Webelos Re-earning belt loops

[denldr]

Hi,

 

In 2003 the BSA changed the rules for Webelos and this is the first year my den is Webelos. The book clearly states that the scout must re-earn belt loops as Webelos (even if they had been earned before) to comply with the rules.

 

I have a situation with my pack (committee) that refuses to re-issue belt loops even though the book calls for the scouts to re-earn them. I am interested to know if anyone else has had an issue such as this and what was the resolution.

 

Thanks for any input.

[molscouter]

As a WDL, I asked the boys if they wanted the second belt loop or if they just wanted the credit towards the activity pin. Most opted for the latter. This became even more prevalent once reached 2nd year.

 

Caveat, the pack I served had no problem physically awarding a second belt loop to a Webelos.

[EagleInKY]

Back in my cubbie days, we didn't re-issue a belt loop. The boy knew he was completing it for an activity pin.

[denldr]

Thanks for the replies. This is new to my scouts but since one member of the committee so completely opposes re-issuing belt loops that now my boys and parents are in an uproar. The committee decided that they will re-issue one but none of the rest. It is a really touchy situation since a lot of the boys have been scouts since Tigers and they have most of the loops and still look for the recognition. I agree the pin is the ultimate goal but with the new rules so clearly written in the 2003 book that they must re-earn - the demand is very high.

 

Appreciate the input.

[OneHour]

In our Pack, we have standing a rule that the Pack will pay for the first belt loop. If the cub earn the same belt loop, then it's out of the parent's pocket. The cubbies can earn it as many times as their parents will want to pay for the belt loops. We changed it slightly this year with the new webelos changes. The rule still applies for the cubbies, but webelos we will pick up the belt loop for the first time in webelos years. Subsequence earning of the same belt loop during webelos year, then the Pack will not cover.

 

1Hour

[Torveaux]

Is the only form of recognition the actual belt loop?

 

I think most of my boys (Bears) would be happy to have the verbal recognition at the Pack meeting and the extra belt loop would not be such a big deal.

 

The whole purpose of the Academics and Sports program was supposed to be an effort to broaden the boys, right? Spending too much time repeating the belt loops seems a bit counter-productive.

 

There are not that many that need to be repeated for Webelos anyway.

[denldr]

Thanks One Hour that is exactly what I suggested even as a Webelos at the minimum offer to the parents to purchase the belt loop.

 

Torveaux throughout the new version of the Webelos book there is a minimum of one belt loop that could be earned as an option towards each of your pin requirements. It could be considered counterproductive, but the BSA put it in there as an option.

 

 

 

[Oak Tree]

I consider this to be a complete disaster by whoever wrote up the new requirements. Our Webelos don't want a second belt loop and it generally makes no sense for them to earn one. Our pack doesn't provide them - the leaders just sign off on the requirement as part of the requirement for the pin. At least that's the general rule.

 

Oak Tree

[Torveaux]

Thanks.

 

What version of the book?

 

Did they ever complete a new version that matches up with the newer Tiger/Wolf/Bear books?

 

The version I was looking at was from '98 or '99.

 

Any info would be helpful as I will be moving up with my boys from Bears to Webelos I this Spring. I am trying to plan ahead and since there are so many things that can be worked on, I figured to use what remains of this year to work on those things that are not for repeating next year.

[fgoodwin]

Torveaux:

 

Yes the Webelos book was reissued for the 2003-2004 program year.

 

But many of the boys in my son's den (including my son) were awarded their Webelos books when they "graduated" from Bears back in the spring of 2003, and so they had the old book (the same one you are looking at).

 

Because they had started working out of the old book beginning with the Webelos Summer Camp in 2003, they were allowed to keep using it until now. I think my son's Webelos "class" (this spring's Webelos IIs) are the last group that can use the old book.

 

Its kind of ironic because this year's crop of Webelos were also the last Tiger "class" to earn the Tiger strip and the last group to earn Tiger "paws" before the new Tiger book came out.

 

Fred Goodwin

Alamo Area Council

[davideagle89]

The 2 packs I've been involved with over the past 3 years have only paid for one belt loop. If the boy earns it again, for whatever reason, then the parents buy the second loop. At my son's pack meeting where he earned a second loop, we just announced that he had earned it a second time for a requirement for the activity pin.

 

[molscouter]

Technically, the new Webelos/AOL requirements become mandatory in August 2005, which means this years Bears could use them. However, since no one has stocked the old book since last spring at the latest, the new ones are widely in use now for Webelos Is and are for all practical purposes mandatory now.