EBOR - Appeal Loophole?

[bmcdonald138]

I serve as a Troop Eagle Coordinator and run the EBOR. I always select EBOR members from the community, usually military Eagle Scouts and of course our District Rep(retired military officer). Early in my tenure I dealt with a very difficult EBOR. Young man was brought back into the troop by the SM. Young man had a few issues, trouble at school, family issues, moved to CA for 10months then moved back to NC with Stepmom where he rejoined the troop. SM brought him back into the troop on a few conditions which I heard spelled out to young man by the SM. In my mind as the EBOR Chairman, the young man met all stipulations laid out by the SM. SM resigned, moved on to a District position. Time running out for the young man, 18 fast approaching. New SM will not SM Conference him, doesn't know the kid or support the issue. New SM departs 3 months later, next SM agrees to SM Conference with young man. EBOR scheduled, conducted. Original SM wants to attend, to layout why youth should not become an Eagle. I would not let him attend EBOR. He submits a letter to the EBOR stating why he thought the youth was undeserving. District Rep had been SM of this troop several years earlier, was close friend with 1st SM. This was a very difficult EBOR. I lost alot of sleep and sought guidance from many friends, Eagles on how to run this EBOR. Board was held, some voted for the young man, some voted against. Young man was told why he had failed and his options.

 

Young man appealed the decision of the EBOR and a District Board was called to discuss the denial of an Eagle. District team interivewed all the EBOR members, asked how we conducted the first EBOR. They then interviewed the Eagle Candidate, not a Board, but a few questions. It seems my original Board did not have him focus on his Project. We asked a few questions about the project, lots of other questions, many of them pretty personal and this kid basically was interrogated. I did not like the way my EBOR conducted themselves. I was glad it was appealed, the kid was not given a fair shake. The District Review Board overruled my EBOR and granted the young man his Eagle. I learned on that EBOR, haven't made those mistakes again. I didn't personally like this young man, but from what I observed for the time he was back in the troop he had lived up to his end of the agreement with the SM, held his leadership position, did everything he was supposed to, but I felt the deck had been stacked against him for his EBOR. He prevailed, I learned and pray I don't have another difficult EBOR anytime soon.

[Fugitive]

Lightning does strike twice! Your scenario is very, very similar to mine, an unbelievable mess. Our problem related to alot of people with bad behavior and a poorly written Advancement Committee Policies and Procedure manual. I just completed a 12 page critique of the ACP&P identifying the issues and suggested changes. National has it, now let's see if they care enough to make the necessary changes. Many people have contributed and 100's of hours spent. I hope the effort does not go to waste. If you want a copy of the paper private message me your email address and I will send it to you.

 

Thanks,

Fugitive

[NeilLup]

Hello Fugitive,

 

Came late to this thread.

 

1) Absent medical reasons or exceedingly extenuating circumstances far beyond the control of the Scout, recommend that you and the Scout not count on an extension of time to complete requirements beyond age 18. And if there are such circumstances, particularly medical, the procedure for initiating extension should have begun LONG before the 18th birthday. By and large, if the Scout hasn't completed his Eagle Scout requirements by age 18, he's out of luck and will not be an Eagle Scout.

 

2) Obtaining waivers to hold the Board of Review after 3 months is easier with good reason. That's pretty straightforward. But if he's on an extension to complete requirements, why then push farther in putting in the application, holding the BOR, etc.

 

3) Not sure why you are stringing out these what ifs. If Scout already has an extension for medical reasons, I'm not sure that would have contained a time limit. But why push the back end of the time period. Get things done early.

 

4) The basic attitude of the National Advancement group is that the requirements have been out there for the entire time that the boy has been a Scout and he has has seven years to complete them. If he's pushing his 18th birthday, that's his responsibility and not the responsibility of the unit, district, council or National council. As I've heard elsewhere "Your failure to plan ahead does not create an emergency for me."

 

5) A significant fraction of Scouts in these situations do not become Eagle Scouts. Perhaps sad, but it was their choice to wait until the last minute.