Troop that does not give out rank awards very often

[nolesrule]

"What would you think about the BoR members awarding a boy his rank patch or pin right then and there after the BoR? '

 

The important thing is awarding the boy in front of his peers (i.e. the rest of his troop) at the first available opportunity.

[Bob White]

There is nothing wrong with quarterly courts of honor. What you need to remember is that you don't need to hold the recognistion until the court. Recognize the scout as immediately as possible, preferrably the next troop meeting, withthe award. Then at the Court of honor recognize the scout again but this time in front of the parents using the poscket certificate card that is available with every rank, merit badge and most other recognitions.

 

You can find information on youth recognition in the Scoutmaster Handbook and the Advancement Committee Policies and procedurea manual as well as in New Leader Essential Training and every adult leader specific training in Scouting.

 

How long do you like to wait for a pay check?

[RememberSchiff]

Liz, our unit also presents ranks badges, et al, at the next COH which are held more of less quarterly. We do this to teach scouts patience (we don't subscribe to the need for immediate "gimme" recognition), to give all plenty of time to adjust schedules (we have good attendance and participation at COH), and to give our Advancement Chairman time (less stress) to do his job. It has worked well for us.

 

Immediate recognition is relatively new in scouting. My unit did not do it in the 60's - we waited until the next COH. Looking at my old scout handbook sixth edition, Nov, 1959. Regarding earning first class page 229.

 

(after the board of review) ..."Soon after, at a troop court of honor, your Scoutmaster presents your First Class badge to you in front of your friends."

 

So a scout waited sometimes a couple of weeks, sometimes a couple months...worth the wait. Also as Cub Scouts we typically waited that long to receive our awards at the next pack meeting.

 

Like you said, this approach may not work well for other units but it works well for us. Some of us wait until Dec 25, for Christmas, some of us don't.

[Bob White]

Rememberschiff writes

"Immediate recognition is relatively new in scouting. My unit did not do it in the 60's - we waited until the next COH. Looking at my old scout handbook sixth edition, Nov, 1959. Regarding earning first class page 229.

 

(after the board of review) ..."Soon after, at a troop court of honor, your Scoutmaster presents your First Class badge to you in front of your friends." .

 

The same Handbook, same year, same edition, on page 101 says

" At an early Troop meeting, your Scoutmaster arranges for a court of honor ceremony."

 

Then in the Scoutmaster Handbook for that era it explains that a court of honor takes place at a troop meeting "as soon as" a scout or scouts have completed a rank or recognition.

And that for higher ranks Star, Life and Eagle, or for special recognitions, a formal court of honor including parents is held.

 

But keep in mind that that was the process in the 50s and 60s. And that in today's BSA program recognizing the scout at the the next troop meeting is still the recommended procedure and an element of the advancement and recogniition method of Boy Scouting. The only real difference now is that courts of honor with parents present are recommended quarterly in order to provide a communication platform to troops as well as an opportunity to reinforce the positive recognition of the scout in front of his parents.

 

BW