Changes to Tiger Program

[ScoutNut]

"Some of the people I have talked to about this have not seen the 2005 book, and that is where the disaggreement is coming in."

 

 

I'm not sure what disagreement you are referring to. Is it when Tigers can earn Bobcat?

 

The 2005 Tiger Handbook is pretty much the same as the other Tiger Handbooks. The Tigers on the cover are in orange, it has the Immediate Recognition emblem for the belt, not the shirt, it has the Tiger Motto, & it has the Bobcat requirements at the back of the book as the next trail available to the boys.

 

Ever since BSA created the Tiger rank 5 years ago, Tigers have been able to earn their Bobcat AFTER they earned their Tiger rank. This is not new.

 

The thing to keep in mind concerning when you award the Tigers their Bobcat rank is that once they have officially become Bobcats, they can NO LONGER earn any more Tiger electives because they are NO LONGER TIGERS. BSA rules are that awards can only be earned in one level at a time.

 

My Pack has always done our Bobcat ceremony in September. This way the Tigers have been able to continue to add up their Tiger Tracks for electives thru May. The September Bobcat ceremony would include the former Tigers & any brand new Cubs. This coming September's ceremony will have new Tigers included too.

[johndaigler]

My apologies if I've muddied the waters with my June 1 comment. It's a standing policy with my council and I never thought to research it for accuracy (trusting the Service Center . . . Hmmmmm ...). Anyway, I can't find any documentation for the specific date, though my guess is that ScoutNut has explained my Council's policy. BTW, our Pack awards Bobcat in November. Another problem that I can't convince others of, . . . but perhaps this new June 1, 2006 policy will change our patterns a bit.

 

jd

[kevinpate]

According to the Cub Scout Leader Handbook - 2005 Edition, 2nd Printing:

 

Effective June 1, 2006, Tiger Cubs will join the rest of CUb Scouting in so far as the Bobcat is concerned, and Bobcat will be earned BEFORE the Tiger Cub rank badge.

 

Effective June 1, 2006, Tiger Cubs will also use the Cub Scout motto instead of the Tiger Cub Motto.

 

Shared leadership continues for Tiger Cubs.

 

Within the 2005 2nd Printing of the CSLH, see these source pages: 2-4 | 18-4 | 19-4,5,6

 

Opinion:

Despite the changes, I do not anticipate seeing a new Tiger Cub handbook until after the conclusion of 2006 (and please note that is not the same as saying the book will appear in 2007.)

 

I don't pop in here much, but I hope that helps some.

 

Kevin in Norman, America

a town where we're rapidly becoming known for more than a fair amount of pigskin handlin'.

[Beagle Scout]

I went into our local Scout Shop yesterday and checked out their Tiger Cub books. They have the 2005 printing now, and it does indeed show the boys in the blue shirts on the cover. Same picture, they just changed the boys' uniforms. It also looks like they redid all the uniforms in the artwork inside, too.

 

The other difference I noticed from the 2003 printing is that the Tiger Cub belt totem has become the Tiger Cub Immediate Recognition Emblem. It is now worn on the button of the right pocket like the Wolf and Bear Progress Toward Ranks emblem.

 

The 2005 printing does not say anything about the changes on June 1, 2006, though. I guess if there is not another printing before the new Tigers start, which seems unlikely, I will make up a short errata sheet and hand it out to all the parents.

 

[jens3sons]

As a committee chairperson first, I had heard of "rumors" of the Tiger program changing, but was not letting it hold water until I saw it for myself. As a newer employee in a scout shop, when the new program helps arrived, I immediately picked one up to look at the new monthly themes. While reading through September's, I saw the change and began asking around about it. My manager had been at a meeting on Friday and asked further on my behalf. Later friday afternoon we received a fax at the shop stating that the program was changing. The woman who sent the fax said she would talk to National and try and get something for the changes in the program. National has written a new book, however, since there is that "one year" that packs can make the transition, they will continue shipping the current books until they are all sold out (try and remember we are non-for-profit and that would really be a huge chunk of change for all of us to "eat"). My manager is guessing it would be July when the new books would be released.

 

As a committee chairperson, I know some of our "key" people will be graduating out of the pack this year and the following year so I am going to try and get these changes to take place NOW in our pack so that the new leaders will not have a huge task on their plate.

 

When I get what the changes will be, I will try and post them on here to clarify it for all of you.

 

Happy Scouting!

 

jens3sons

[Newbie Den Leader]

QUOTE:

"When I was trained, I was told that if it was in the book, then they can do it. It is in the book. Each of the 8 requirements are are there completely, and "How to protect you children from child abuse" section is there, encompassing multiple pages."

 

I have been told the same thing. If your den began using a handbook with older requirements before new requirements were issued, you can finish out the year using the older requirements. After that, you need to follow the new requirements.

 

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

"When I get what the changes will be, I will try and post them on here to clarify it for all of you."

 

 

Do you mean that there are MORE changes to the Tiger program than Bobcat first & no more Tiger Motto?

 

 

[jens3sons]

ScoutNut, to answer your question...I don't know yet. There is a rumor that there would be no more motto, since the Tigers would be learning The Cub Scout Motto first, it would seem a bit silly to then learn the Tiger one. I am still waiting to hear back from the other lady as to what exactly the changes will be. As soon as I do hear something (which again will be from National) I will post here once again. I only work part time, and today will be my first day this week, and with it being Holy Week, the shop is closed Friday and Saturday. As soon as I get a list of the changes I will post them.

 

Jens3sons

[ScoutNut]

The Tiger Motto going & Bobcat moving before Tiger rank are NOT just rumors. Both are documented in the current version of the "Cub Scout Leader Book".

 

Also, BSA's new Tiger Cub Den Leader Fast Start, on BSA's new Online Learning Center (which BSA now has featured on their home page), has the Tigers learning the Cub Scout Promise & the CUB SCOUT Motto. It does NOT mention the existence of a Tiger Cub Motto at all. It also SPECIFICALLY mentions that the boys earn Bobcat FIRST, before Tiger rank.

 

Everything else about the Tiger program seems to be the same on the new Fast Start. When I went thru the Fast Starts for the other levels, they looked the same as this year.

 

 

[SpongeBob]

I went to roundtable the other night and this is what we were told.

 

All ranks will have "new" books.

 

Wolf-Bear-Webelos

Only change it that it will be spiral-bound and cost TWICE as much. My scout shop has them already. There are NO changes in content.

 

Tiger

It will be available NEXT month for the Scout Shops to order.

It will be spiral-bound and cost twice as much.

They are reprinting it to include changes to the program. Since my roundtable staff haven't seen the book, they don't know how much has been changed.

 

If anyone gets a copy of the 2006 printing of the the Tiger book, please let us know what has changed!

[Beagle Scout]

I was just at our Scout Shop, which I believe is a National Supply Division store (separate from our council). I spoke with the manager, who is very knowledgeable, and she told me that there is supposed to be another printing of the Tiger books available in June or July, both spiral-bound and non-spiral-bound. They do have quite a few of the 2005 printing books to use up first, though, so I guess if someone really wants the latest printing, they'll have to buy the spiral-bound book.

 

[wiscouter]

I just recieved our council new's letter

"effective june 1 a tiger cub must earn bobcat badge as his first badge of rank after joining pack. Earning the bobcat badge is then followed by earning the tiger badge."

 

This is fine and about time I say. But the issue I have is I can find no info on this on any site exept on the fast start traning, and a few message boards. Where is all the info on new requirments.

 

[SaintCad]

I love this idea.

As the Wolf Den leader, I am going to run a Bobcat class for ALL of the new boys over the summer so that they can start in Sept on their Wolf, Bear, and now Tiger achievements. We will even have a small ceremony at the first pack meeting where the boys "earn" their Bobcat badge then "join" their den.

[ScoutNut]

The boys do NOT have to wait until they earn the Bobcat to begin working on their Tiger, Wolf, Bear or Webelos rank requirements or electives. They can be working on everything all summer long. Summer is a GREAT time to do the family and outdoor activities. The only stipulation is that, like electives, before you can receive the actual award/recognition, you need to have first received the Bobcat rank badge.

 

What typically happens is that at the first Pack meeting the boys will have 2 recognition ceremonies. The first one will be when they receive their Bobcat award. Then, whatever they have earned during the summer on their level rank requirements (totems, beads) or activity pins will be presented at the second ceremony.

 

WIscouter - Welcome! No, this change has not gotten a lot of "airtime". It has kind of been snuck in under the radar. There is a small blurb in the newest edition of the Cub Scout Leader Book, in the Online Tiger Fast Start, & a notice in the latest issue of Scouter magazine, but that has been about it. Our District Commissioner mentioned it in passing at our May Roundtable, but he was not aware of the Tiger Motto being dropped. "sigh!"

 

I will have to be REAL careful about what Tiger Handbooks I give out this year because we have some older ones left!

[jens3sons]

Ok, as promised, I am getting back to you all regarding the Tiger Cub program. Tuesday when I was at work, we received the new Tiger Cub Spiral Bound book, and it did reflect the new program, with the Bobcat patch being earned first. Page 14 clearly states that the Bobcat rank will be earned first. As far as any other changes that are concerned, the only other I could see was the dropped Tiger Cub Motto.

 

As far as the new books being available for purchase, all I can tell you is that the changes are minor enough that the old books can still be used. A lot of the stores (especially the COUNCIL run) only receive the new printed versions when their supplies have run out and they have placed a new shipment order, and NATIONAL has also sold out of the old books as well.

 

As for earning achievements or electives towards the Tiger Rank prior to earning the Bobcat, I would treat that like the Arrow Points for the Wolf and Bear years...just keep track of them until the Bobcat rank has been awarded. Once the Bobcat is awarded, the boy(s) will be well on their way to earning their Tiger rank! =)

 

One more thing to add...it will be very important that Packs embrace these changes as quickly as possible. If your council is anything like mine, it will be VERY important. Our council is going to an online advancement tracking system (similar to re-chartering) and I am sure it will "kick back" any advancement that doesn't previously show the Bobcat being earned first.

 

I for one am very excited about the changes!

 

Yours in Scouts,

jens3sons