CS belt loops & pins

[moosetracker]

I am trying to organize the district advancement for my husband. He gets monthly the paperwork on every units advancement, and has been tasked to make it useful to find signs of troubled units..

 

So I have been at Boy Scout level long enough I have forgotten alot of Cub Scouts.

 

I want to pull out of the CS advancement enough, so I know to pull awards like Summer time award & World Conservation..

 

Rank advancement is a definate track.

 

I kind of just set up the Gold arrow points & silver arrow points as a count of what each boy recieved for the month rather then break it out to wolf arrow point #1, wolf arrow point #2.. it is just silver arrow point (count of 2)

 

The belt loops & pins though have me kindof confused as to what I should look at.

 

Like I think I want to track those items that are required for the Webelos advancement. But some of this stuff maybe could be lumped.. The way they are listed on advancement I am not even sure what is belt loop or pin. But things like bowling & marbles and stuff I kind of would prefer to lump as Beltloops/pins (count of xx)..

 

Few units broke down Tiger beads etc.. But I just ignored that because only one or two units did it, so tracking it for the district to look for warning signs in a unit would not be accurate.

 

But not sure what is Webeloes advancement, and what is normal belt loop/ pins... Also not sure if I should do a count of Sports Belt loops/pins and Academic Belt loops/pins.

 

I figure I would ask those of you more currently involved in these awards how you would divide these up from meaningful advancement and more or less bling that makes the kids & parents happy. (The meaningful advancement I wish to track.. The bling I wish to lump & count..)

 

 

[Eagle92]

The CS Sports and Academics program, aka belt loops and pins, is not considered advancement, does not need an advancement report to purchase (mom ticked off that son didn't get the BB belt loop at a council family campout can go to the store and buy one), and anyone can buy them ( see real story above). Plus a CS can earn the BL and pin multiple times. I didn't realize that the council could track them.

 

 

As for the Tiger Beads and progress towards ranks beads, again they are not advancement and no report needs to be filled out.

 

In my opinion this is what I would focus on:

 

Cub Scouts:

Ranks

Electives

Activity Pins

Special Awards, i.e. Summertime Awards, LNT award, World

Conservation, etc.

 

Boy Scouts:

Ranks

MBs

Special Awards, i.e. 50 milers, LNT, World Conservation, et al.

 

Sea Scouts:

Ranks, Traditional, i.e. Apprentice, Ordinary,Able Quartermaster

Ranks, Non-traditiona, i.e. Small Boat Handler and Qualified Seaman

Ranks, Boy Scout, i.e. Star, Life, and Eagle

MBs

Special Awards, i.e. Long cruises, 50 milers, etc.

 

Venturing:

Recognitions, i.e. Bronze, Gold, Ranger, Quest, Silver, etc.

Ranks, Boy Scout, i.e. Star, Life, and Eagle

MBs

Special Awards, i.e. Long cruises, 50 milers, etc.

 

 

Look on the back of an advancement report, and that will tell you the bulk of the stuff that you can use. Special stuff that has their own application that needs to be turned in is also a good indicator.

 

But items that anyone can pick up, i.e. CS Belt loops and pins, Nope, not advancement.

[Greaves]

regarding Webelos, there is only one REQUIRED belt loop. Citizenship Belt Loop is required for the Citizen Activity Badge, and Citizen is required for the Webelos Badge.

 

Sportsman requires 4 different belt loops, (2 team, 2 individual) but there's no way to use that data to find units who need supporting.

 

and the other belt loops in the Webelos program provide just another option towards the different activity badges.

[moosetracker]

What is the difference of CS Electives and the belt loops/pins?

 

OK I was fuzzy on the belt loop/pin significance, but I guess not too.. I didn't think they were for advancement, just my son loved to have a belt heavy in the metal bling.. He was not so big on the pins, though I know it signified more work, they just didn't interest him as much at the belt loops.

[Eagle92]

The Electives are additional activities that can be pursued by cub scouts, have requirements listed in the handbooks, and have been historcially part of the CS advancement program since as long as I can remember. For every so many electives a Cub does, they get an arrowpoint, which needs to be reported via an advancement report, and thus is considered advancement by the BSA.

 

The CS Sports program came out in Aug 1984, and if memory serves, as part of the 75th Anniverasry of the BSA. I beleive their is a 75th CS Sports patch out there. Don't know it it was suppose to last just a year or not, but it was popular and expanded to Academics a few years later. Later they included some belt loops in Webelos Advancement; they didn't initially otherwise I would have never gotten the Webelos badge or AOL as the sports program came out the year I was a Webelos, and my pack didn't particiapte in the program. Now it's here to stay.

[ScoutNut]

Electives are additional projects/activities, that are included in the individual Cub Scout's Handbook which are beyond, those used for earning the Cub Scout's rank award for their level.

 

From the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Program Guide - "The Cub Scout Academics and Sports program is a supplemental enrichment program that complements the existing Cub Scout program. The Academics subjects and Sports activities allow boys to learn new techniques, increase scholarship skills, develop sportsmanship and have fun."

 

The Academic/Sports loops/pins are additional awards similar to the Cub Scout Family awards, LNT, Outdoor, etc.

 

I would separate out the advancement related stuff (rank awards, Webelos activity pins, & arrow points). For the rest I would just do lump totals (10 belt loops, 5 outdoor, 2 Cub family, etc).

 

(This message has been edited by Scoutnut)

[Jeffrey H]

He was not so big on the pins, though I know it signified more work, they just didn't interest him as much at the belt loops

Yep, there is usually less interest in the pins because you can't wear them on the uniform like you can the belt loops.  Strange, the pins require more work, but no place for them on the official uniform. 

The pins actually go on a Big "C" that can be placed on the optional cub scout patch jacket.

 

[moosetracker]

I don't think I have seen the "C" that might be new since my day. I remember the 3 ribbon tassel on the sleeve that the pins went on, and I know they are still around since they were being displayed at the CS specifics course.

 

So is it just the Webeloes that get to wear the 3 ribbon tassel?

 

With my son, even if they were worn on the sleeve, they were too tiny to interest him.

 

I am most definate that my paperwork only shows arrow points earned, and no one lists the "Electives" that go into earning those (thank goodness that would probably make the paperwork twice as thick & long to go through.. The arrow points I am just counting up how many silver and how many gold a boy has earned.

 

Seems the units in our district go for a core 12 - 15 belt loops.. I went through 3 months of Advancement forms just using them.. So I was thinking these were part of Advancement, then a rare one cropped up, then another, then another.. Then I got a paperwork on all these odd ones.. That's when I put the breaks on what I was doing because then I knew I was recording not Advancements as the beltloops & such.. The core ones seem to be

Artist, Aquanaut, fitness, citizen, forestry, outdoorsman, Sportsman and a few others I can't remember right now are like 95% of what the CS units record for the boy earning.. Like I said about 12-15.. Sportman got recorded on the advancement, but the baseball, basketball etc are the rare ones recorded.. If you need to earn several team & individual sports to earn Sportman, I guess our packs are sort of picking and choosing what they want to record to Council.. Some units being more detailed then others.. Like I said only one unit got so detailed as to put all the tiger beads down.

 

OK I need to return to the code and revamp the way I am tracking my CS advancement.. Thanks for the ideas & suggestions.

[83Eagle]

I don't think I have seen the "C" that might be new since my day. I remember the 3 ribbon tassel on the sleeve that the pins went on, and I know they are still around since they were being displayed at the CS specifics course.

 

There are two different items here. There are the Webelos "activity badges" that are actually pins, and then there are Cub Scout academic and sports pins that are open to all ranks.

 

Webelos activity badges are all different shapes and are official uniform items and go on the three-ribbon shoulder tassel.

 

The academic and sports pins are all little triangles and are non-uniform items. They are designed to go on the Cub Scout Academics and Sports Letter, which is an embroidered "C" patch. I think the idea is that it's supposed to look like a school letter jacket. They can go on the red patch vest all by themselves but they are pretty small. I prefer to put them on the "C" and sew the backs on.

 

The academic and sports pins aren't very popular in our pack because of the work they require and the fact that they aren't to be worn on the uniform. Because they require multi-hour activity they aren't as well suited for pack or den events like the belt loops are.

 

Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know.

(This message has been edited by 83eagle)

[moosetracker]

NO.. All help is appreciated in getting me to learn this. I am re-enlisting in our local pack for a year to help out and learn. I am excited about that. But until I go back this is all very hazy memory of yester years.

 

Either those triangle activity pins were not popular when my son was a cub scout in his Pack or Den either, or were not around. I don't remember them at all, nor the C Letter they attach to.

[ScoutNut]

The Academic and Sports pins have been around since the start of the program I believe. My son earned a few academic and sports pins 13 years ago.

 

The way the pins are earned (they are significantly easier now), and who can earn them (adult mentors could at one time earn them also), have changed. The "C" is also relatively new. It used to be that you put the academic pins on a "A", and the sports pins on a "S". The separate patches were eliminated when the program was re-vamped a few years back in favor of the single "C" for both academic, and sports, pins. The "C" is to be worn where ever you put extra, non-uniform, patches (red brag patch vest).

 

Generally speaking, the Unit Advancement Report is used only for restricted, advancement, items. However, not every unit does things the same. Some will include anything connected with advancement. This could include belt loops that were used toward Webelos Activity Pin requirements, Webelos Tri-Colors, boxes of Instant Recognition totems, extra instant recognition beads, etc. Some units will use the Advancement Report as a general shopping list, and include anything, and everything that needs to be purchased that month.

 

The point is, if your paperwork from district is based on the advancement reports there is no way that it will be consistent from one unit to another, or from one month to the next.

 

Your best bet is to separate out the basic, restricted advancement items - rank badges, Webelos Activity Award pins, and arrow points. I believe the Webelos compass emblem, and compass points are also restricted (would be considered Webelos electives), and should be included. These should all be consistently recorded on reports from all units. However, I know that some Scout Shops allow units to purchase rank awards with no documentation at all. This allows units to stockpile them so they have extras on hand.

 

 

 

[Jeffrey H]

Moosetracker,

 

Here's information for all your questions. You can also buy the CS Academics and Sports Programs booklet from the Scout Shop if you want to keep a copy for your Pack. Otherwise, here's a free resource:

 

http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/a-sindex.asp

[moosetracker]

Jeffrey thanks that link did help me get my mind around the differences of Webeloes Activity badges & the activity/sports belt loops & pins..

 

For instance:

Artist is a WAB but Art is a Belt loop/pin

Geologist is a WAB but Geology is a BL/pin

Scientist is a WAB but Science is a BL/pin

 

I was thinking some of the names inter-mixed so I couldn't tell the difference.. But to truth they don't..

 

Also it does seem to be the WAB's that are mostly showing up on the Rank Advancement sheets, and the sprinkling of others that kept growing my list out more & more are the Belt loops & pins that some units have chosen to include on their Advancement reports but don't need to be there.

[Eagle92]

Unless things changed, WABs are advancement and need an advancement report filled out in order to purchase.

 

 

backin the day, i was taught that the purpose of the WABs was to introduce teh MB concept to Webelos. You worked with a WAB instructor who had knowledge in the area, they were brought in by the WDL to teach the topic, and they signed you off. nearly identical to the MB concept.