Life for Life

[yarrow]

I would love to see some sort of ceremony for boy's that age out at Life. You know the percentages. Most of these boys just disappear, many of the our best scouts. While Eagle is a great accomplishment, it really isn't for the disorganized. A good number of our scouts fall in that catagory. They tie knots, build campfires, feed the kids, are great leaders.......etc, they never get to the planning and paperwork required by Eagle. Almost all of them could do it if you asked them to do the project. They would of course do the planning or plan as they go, but are scared stiff over the Eagle process. Any way I would love some process to thank these boys who get so far and just disappear.

[buffalo2]

yarrow: Lets take that process and try to get across to these guys that they have made it to a threshold but that there's one more step. Acknowledge where they've been and how ready they are to take on the push to Eagle; your point of capabilities v/s organization is well made.

 

[NJCubScouter]

Life for Life, hey, I thought I came up with that. One day I got tired of always seeing people say you are an "Eagle for life" (to take nothing away from the accomplishment of those who are), and thought (and maybe posted on this forum somewhere) I guess that makes me a Life for Life.

 

In speaking with many of the fathers in my son's pack and troop over the past few years, I have met a lot of "us." Of course, there are also many who stopped at Star, First Class, etc. but I'd bet if you limited the statistics to those who literally aged out -- were still registered and active in the troop all the way through the moment of their 18th birthday -- and who did not make Eagle, a large portion -- probably a majority and maybe a large majority -- were Life. Most of the rest would probably be Stars for Life. Below that, it seems to me that people would have quit before reaching that point.

 

Sometimes when I see adults wearing the Eagle knot, I say hey, where's the Life for Life knot. I am just kidding, of course -- the knot is for the highest accomplishment, not the second highest. There is no knot for being the Red Sox. (Ducking fast.) But sometimes I wonder, a bit more seriously, whether there should be a knot for those of us who were Senior Patrol Leader, especially if certain training and "quality" requirements were met, similar to the requirements for the adult leader training awards. It's just a thought, and I know it would be a lot more difficult to come up with requirements and enforce them than it is for the other "knots." Maybe it could be a half-size knot.

[scoutingagain]

I don't see why there couldn't be a knot for Life or Star or some other recognition for those that age out. Staying in scouts through the teen years is an admirable activitiy that should be recognized.

 

One of our Life scouts that worked on Camp staff this summer was uncermoniously moved out of the youth staff cabin and into the adult cabin on his 18th Birthday. In retro spec we probably should have done more for the young man.

 

Remember NJ scouting is not about competition. Besides I see Andy Petit will be an Astro next spring and the Sox have picked up Curt Schilling. We'll see who won't need a knot next year.

 

SA

[Sturgen]

may i suggest ventureing, if the boys are still interested and are a life as of 18, they should still be able to earn ranger, very similar to the eagle rank, although it may be attained at 21, this is a great program for older boys and girls 14-21

[mk9750]

I think there is recognition for your time spent as a Scout. It's the Service Stars. Sure, they don't identify what rank you were, but they do help identify your time in the program.

 

Mark

[NJCubScouter]

I personally think that the sky would not fall, nor the mountains crumble to the sea (name that tune) -- nor, to the point, would the BSA program be adversely affected in any way -- if there were a place on the adult leader uniform designated for one to wear a small, unobtrusive pin (maybe the "mother's pin" with a colored backing or something) signifying the highest rank that one earned as a Boy Scout (or old-time Explorer, Venturer, Sea Scout, etc.) Maybe it could be a plain white knot (with no actual "knot" that the pin would be attached to (it would have to be smaller than the "mother's pin" to fit.) Or maybe on the lapel or sleeve or wherever. I emphasize small and unobtrusive, and a pin rather than a patch, because it should not "overshadow" an Eagle Knot worn by someone who has earned that award, nor should there be any possibility of confusing it with a youth rank patch. It would just be a way of signifying that the wearer was a Boy Scout as a youth and what rank the person achieved. It seems likely that someone who stopped as a Tenderfoot would not want to wear the pin; it would probably be mostly us Lifes for Life.

 

Take it a step further and there could be a little 3-bar pin signifying that the wearer was SPL as a youth. And maybe other positions as well, though I suppose at some point it does start to get ridiculous.

 

Disclaimers (based on posts I have read in the past in this forum): I am not making a "big deal" out of this. I suspect that this will never be done. Life (I mean in general, not the rank) and Scouting and my role in both will continue to go on as they are regardless of whether it were done. I know that pins cost money. I don't need to be given the address to make suggestions to national. I just felt like bringing up the idea here.

 

I also am fully aware that there will probably be a resounding lack of applause for this idea from certain quarters, and I can pretty much guess what will be said. But you can say it anyway, if you feel like it.

[Fat Old Guy]

yarrow, you're right. There should be some sort of celebration when an active Scout ages out, no matter if he's a Tenderfoot, Life or Eagle with sixteen palms (can 16 be earned?)

 

We make a big whoop-de-do when a boy leaves a Pack. Why not do the same when a Scout turns 18.