout friends and counselors (see “Lone Scouting,” 5.0.3.0)." 4.2.1.2 The Scout Is Tested "The unit leader [Scoutmaster] authorizes those who may test and pass the Scout on rank requirements. They might include the patrol leader, the senior patrol leader, the unit leader, an assistant unit leader, or another Scout. Merit badge counselors teach and test Scouts on requirements for merit badges." As the Scoutmaster, you may sign off on your son's advancements. You might also decide that it would be better to authorize someone else to sign off instead.

@walk in the woods I agree with you. What you posted are references to "qualified" Venturers and Sea Scouts. After they earn First Class rank, they are "qualified" to continue earning Scouts BSA ranks, merit badges, and awards while they are in a Venturing crew or a Sea Scout ship (they do not have to be dual registered in a troop after they have earned First Class rank). 4.2.0.1 Scouting Ranks and Advancement Age Requirements All Scouts BSA awards, merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms are only for registered Scouts [defined as members of Scouts BSA troops or Lone Scouts in the Scouts BSA program], including Lone Scouts, and also for qualified Venturers or Sea Scouts who are not yet 18 years old. Venturers and Sea Scouts qualify by achieving First Class rank as a Scout or Lone Scout, or Varsity Scout (prior to January 1, 2018). The only exceptions for those older than age 18 are related to Scouts registered beyond the age of eligibility (“Registering Qualified Members Beyond Age of Eligibility,” 10.1.0.0) and those who have been granted time extensions to complete the Eagle Scout rank (“Time Extensions,” 9.0.4.0). 4.3.1.4 Boy Scout Advancement in Venturing Venturers who earned First Class when registered in Scouts BSA are qualified until their 18th birthday to continue with Scouts BSA advancement. If desired, they may maintain multiple (dual) registration in a troop and crew, and work on ranks in either unit. 4.4.0.1 Scouts BSA Advancement in Sea Scouts Sea Scouts who earned First Class rank when registered in Scouts BSA are qualified until their 18th birthday to continue with Scouts BSA advancement. If desired, they may maintain multiple (dual) registration in a troop or ship, and work on ranks in either unit. The temporary transition rules are clear: "all requirements must be completed while the individual is a registered member of Scouts BSA, or after achieving the First-Class Rank in Scouts BSA (as specified in the BSA Guide to Advancement, an individual after earning First Class Rank in Scouts BSA may transfer primary membership to Venturing or Sea Scouts and continue to work on Eagle Scout requirements)." Either "all requirements" means "all requirements" or it does not. Even for Scout rank it says: "All requirements for the Scout rank must be completed as a member of a troop or as a Lone Scout." Miss Ireland could not have been a member of a troop prior to February 1, 2019. It does not matter what she did prior to joining a troop, she simply was not eligible. This is really no different from the rules that apply to Venturers: if a Scout earned the backpacking merit badge while registered with a troop but prior to joining a Venturing crew, he or she would have to complete the Ranger backpacking elective requirements again once registered with the crew. Miss Ireland said that she wanted to be a Scout. Now she can be a Scout. She said she wanted to be able to earn the Eagle Scout rank. Now she can do so by following the same rules as every other girl. She can track her fitness requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class after she joined a troop - just like every other girl. She can do her service hours after she joined a troop - just like every other girl. She can complete all of the merit badge requirements after she joined a troop - just like every other girl. Same with leadership positions of responsibility, etc. I hope that national requires her to follow the same rules as every other girl.

It might not be easy (or sustainable), but it can be done. Here is the activity requirement for First Class: So this breaks down to: 10 separate troop / patrol activities. At least 6 of the 10 activities must be held outdoors. At least 3 of the outdoor activities must include overnight camping in a tent that you pitch or other structure that you help erect. These activities do not include troop or patrol meetings. You can do more than one activity on a given weekend, as long as they are separate. So it could look something like this: 3 troop / patrol overnight campouts in tents (average one per month) 3 troop / patrol day hikes (average one per month) - could be same weekend as service projects (Saturdays?) 3 troop / patrol outdoor service projects (average one per month) - could be same weekend as day hikes (Fridays?) This is only about 2 weekends per month (so far), and it's 9 outdoor activities with 3 overnight campouts in tents. Add in one more activity of some kind and that makes 10. For Scouts who are committed, this is doable. I would imagine that many of these Scouts (particularly the older ones) have been learning and planning for several months before they were eligible to join, so they might have many of the skills already (like how to tie knots) that they would just need to demonstrate after joining.

@Samuel If you log in at my.scouting.org, click on the Menu button, then go to Legacy Web Tools, Manage Member ID. Add your new BSA ID # there, and make it the "primary". If you also add the old BSA ID #, it should link the training. The troop's Scoutmaster, Committee Chair, or Chartered Org. Rep. can add your training if you show them your training card / certificate. They can use the Training Manager to add training for other adults in the unit.

Use that bright orange color, and I don't see how they can revoke your "real outdoorsman" card!

The 2-year age difference rule only applies to tents -- not cabins. We don't know why. Perhaps because cabins usually have bunks, more separation, and are generally more open.

An introduction to the Camping merit badge is one thing. Some of the requirements are "discuss" or "explain", so no problem there for partials. But how many of them had the requisite nights of camping? I'm guessing not many.

I definitely agree with this advice. Aim for 10+ campouts per year. Maybe 2 per month during the summer when Scouts don't have to deal with homework, conflicting extracurricular events (sports, band, clubs, etc.).

Attending multiple summer camp weeks can also be expensive. Summer camps in my area run around $300-$450 per week. A motivated and focused Scout can earn 6+ merit badges in one week of summer camp, which could take care of a few of the Eagle-required merit badges, plus many of the electives. The quality of instruction at summer camp can also be hit or miss. If there are merit badges that a Scout is interested in that can't easily be done elsewhere (Climbing, Kayaking, etc.) then summer camp is the place that I would recommend doing them. I wouldn't recommend doing a merit badge like Cooking or Camping at summer camp, where most of it can't be done in a group setting anyway. We have some local pools that have merit badge counselors for Swimming and Lifesaving. Earning Swimming prior to summer camp would be good preparation for the swim test at camp and would free up a class slot for something else that the Scout might want to do.

Most Cub Scout awards: https://www.scouting.org/programs/cub-scouts/what-cub-scouts-earn/other-youth-awards/ Cub Scout Nova & Supernova awards: https://www.scouting.org/stem-nova-awards/awards/cub-scout/

Some things to keep in mind: Cyber Chip (rank requirement for Scout and Star): Requires Scouts to write and sign a personalized contact with a parent / guardian and also to have a discussion with parents. Fitness requirements: Tenderfoot - practice & track for 30+ days Second Class - at least 30 minutes per day for 5 days a week for 4 weeks [must be done after completing TF #6c.] First Class - at least 30 minutes per day for 5 days a week for 4 weeks [must be done after completing SC #7a.] Merit badges to watch out for: Family Life - Track chores for 90 days. Personal Fitness - Outline a fitness program and track fitness for 12 weeks. Personal Management - Track income, expenses, and savings for 13 consecutive weeks. Camping - 20 nights of camping with specific requirements (cabin camping doesn't count). 6 nights at summer camp can count if the Scout sleeps under the sky or in a tent. Cooking - Not really difficult, but has some specific requirements that Scouts need to be aware of and follow. As far as leadership positions of responsibility go, there are around 15 PORs that count for purposes of the Eagle Scout rank, and some of them can be held by more than one Scout at the same time (Instructor, Den Chief, ASPL, one Patrol Leader per patrol, etc.). So, the SPL can make troop-level appointments (in consultation with the Scoutmaster) and make sure that Scouts who need PORs for a particular rank get one. Something else that can help with PORs is to have 6 month terms of office instead of 12 months.

They do require separate applications. The Chartered Org. Rep. approves unit adult positions. Your council or district approve the MBC and Nova Counselor positions. In order to be a Nova Counselor, you must be age 21 or older. I second @Liz's advice to download the form to your computer to save on hand cramp!

Um, wow! OK, well breathe a sigh of relief that nobody was hurt. Who owns the property? If this were my Scout, I would think that an apology to the property owner and possibly some kind of restitution for damaging the field. If no restitution is required, service hours. Revocation of the Scout's “Firem’n Rights” until some future time. Must go through the Firem'n Chit training again. These are the bare minimum that I can think of off the top of my head. What the Scout did was very unsafe, the Scout could have gotten hurt or hurt other people, and could have done serious damage to property.

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I know this is a personal preference type of thing, but I dislike the term "Cub" or "Cubs" (when used by itself), because it makes them sound like they are still little tiny kids. These are 10 and 11-year-old Webelos Scouts who are used to being the oldest Scouts in the pack. The BSA doesn't call Tigers "Tiger Cubs" any more - officially they are called "Tiger Scouts" [Lion Scouts, Tiger Scouts, etc.]. While "Cub" would be intended as a term of endearment, some people (and current 10 and 11-year-olds) might find it a little bit demeaning. JMO. I agree with @HashTagScouts. Don't focus on what type of Scout they are - focus on the type of unit. However, if you want to describe what type of Scout they are, I would call them "Webelos Scout" or "Cub Scout", which are the official terms.

1. Yes, but it's up to the Cubmaster / Pack Committee. Answer might depend on whether or not the now crossed over Scouts have parents or siblings who are still members of the pack. Regardless, they should still be covered by BSA insurance, so that should not be an issue. 2. I'm not sure exactly what you are asking. Do the pack and the troop share the same Chartered Organization? Do you charge other non-members of the pack (siblings who are not Cub Scouts, parents who are not leaders, etc.)? Did the Scouts help raise money for the pack prior to crossing over?

If anything, I would think that Varsity Scouts would be bundled in with Boy Scouts, because the Varsity program was basically a subset of the Boy Scout program. Sea Scouting became its own program (separate from Venturing) in early 2016, so maybe that's why they decided to post the numbers for both programs together.

And here is the International Spirit Award at the BSA's web site: https://www.scouting.org/international/recognitions/

Watch out for the Cooking merit badge, which does not allow its meals to double-count towards rank advancement or other merit badges: But if these meals are not being used to fulfill the rank requirements, then they could potentially count towards the Cooking MB requirements.

TF #1b. - They are cabin camping, so cannot count. TF #2a. - Uses the term "the campout", which seems to refer to TF #1b., but unclear. Scoutmaster's discretion? TF #2b. - Uses the term "a campout". If it's not referring to the campout in TF #1b, then it could count. SC #1a. - They are cabin camping - not tent camping. I would count it as an outdoor activity, but not a "campout". SC #2e. - Unless the term "On one campout" is interpreted strictly to refer to the campouts as defined in SC #1a, then I think this could count.

The current Cub Scout program recommends immediate recognition (adventure belt loops / pins at den meetings, if possible, and ranks usually at the next pack meeting). BSA Guide to Advancement section 4.1.0.4 “Do Your Best”: Because your pack is small, presenting awards once a month is probably fine. Some larger packs find that trying to present all adventure belt loops and pins at pack meetings can take too long and the kids start to get bored, so it might make sense to present the adventure loops / pins at den meetings.

@RememberSchiff Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet React to Girl Scout Selling 'Momoas' Cookies (Exclusive) https://www.etonline.com/jason-momoa-and-lisa-bonet-react-to-girl-scout-selling-momoas-cookies-exclusive-120357 Jason Momoa does not want Samoas -- he wants some freebie shortbread cookies, instead!

What's even worse is that ASMs (age 18-20) can no longer count as the second registered adult.