First Class Requiement 3

[moosetracker]

Yeah, I think in the long run most of us really are in agreement, it is just we are looking at the situation from different perspectives.

 

Is it ok to be gung-ho and zip through your ranks. Yes, but only if it is balanced by enjoying the journey and not having tunnel vision that Scouting is all about obtaining a rank to Eagle in order put it on a resume, or brag you got it at some young age or what-not. If you are not enjoying the journey, or if you are not stopping to understand that the real benefit of Scouting is not about the advancement but about the adventure, then slow it down.

 

If you do get to a rank of Eagle early, then it is time to stay and enjoy scouting. But, if you don't see a reason to stay once you earned the rank. Then all you got was an award, but you never learned the spirit of scouting and really didn't get much from the program.

 

I could be wrong, some of you may state it is all about the award, get it ASAP and then take-off.

[Stosh]

I always use the analogy with my boys that just because you reach the rank of General, doesn't mean you can quit the Army. Reaching rank has a reason and responsibility attached to it. Reaching Eagle only to quit speaks volumes about how that scout feels about it.

 

If a scout reaches Eagle only to announce to himself that he is now fully trained to actually DO anything and everything he's been trained to do and affords himself the luxury of applying that over the course of his veteran years in the program, he's probably not going to get pegged a Parlor Scout in anyone's opinion.

 

However, when a scout attains Eagle only to brag about it, it always begs the question: "So?"

 

I don't buy into the tradition of "once an Eagle always an Eagle". It's not an issue of what you ARE, but an issue of what you DO. I'm not a fan of being a General with no army to lead. What's the point?

 

If an Eagle doesn't do his good turn daily for the rest of his life, there's really not much value to anyone with him being an Eagle, he's only a Parlor Scout then.

 

Stosh

[Knot Head]

1) Is there any definitive guide that states what is and is not considered an outing for this requirement?

 

>>>>Our SM sets that policy and we have always counted service projects for this requirement.

 

2) Is it unreasonable for a Scout with a lot of experience in the woods to get 1st Class in 7 or 8 months?

 

>>>> Not at all. If you master the skills and meet the requirements then you advance. With a little practice and dedication it just is not that hard to learn the requirements.

 

3) Is it appropriate for an ASM to tell a Scout to slow down and question something another ASM signed off on? I already feel it is very un-Scout like for his son to be questioning this.

 

>>>> If we are supposed to be teaching boys to be leaders and to be reliable why in the world would we make a kid feel bad for enthusiasm and committment to the troop as evidenced by attendance? We should encourage enthusiasm and attendance, not make a scout feel like he has broken some unwritten rule. I'd tell the other scouts "hey, if you work hard, attend every meeting and campout you will advance more quickly also! But if you are not learning and also having fun along the way then what's the point?"

 

If a kid is enthusiastic and an over achiever and legitimately makes eagle at 14 years of age then good for him.

 

(This message has been edited by knot head)