Citizenship in Society as Relates to Life Rank

[swilliams]

Hi All.  This question is not about the merit badge itself, it's about total number of merit badges needed for each rank.  

We use Troopmaster software, so here's where there's a little confusion on my part, and I can't quite seem to find the info I need.  My 'Scouts BSA Requirements' book is from 2020, so I should probably splurge on the new edition.    Anyway, for Star, a scout needs six MB's total, with four of those being Eagle required.  For Life, a scout needs an additional 5 MB's, with three of those being Eagle required.  Both ranks combined - 11 MB's, 7 of them Eagle.

I have a few scouts who are Star (so have completed at least four Eagle MB's).  They then completed Cit. in Society, but the software still shows them as needing three more Eagle MB's instead of two.  

I can't imagine CIS doesn't count toward their rank.  The only thing making me even ask is that if the software was updated to include the MB, I would have thought that MB would show up as counting toward Life.  Very well could be a mistake on the part of Troopmaster's software developers.  Any insight?  

(Admittedly, I haven't done a deep search.  Trying to still "scout" while working 12-14 hour days.)

[InquisitiveScouter]

Sounds like a software problem.  Although technically not yet required for Eagle Scout (until 01 July 2022), you should be able to use it as one of the complete-an-Eagle-required badges for Star and Life.

Edited May 3, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter

[fred8033]

@InquisitiveScouter ... Good question.  ... sounds like a transition coordination issue now ... a software issue ... Legalistically, it's not an Eagle required until July 1, 2022.   So, do you apply the sentence to a current scout's advancement for something that is not yet required?   

IMHO ... in all situations like this ... favor the scout ... let the scout know the issue ... find a way to recognize the scout for advancing.  the scout earned it.

One solution ... post the scout's advancement directly into ScoutBook / ScoutNet.  Bypass TroopMaster during this transition window.

Edited May 3, 2022 by fred8033

[InquisitiveScouter]

Just now, fred8033 said:

@InquisitiveScouter ... Good question.  ... sounds like a transition coordination issue now ... a software issue ... Legalistically, it's not an Eagle required until July 1, 2022.   So, do you apply the sentence to a current scout's advancement for something that is not yet required?   

IMHO ... in all situations like this ... favor the scout ... let the scout know the issue ... find a way to recognize the scout for advancing.  the scout earned it.

Dunno how to do the programming, but the Scoutbook folks cracked the code...

https://discussions.scouting.org/t/citizenship-in-society-clarification-for-star-and-life/270099

[swilliams]

1 minute ago, fred8033 said:

@InquisitiveScouter ... Good question.  ... sounds like a transition coordination issue now ... a software issue ... Legalistically, it's not an Eagle required until July 1, 2022.   So, do you apply the sentence to a current scout's advancement for something that is not yet required?   

IMHO ... in all situations like this ... favor the scout ... let the scout know the issue ... find a way to recognize the scout for advancing.  the scout earned it.

One solution ... post the scout's advancement directly into ScoutBook / ScoutNet.  Bypass TroopMaster during this transition window.

Sometimes the simplest solution gets overlooked. I’ll head right over to Scoutbook now, rather than do the batch upload we generally do after the June COH. 

[fred8033]

1 minute ago, swilliams said:

...  rather than do the batch upload we generally do after the June COH ... 

!!!!   WHAT !!!!!     ....   Different topic.  ... Take the exclamation marks with a sense of humor.  

We always got the rank recognized by BSA in their records before the COH.  Heck, it was part of purchasing the ranks and MBs.  We either needed the paper invoice or the ScoutBook pick-list.

[InquisitiveScouter]

4 minutes ago, fred8033 said:

!!!!   WHAT !!!!!     ....   Different topic.  ... Take the exclamation marks with a sense of humor.  

We always got the rank recognized by BSA in their records before the COH.  Heck, it was part of purchasing the ranks and MBs.  We either needed the paper invoice or the ScoutBook pick-list.

@fred8033 You and your council were following the rules.  Most do not.  Here, buy whatever you want in the store and hand it out like candy.  It's about the money  (you have any idea what the markup is on stuff in a Scout store?), not the program.

Advancement report schmadvancement report....

Edited May 3, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter

[PACAN]

From TM:

When BSA initially released the new badge is was just a regular badge and

was going to become Eagle Required beginning in June but they have changed

it a little bit to allow it to be used on Star/Life before June so we had to

make an update to the badge placement routine to allow for this.

 

If the system isn't placing the new badge under Star, you may not have the

latest version of the program. You should download the V5.05 version from

our website and install this to bring the program up to the latest version.

 

To move the badge, I viewed his Merit Badges, clicked Edit for the Cit in

Society badge and then clicked OK on the badge edit screen. This then placed

the badge under the Star rank.

 

[swilliams]

3 hours ago, fred8033 said:

!!!!   WHAT !!!!!     ....   Different topic.  ... Take the exclamation marks with a sense of humor.  

We always got the rank recognized by BSA in their records before the COH.  Heck, it was part of purchasing the ranks and MBs.  We either needed the paper invoice or the ScoutBook pick-list.

I have been able to purchase what we need by using the troop master report so far. A scout is trustworthy, I suppose.   Plus, I used to work at that particular scout shop, so I’m sure that helps, haha. 

 I’ve considered doing the batch upload to Scoutbook before trying to purchase items for the court of honor, but if anything changes it’s a little bit hard to keep up with.  We always have a whole bunch of last-minute blue cards handed in or rank advancements.   The words “court of honor“ seem to light a fire for some scouts!

[fred8033]

@swilliams ... well said ... I'm sure it's a common practice and well reasoned. 

Different habits might reflect ToopMaster versus ScoutBook.  ... You post into TroopMaster regularly but update BSA after COH.  We posted into ScoutBook regularly and scout's official record was current; no upload.

[swilliams]

6 hours ago, fred8033 said:

@swilliams ... well said ... I'm sure it's a common practice and well reasoned. 

Different habits might reflect ToopMaster versus ScoutBook.  ... You post into TroopMaster regularly but update BSA after COH.  We posted into ScoutBook regularly and scout's official record was current; no upload.

I really WANT to like Scoutbook, since it would simplify things to have only one system, but there's still no comparison between the kind of reports I can run on Troopmaster and what Scoutbook offers.  The 'Scouts Having/Needing' report is great, the 'Target First Class' advancement reports are sent to our ASPL of Advancement weekly, I can generate service hours reports for both scouts and unit with a couple quick clicks (we give bronze, gold, and silver service coins for 50 hours of service and up)... a multitude of things.