Current Boy Scout Joining Requirements

[Jim_C]

I have been contacted by two Webelos II Den Leaders asking if it's alright for the Webelos Scouts in their dens to join the local Boy Scout Troop in December. That is, they don't want to wait until the more customary and traditional February graduation. I recall that very recently the National Council reworded the joining requirements for clarity but I have tried to retrieve that information and cannot find it. I went to the BSA website and it says something to the effect that ...

 

Boys are eligible to enter Boy Scouting if:

They have been awarded the Arrow of Light and are at least ten (10) years old, or, they have completed the fifth (5th) grade and are at least ten (10) years old, or, are eleven (11) years old but not yet eighteen (18).

 

Is that definition the current policy of the BSA? or is there a newer one?

 

YIS, Jim Costello, Unit Commissioner, Great Sauk Trail Council #255, BSA, Ann Arbor, Michigan

[Bob White]

Those are the current requirements.

[nldscout]

while those are the joining requirements a lot is going to depend on when they receive the AOL. if the qualify to receive it in December, which most are not qualified to, then they could join, otherwisw they have to wait till they get AOL or meet other requirements.

[Lynda J]

My boys moved up into the troop in Dec. 2 years ago. They had all completed Arrow of Light and had earned all of the Activity Pens. They were beginning to get bored in the Pack. So we moved up early and it was the right decission for them.

 

 

[Bob White]

You are not moving them early, you are simply moving them once they become eligible. there is no BSA rule or procedure that says they must go in February, the rule is they can go to the Boy Scouts once they meet the membership requirements and no sooner.

 

BW

[acco40]

We had two families visit our troop last week. One mother asked me if her son could join the troop now. He had completed all of the joining requirements (according to her). Her Pack normally holds a crossover ceremony the first week in April. My reply was that yes, technically he could join now. But, I am sensitive to the appearance of "stealing" boys from the Pack so I relayed to her that her son was more than welcome to participate in any or all of our troop meetings and outings from now until April. Once April hits, he would participate in his pack's crossover ceremony/Blue and Gold and then formally join our Troop. Of course, I would allow him to join now but why the rush? I think it makes more sense to join when other boys his age join in the spring.

[Owl62]

If a Webelos II has completed the AOLand is 10, you can informally award it, complete an advancement report to your council, and the Scout can then join a troop. There is no BSA requirement that I know of for a "formal" AOL award ceremony. If the powers that be will allow it, an I see no reason why they would not, he can go still go to the "formal" AOL ceremony later. I see no reason to not allow a Scout to cross over and join a Boy Scout troop, if he has met all requirement, prior to having a "formal" AOL award ceremony.

 

In our unit, a Scout is immediately recognized when advancement requrements are met - even if the appropriate badge is not available, or if the award ceremony is days, weeks, or months, away.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

There should never be only 1 ceremony (formal or informal) per year for any award.

 

Once a boy signs that registration & his membership is transfered to a Boy Scout Troop, he is no longer eligible to receive any Cub awards. You can have an impressive AOL (or any other) ceremony each month if needed. Give him his ceremony, recognition & awards while he is a Cub & then let him go on. He has other awards and ceremonies waiting for him as a Boy Scout.

 

 

[Beavah]

On the troop side of things, from a northern state near Jim_C's, let me offer some "discouragement."

 

If you live in northern climes (I've seen your Michigan weather!), admitting new 5th graders in December drops them right into the hardest bad/cold weather campouts of the year, with no preparation. Da first experiences with a troop often determine retention.

 

It's also really hard to have boys "trickle in" to a troop over the course of 4 months and still provide them a coherent program. It's much easier for troops to do a great job for these kids if there's some consistency, that can line up with the election "cycle" for PLs, PLC's, PL training, POR's/Troop Guides, etc.

 

Finally, it's much better if a den joins as a group, rather than as each boy meets the age requirements.

 

So I'd say rather than goin' with the minimum in da books, your job as a unit commish is to help the den/pack develop a fun, exciting, and age-appropriate program for their kids through February or even March/April. And then to take a good look at the rest of how they run their Webelos program to figure out what additional help they need so it isn't so "boring."

 

This is a "problem" that should be fixed by improving the way the Webelos program is delivered, not by passin' the buck to a troop.

 

(This message has been edited by Beavah)