Wood Badge beads replace trained patch

[saltheart]

Wouldn't the good ol' insignia guide offer and answer to this? Or the uniform police?

 

I and one other fool from our troop, both of whom have been around for a while, took to poking fun at the 'insignia' police many years ago after being told, on numerous occasions, that some of the award patches we donned were out of place with 'official' patchwearing rules. Irked and somewhat humored by the wealth of 'officialness' and lack of humor with which these folks approached the subject, we plotted against them...in secret. And for months, we gathered additional copies of every patch we had ever earned or been awarded...and stole secretly into our caverns of mischievousness, working by night...many times in the dark so as to not be detected. And then, at last, when we were satisfied with the results, upon a grand and glorious morning, sun full in the sky and warm comfortable summer breezes, we donned our 'new' Scout Leader shirts, literally covered from stem to stern with patches and awards, fore and aft, top to bottom, yet all in neat rows and columns...and marched proudly to breakfast in the dining hall. Talk about fruit salad... All conversation came to an immediate halt, and all eyes fell upon our regalia. And then the laughter...and hoots...and howls...

 

...even from those for whom the 'officialness' of the whole thing was paramount.

 

Some times I think we take ourselves just a little too seriously when we worry about this or that patch. I took this stuff all very seriously once, long ago, when Uncle Sam told me what to wear and when. In Scouting, though I do abide by the Insignia 'Guide' as much as possible, I don't really worry if something is amiss. It's not like I get paid for or demoted for things either being ship-shape or not. Scouting is a game. A game with a purpose. But a game nonetheless. Someone important said that long ago. And I don't think he took these things all that serious, either.

 

But I could be wrong. LOL....

[Bob White]

Yes, the Insignia Guide is the correct reference manual.

 

There are no uniform police in the BSA, they rely on the personal integrity of the members.

 

Yes, the uniform does look funny when it is worn improperly.

 

Scouting is a game, but a game with a purpose. It is not a free-for all to do as you wish. it has a structure.

 

I would not assume that B-P, as a long time military officer, took the look of the uniform lightly. Have you ever seen a picture of him in an improper uniform?

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[dsteele]

Yes, professionals can wear the trained patch once they complete basic training. My bonus point question is, does anyone know what it takes for a professional to complete basic training.

 

Matua, nice stab with the black and white knot called the professional circle. Close, but not quite. A professional wearing one of those has been basic trained for a while.

 

Just because someone out there might be curious, here are the qualifications for the professional circle:

 

"1. Be a currently emmployed professional Scouter and have completed all phases of Basic Training by the Professional Development Division.

 

2. Professional tenure of at least four years.

 

3. Completion of any three of the following advanced courses:

a. People Management -- Part I

b. People Management -- Part II

c. People Management -- Part III

d. Wood Badge or National Camping School (management section,) NOTE: must be taken during the professional tenure period.

e. any BSA course (s) including but not limited to, those offered through the Professional Development Division, Finance Division, or Philmont Training Center. Each course must consist of at least 15 classroom hours.

f. One non-BSA course that is job-related, consisting of at least 15 classroom hours, taken during professional tenure.

NOTES:

-- All courses must be taken during professional tenure.

-- Courses that do not qualify include, but are not limited to: area, regional or national conferences, direct service workshops (except whee they exceed 15 hours), council in-service training, or training intended primarily for youth or volunteers (other than those listed above.)

4. Certification by current scout executive.

5. Certification by the Center for Professoinal Development."

 

Its not an easy knot.

 

DS

[Fat Old Guy]

Easy, hard . . . it depends on your perspective. The requirements for the professional circle really don't sound much different than what many folks do for job as a accountant, teacher, programmer, police officer and that is just to stay on top of things not to get an award.

 

Next question, do you have the Professional Circle :-)

[Bob White]

WOW Dsteele,

You mean if you do as much professional development as an accountant, teacher, programmer, or police officer, that you will get a 3/8" X 1" piece of cloth and they don't? Man how cool is that? You are so lucky!

[SR540Beaver]

Take it outside boys!

[evmori]

I'm sure that knot means a lot to those who earn it!

 

Ed Mori

[fotoscout]

Saltheart,

 

Im on the verge of doing something similar with my CSs. The parents (I think its the Dad), of one boy insists on sending the boy to meetings in what I can only call a costume. He wears a uniform shirt, and from there its shear creativity. Last week the boy came to a Pack meeting wearing an orange tee shirt under his uniform shirt. The tee shirt sleeves were longer than the sleeves of his uniform shirt. He had on a pair of charcoal grey sweat pants with his CS belt tied around his waist, and of course he was wearing very beat up white sneakers that were not tied.

 

I may very well show up at our next meeting in a similar costume just to put an exclamation point on how foolish this boy looks.

 

By the way, of all the dads in my den, this dad has, by far, the most scouting experience of anyone. I am convinced that this is some sort of rebellious act on the fathers part.

 

My apologies to everyone for the digression.

 

 

[SR540Beaver]

foto,

 

Am I understanding you correctly? Are you saying that you want to humiliate and shame a boy into proper uniforming? Perhaps a discussion concerning the BSA method of the uniform could be worked into a den meeting activity. You could discuss sport team, civil servant, military, etc. uniforms and how it proudly identifies the person, who they are and what they are. Trying to make a grade school child look foolish is.......well, foolish.

[dsteele]

Fog -- fun post. Actually helps the point I'm trying to make that professional development is a key in a professional scouter's development in their career. I have heard all kinds of crazy theories about what professionals need to know and where they learn it and do like opportunities to edcuate people about all aspects of Scouting.

 

Yes, I have the professional circle. Scout Executive presented it to me in 1993. If I ever get around to writing my approved thesis "Care and Feeding of your District Chairman," I'll have the professional fellowship award.

 

Bob White -- please don't tell the professionals that the other guys FOG and yourself mentioned get raises instead of knots. They think only those who attend Professional Development Level III get pay raises

 

I still only have Matua as a taker on what it takes for a DE to wear the "trained" patch.

 

DS

[fotoscout]

Beaver,

 

No, not the point at all. The boy, all the boys would get a great laugh out of my costume, and I would certainly not single out the one kid. His dad sticks around for all of the meetings and Im sure he would get the point. I talk about uniforms at our parents meeting early in year, and I talk about uniforms with the kids throughout the year. Ill email you with some of how we talk about it.

 

[Overtrained]

Okay Dave,

 

I'll bite on the "Mega Bonus"

 

It used to be called the National Executive Institute or NEI. Upon completion of NEI 1,2, and 3 they were trained.

 

But now, to qoute you, "After the 3 years and completion of PD-L1,2 and 3, and only after that, is your DE considered "basic" trained."

 

Overtrained

[dsteele]

Well, daggone it and, as my first district commissioner used to say (he didn't cuss) "blast-that-a-frat-a-wrap!" Overtrained came close enough to nailing it to be considered nailing it. His concept is correct, but his terminology is out-dated.

 

Overtrained -- your prize is a warm handshake and a face-to-face conversation with me, if you're going to be at the South Hills Country Club on Saturday 11/1 and let me know before Friday. If you're going to be there, I'll be there. If not, I'll probably take the evening off, but your presence is enough to compel me to come out for the evening.

 

If you private message me again with your email, I'll send you a digital picture to make it easier to identify me. If you can do the same, I'd appreciate it. I love meeting other Scouter.com'ers.

 

FYI to the group, Overtrained and I have nearly met -- only missed each other by a few minutes. Sorry, OT.

 

Anyway,

 

A professional is considered Basic Trained when he/she has completed PDL III.

 

When I joined the profession, the basic training was called N.E. I. and now it's called PDL, the syllabi have changed slightly, but the timetable has not.

 

In the current system, it works like this:

 

About two months after hiring in, a new DE attends PDLI (Professional Development Level I) in Texas after about two months on the job. The course is two weeks of 12 hour days.

 

About 18 months after PDL I, the professional takes a course, usually on a regional level called PDL II. This is five days of 8 hour days and four evening sessions of 3 hours each.

 

After 36 months and a career interview with the Scout Executive and Area Director, the profesional goes back to Texas for PDL III -- another five days with four working evenings.

 

Then he/she is considered basic trained and can wear the trained strip.

 

Many profesionals -- too many IMHO -- leave the profession before being basic trained. That's part of why there aren't many profesionals out there wearing trained strips. We lose too many before they're fully trained.

 

There are exit surveys conducted by the BSA with professionals who leave the profession and most do not list their bosses as key reasons they have left. I'm not pointing any fingers . . . but a lot of it has to do with how good the relationships are with their district and unit volunteers. In a D.E's world, you go to the boss for advice and consent and usually get very good advice and ready concent -- it's the volunteers that you spend your day trying to motivate to support the goals of all and when they resist the desire to stay on the job goes down. Please try to help your DE is all I'm asking.

 

DS

 

PS -- Overtrained is bascically talking about the same thing. Before PDL was PDL it was called National Executive Insitute. The syllabus and title have changed, but not the basic time-table. The other difference is that NEI 1 used to be three weeks instead of the PDL I two weeks. I went through NEI 1 -- three weeks was a long time, even for a young guy like me. It's not like basic training in the military -- 6 weeks, but it was a long time. Time enough to bury a desk of an active professional.

 

Dave

[Proud Eagle]

That last bit comparing BSA professional training to military training got me to thinking. It seems to me the Army may be on to something with doing a lot of heavy training BEFORE someone starts their job. Certainly the Army uses various types of advanced training throughout a soldiers career, but they certainly start the job with the skill needed for the job. It sounds to me like the DEs have to wait 3 years to be considered fully qualified for the job they have been doing... for 3 years. That all just seems a bit strange to me. Perhaps the BSA needs a DEBC. (District Executive Basic Coarse, a one off of the various Officer Basic Coarses.)

 

That would solve the problem of stuff building up on people's desks. Though it would create some problems with losing flexibility in replacing personnel.

[dsteele]

Actually, the DE's training begins the first day on the job. They aren't even eligible to go to PDL I until they've been on the job two months and have been through the orientation process. There's an actual booklet -- checklist of what we as supervisors are supposed to walk them through in the first 60 days on the job. It's a lot of work on the part of the supervisor, but it's very important.

 

Then we ship them off to Texas (actually National pays for most of the cost of the new DE's training course.) In another thread I posted the syllabus for Professional Development Level I.

 

Actually, Proud Eagle, I understand your point and don't disagree with it, but it's happening.

 

The reality is, under the current BSA professional training program, it's very unlikely that you'll meet a trained District Executive. Upon completion of PDL III (The end of the 3 year basic training) most become Senior District Executives. They get a raise and a cool patch with a gold wreath on it instead of silver.

 

By no means do I mean to imply that your DE is not a full professional or is not a key component of the success of your district. I just mean the first three years are a period with a very steep learning curve. They're getting a handle on a profession that isn't as easy as it looks.

 

DS