Rank Requirements Sign-Off

[Samuel]

Hello,

In our troop the requirements must be signed-off by a first rank or above ranked fellow scout and that that signing scout must be present during that activity.

There are activities done by certain Boy Scout Camp Sites conduct special programs which will meet certain requirements such as 5 mile hike, cooking, first aid. For these activities no one else from our troop are participating. But those camp sites do have adult leaders who either belong to that site or different troops who are handling those programs and willing to sign-off the requirements in the handbook.

Is this acceptable or against the policy of the troop/BSA.

[RememberSchiff]

@Samuel welcome to scouter.com

[Samuel]

Thank you very much @RememberSchiff

Edited March 12, 2019 by Samuel
Spelling Correction

[Summitdog]

Samuel,

The handbook may be signed off by a scout ranked first class or higher or by a scouter. 

 

Scotty

[HelpfulTracks]

Actually, for rank requirements it is whomever the Scoutmaster gives that authority. He can assign that to Scouts, other adults, both or no one else but the SM. It is at the Scoutmasters discretion. Obviously, for Start to Eagle, there are merit badges and Eagle project that require additional sign-off.

Merit Badges on the other hand, must be signed off by a registered merit badge counselor. 

[ItsBrian]

Welcome!

For my second year I will be staffing a summer camp as a first year scout instructor. I  understand what you’re talking about when it comes to those special activities at camp. Counselors/instructors show the scout how to do it, but due to usually larger group sizes and time limits, it’s not possible to make sure each scout has it mastered.

It should not be a problem about signing off requirements from summer camp, BUT, the scoutmaster or whoever does requirements should review and debrief what the scout learned. It makes me upset when I have scouts tell me that their leader didn’t check their ability to do the requirement since I know some did forget after learning it.

It shouldn’t be a problem as long as the scouts knowledge is tested. It shouldn’t be an automatic sign off though.

Edited March 13, 2019 by ItsBrian

[HashTagScouts]

Exactly what @ItsBrian said.  Many camps actually forbid staff from signing handbooks.  They collect lists of the scouts present when activities are done, and give those to the troop at the end of the week.  It is up to the troop to "test" the scouts on whether they have mastered that activity.

Edited March 13, 2019 by HashTagScouts

[qwazse]

What @HelpfulTracks said. And for the reasons @ItsBrian explained.

Take, for example the land-navigation requirement (what many scouters mistake for "the 5-mile hike"), if twenty or more scouts are trudging along a worn camp trail, there's not much navigation going on per scout. They could be discussing with each other, learning how to take marks, identify distances, measure heights. In such a situation, I would discourage any SM from allowing camp to sign-off that requirement.

[Samuel]

Thank you very much everyone.. Much appreciated. 

[ItsBrian]

14 hours ago, HashTagScouts said:

Exactly what @ItsBrian said.  Many camps actually forbid staff from signing handbooks.  They collect lists of the scouts present when activities are done, and give those to the troop at the end of the week.  It is up to the troop to "test" the scouts on whether they have mastered that activity.

Correct! Forgot to mention that. Counselors/instructors have a master sheet of who did what (since some like to skip), and then usually each unit of their scouts gets a copy at end of week.

Edited March 13, 2019 by ItsBrian

[mrkstvns]

13 hours ago, qwazse said:

Take, for example the land-navigation requirement (what many scouters mistake for "the 5-mile hike"), if twenty or more scouts are trudging along a worn camp trail, there's not much navigation going on per scout. They could be discussing with each other, learning how to take marks, identify distances, measure heights. In such a situation, I would discourage any SM from allowing camp to sign-off that requirement.

I've noticed that land navigation isn't a skill that most adults have today.  They just know how to plug in an address in their iPhone and get directions. They don't know how to use a compass, or read a topographic map, or heaven forbid, run an orienteering course.

Instead of steering adults to boring University of Scouting classes that focus on administrivia and overhyping award programs, more adult training on practical outdoor skills would be very useful and appreciated.