Alcohol at Eagle Court of Honor Reception

[nldscout]

Gold Winger

 

To answer your question, I think that depends upon the parents and how well your attorney advocates for you if you wer to be considered the accompaning adault.

 

NeilLup

 

To answer you, Did the council not support the DE. Possibly so, but because of my position I refused to express any opinion to any of the parties involved.

 

Do I think this is a problem law, yep. But you have to energize some politicians to fix it, and we all know how fast they work

[Kahuna]

It baffles me how so many forum members are under the impression that an Eagle Court of Honor is not a unit function. Take out the first word and what do you have? Court of Honor. I haven't read any Scouting literature that suggests they are not appropriate unit functions.

 

I don't see what's difficult or confusing about any of this.

 

ECOH in a private home? That would never happen in any troop where I was SM, CC, COR or IH. There are boys who for one reason or other do not want a ceremony. Also fine. Nothing says there must be a COH to present any award, so you can hand it to him in the parking lot as far I can see. I once presented an Eagle to a Sea Scout in his truck en route to the Council Eagle Banquet. We never had any other ceremony.

 

What the family does then is up to them, but they don't have the power to hold a Court of Honor. If they want to have a reception in their home and invite Scouts and Scouters, that's up to them. If they want to serve alcohol to adults, that's also up to them. It's up to the adults to decide to be present or not be present and, if present, to drink alcohol or not drink alcohol. It is then not a Scouting activity so G2SS doesn't get into it.

 

State laws certainly vary, but as an attorney I would be shocked if any prosecutors would actually bring charges against people for serving alcohol at a party in their home where kids are present unless they were being served alcohol. Most people in the U.S. would be in jail if that were enforced.

[shortridge]

I'd be extremely uncomfortable in a situation such as this, and that would be enough to make me politely excuse myself and any youth I had responsibility for.

 

Going back to ScoutDad's initial post - he referred to alcohol "likely" being served at the reception. Is that definite?

 

(To me, the big shocker in this thread came from John-in-KC. Your OA lodge serves steak dinners?? Who's your chief cook, and is he or she available for other opportunities to provide cheerful service?)

[acco40]

It baffles me how so many forum members are under the impression that an Eagle Court of Honor is not a unit function.

 

It isn't a unit function. Technically, it is a National Court of Honor because, even after the Scout passes his Eagle Board of Review, the national BSA office must approve the Eagle Scout application.

[croushorn]

>>It isn't a unit function. Technically, it is a National Court of Honor

[evmori]

Is an ECOH outside the sphere of Scouting?

[Bob White]

The Court of Honor is a scout activity and as such must be operated within the policies of the BSA regardless of where it is held.

 

The solution would be to have the court somewhere other than the family's home and then once the court is over if the family wants to host a reception at their home they can.

 

This would allow adults leaders to choose to not to go or to change out of their uniform before attending.

 

But just because the court in in someone's home it does not put them in charge of the activity any more than having it at a school puts the school in charge of the activity.

 

Someone is going to need to show some backbone here and get control of the situation back into the hands of the unit and the BSA policies.

[evmori]

An Eagle COH is different from a unit COH. An Eagle COH is totally optional where a unit should be holding a COH at least quarterly. An Eagle COH is the responsibility of the Eagle & his parents & may or may not include the Scout's unit. A unit COH is the responsibility of the unit.

 

There have been posters here who. in the past, thought there was nothing wrong with a wine & cheese fundraiser with Scouts present. Some of these same posters seem to have a problem with this issue. Interesting.

 

If you don't agree with it, don't go. I for one don't agree with it but I do understand it.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[Gonzo1]

Sheesh,

Can't we celebrate WITHOUT alcohol?

It's a kid getting the award, no alcohol. If the parents can't skip the alcohol for one day, send them to Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

[Kahuna]

Ed writes: An Eagle COH is the responsibility of the Eagle & his parents & may or may not include the Scout's unit.

Much as I hate to sound like Bob White (no offense, BW), where do you find that? An Eagle court of honor can be separate from or part of a regular court of honor, but it is a unit event. Only the unit has the power to hold a COH and present awards to Scouts. How is Eagle any different?

As I said in my earlier post, the family can do anything they want, including hold an Eagle party at a strip club, if they wish, but it is: Not. A. Unit. Event. Nor is it a Court of Honor.

"National" Courts of Honor are an urban myth. There is a National Court of Honor. They are the people who evaluate and make awards for heroism and lifesaving.

[NeilLup]

Actually, Kahuna, I believe that technically, Eagle Scout awards are made by the National Court of Honor. It is a formality but I believe that is how it is done. Also, I believe that the Distinguished Service Awards (Silver Beaver, Antelope, Buffalo) are made by the National Court of Honor. Again, it is a formality for all but the Buffalo as when a person is recommended by the local council or by the region, the award is made.

 

A friend of mine was, for a couple of years, chairman of the National Court of Honor. They did actually meet to consider and select nominations for the Silver Buffalo and, I believe, for those extremely small number of Honor Medals, Heroism Awards and Medals of Merit for which there was some question.

 

But you are quite correct that that group does not physically present every Eagle Scout award. So it is just a nice touch to call it a "National Court of Honor."

[evmori]

Kahuna,

 

Is an Eagle COH required for a Scout to receive his Eagle regalia? Nope. It is up to the Scout & his parents if he wants to have an Eagle COH. If they don't fine! Can this be a unit event? Sure, but it doesn't have to be.

 

Since you brought up the "show me" card Kahuna, show me where it states an Eagle COH is required & that an Eagle COH is a unit event.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[scoutldr]

This horse is dead. We can quit flogging it now.

[Kahuna]

Ed, just read my first post. You are correct about not requiring a COH for Eagle, but any COH, if one is held, is a unit event. You will find no other reference to courts of honor anywhere, other than as unit events.

[nolesrule]

This is my first post here, but as an Eagle Scout and Unit Commissioner, I felt the need to respond.

 

The Guide to Safe Scouting doesn't say anything about alcohol and unit events, and it is worded that way on purpose. What it says is:

 

"The Boy Scouts of America prohibits the use of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances at encampments or activities on property owned and/or operated by the Boy Scouts of America, or at any activity involving participation of youth members."

 

An Eagle Court of Honor, even if being called a private function is "any activity involving participation of youth members" unless there are no registerd BSA youth present (and that would include the Eagle Scout himself). Moreoever, it most certainly is a scout activity, as the sole purpose is to present a BSA badge of rank.

 

 

As for alcohol at the reception, if it is a private reception that is held separately from the ECOH at another location with a separate invitiation, there is nothing that can be done. But if it is open to all the attendees including invited scouts, then alcohol is inappropriate per G2SS and the unit and chartered organization opens itself up to liability (IE your $1 insurance won't cover squat should anything happen...remember, the G2SS is a CYA policy).