POR Question

[Eagle92]

In referecne to Den Chief's and their term of office. DCs are unique in that usually they are a DC for the entire year of the pack, since they are primarily working with a pack. So if the pack starts in Sept., they should start in Sept. If the pack ends in may, then they end in May. That's becasue there is a big differnce between the 1 or 2 week break in meetings becasue of Christmas or spring break that a troop will have and a three month summer break a pack will have. So having the SPL appoint DCs mid year isn't really recommended.

 

That said, I have to agree with the others, if the pack year ended in May, he still needs 2 months. If the pack did activities over the summer and he attended, then he did meet the requirement. If however they did, and he didn't attend, then he still needs 2 months, or however manymonths he didn't work over the summer.

 

[shortridge]

If there's no issue with the Scout aging out, then this isn't an issue at all. He should put in two more months, at minimum. If he puts up a fight, ask him about his service to the den. What does he think would be best for the boys he worked with in the spring?

 

I'll agree that a good den chief works harder than a good quartermaster, though perhaps I'm biased. That job isn't something you want rotating on a six-month schedule. You want to pick Scouts who will commit to working with a den through the year and over the summer as needed, and ideally stick with the den for a few years. (Remember that the same POR can count for Star, Life and Eagle - you don't have to switch them up - so serving for two years as a den chief would more than satisfy all three rank requirements.)

 

Your troop may also want to strongly consider not holding regular mass "Eagle Courts," which set up artificial deadlines and expectations, as shown by this example. Instead look at scheduling them on a case-by-case basis as the boys earn the rank.

[mbrownkc7]

OGR, I don't know what materials were given to him. Our troop has not had many den chiefs. I don't know why but it isn't a very popular choice. Our troop and pack meet on the same nights and the boys would miss their troop meetings. It is also a convienent time but just hasn't worked out.

 

John, he is a hardway with orange paint so that would be a good way to talk to the boy about the issue.

 

I also agree now that if another boy in the future wants to be a den chief he will need to start in September and continue through May. I honestly don't believe the person who pushed in this direction didn't think it through.

 

Shortridge, we don't hold regular mass Eagle courts. We used to and when I took over this position I started working with the boys and letting them pick the dates they wanted their Eagle Court. This has come up because we have a had a couple of Eagles waiting on thier friend to complete his. One set of parents doesn't want to wait any longer and wanted to schedule a court over the Thanksgiving holiday so relatives from out of town could attend. They thought is was going to work out for all of them but it isn't going to. The good news it will work out and the boys will have a great court this November and the boy is question will have a great one on the next one. In years to come he won't remember that he didn't have his court with his friends, he will remember that he did the right thing and he didn't cut any corners to get his Eagle.

 

Thanks everyone. You have been a great help.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Actually, I would not mind if a Scout is appointed in July, assuming he takes training while the summer is still running, and gets together with his Den Leader to figure out program. A Den Chief does not have to be in direct contact with kids to be working his POR; he needs to be doing stuff which clearly supports his POR. Planning the program year, collecting games and activities (maybe even trying them out on the new socut patrol as a sanity check0, planning the first month program...

 

Retention of new cubs is a vital task. Someone who is truly prepared will help DLs and CMs accomplish that task. We want to tend our cub scouts well, they are the seed corn from which we will grow PLs, Quartermasters, Den Chiefs, and SPLs in 6-7 short years.