EAGLE QUESTIONS

[Scoutx2mom]

My son made Eagle in Nov 2004. Since he's still of an age to remain with the troop, he continues to attend meetings and outings on a regular basis.

 

My question is how does your troop utilize Eagle Scouts with over a year to go before they age out? His troop seems to be unsure about what to do with him. He's senior in rank, but holds no position, except to make him fill in whenever someone else doesn't do their job.

[CA_Scouter]

Your SM is not making use of an available resource. After I made Eagle ( many many moons ago ), I was promoted to a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, where I assited in planning the monthly agenda, handled special assignments, and was part of the Patrol Leaders Council, where I helped advise the patrol leaders.

 

Having your Eagle just 'fill in' is a waste of a resource. Your SM needs to get him involved in the program to promote it and to provide an example for the younger scouts to work towards.

 

Just my $0.02... :-)

 

 

[madkins007]

If there are only a couple guys in this situation- JASM's are a great way to go! They help the unit, are on a solid path towards Assist SM's when they are of age, and so on.

 

If your unit has a larger bunch of older guys, consider a Venture Crew or Senior Patrol type program that lets them do some of their own stuff together. We had let our senior Scouts do things like pizza runs on camp outs, camp apart from the other Scouts, skip SOME meetings for things like bowling together, etc.Work out a deal that if they help the unit with such and such, they get more freedom and flexibility at other times.

[FScouter]

Why does he need a position? He can participante in activities and campouts and basically have fun being a Scout. You don't have to "do" anything with him.

[Scoutx2mom]

It's been a long since our troop had an Eagle who wasn't "17 year 364 wonder." We've actually had the older boys attempt to set up a Venture patrol, but there hasn't been a great deal of success with that. A whole other forum could be done with that one.

 

To be honest, my son was offered an instructor position, but he turned it down because the troop already had two others assigned to that position. Plus he felt it was going backwards. He did inquire about the Jr ASM position, but was told he needed to deal with his anger issues before he could do that. I had him talk with an ASM,who my son highly respects, who told my son that having a position wasn't important, and that he should just wait. So my son waited until after his second palm board. Now he's been told that he has a position with the OA, (he's the program coordinator) and that should be enough. Needless to say, my son is frustrated.

[Scoutx2mom]

It's not so much about the position as the use of the Eagle Scout. He's being held accountable for the actions of all the other scouts because of the Eagle.

[OldGreyEagle]

Anger issues?

[Scoutx2mom]

Anger issues---my son was really irritated by the other Scouts in the troop after he finished his term as SPL, completed in October. He was getting caught between the troop leaders and the Scouts. The troop leaders (both SM and SPL)would tell him to get something done, and the Scouts would say they didn't have to listen to him because he didn't hold a position.

 

My son does have a type A personality, and there was a lot going on at the time for him. He was stressed out. It doesn't help that he has deep voice which can be heard everywhere when he yelled. He's calmed down quite a bit since then.

[Scoutx2mom]

Can we get back to the original question? How does your troop utilize Eagle Scouts?

[FScouter]

We "utilize" Eagle scouts in the same manner as boys with other ranks.

 

If he is being held "accountable" for the actions of the rest of the troop members, perhaps the Scoutmaster and assistants should take a refresher of Scoutmaster Specific traning.

[TheScout]

In our troop Eagle Scouts are also used in the same way as other ranks.

 

If he desires an elected position and if the troop/patrol think he is the best canidate for the job he gets elected.

 

If the SPL or a PL would like him to serve in an appointed position, they ask him.

 

If he is old enough and the Scoutmaster thinks he is qualified he could be asked to serve as a Junior Assistant Scoutmaster.

 

Eagle Scouts are not entitled to a position because of their rank. In many occasions they can serve just as well without a specific title.

[resqman]

When my Webelos den moved up to the Troop, we were made a new patrol. We were issued an Eagle scout as a Patrol leader. The Eagle led us for the first 6 month or so to get us up and running. After that the new patrol was on its own. Later when I earned Eagle, we had enough Eagles to form a Leadership Corps. We acted as ASPL. Once we had 6-10 Eagles at age 14-15, we formed an Explorer Post to keep the older boys involved in BSA but not active with the troop.

 

This was all 30 yrs ago.

[acco40]

What does your son want to do? The "since hes of age" statement troubles me. Does he attend because he is under 18 or because he wants to? The goal of Boy Scouts (i.e. aims) is not to make Eagle rank. That may be a byproduct of the goal.

 

If you son wants a leadership position, he should pursue it like any other Scout. "Needing" a leadership position a false statement. All youth in a troop should have a leadership position (responsible for something). He may not need a POR for rank advancement but that is an entirely different story.

[Scoutx2mom]

My son attends Scouts because he likes to hang out with the guys in the troop and doing Scout things. What I was trying to communicate is the fact that he's 16, soon to be 17, and still regularly attends the meeting and outings. Something which is less common boys his age with all of the other things that they've got going on in their lives. He worked to become an Eagle, because of the challenge. He continues to seek out challenges which is why I think he wanted the Jr ASM position. However, with the current SM, my son has since decided he would not take the position for anything. He is now looking to join a Venturing Crew where he'll get a chance to being treated like everyone else instead of being held to a special standard.

[Cutter]

The troop I grew up in had several Eagle Scouts (myself included) and we typically were JASM's and part of the Senior Patrol which included the adults. We functioned as a patrol on campouts sort of setting the example. At troop meetings we often were used to help teach skill classes or do demonstrations during the meetings. On occassion we would fill in when a PL and APL were missing in patrol meetings. We also participated in the High Adventure trips during the summer where we formed a patrol/crew out of all of the patrols. The troop went to Philmont, Region 7 Canoe base, the Wind Rivers and Isle Royal as I recall although I only went to the first 2 with the troop and served as boy leader at Philmont. One of the troops I work with now has their 2 Eagles serve as JASM too and I have them teaching the new scouts this week Tenderfoot 1st aid and plan to use them in the future for other teaching assignments.