Tenure based on Board of Review

[ATCprofesr]

Hypothetically...

 

A scout has met his tenure requirement for his Star rank and is ready and desiring to begin work on his Life, however, he has been advised that he may not count his time for tenure (for Life) until he completes a Board of Review. Problem is... the next BOR will not be held for at least 3 months. The Advancement Chair, CC and SM have been the sources for this advisory. The scout is in the process of completing all of the required Eagle MBs, and wishes to continue unabetted in his advancement. How can this situation be resolved, amicably... hypothetically speaking.

 

Your suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated.

[kittle]

I am new to Boy Scouts, but 3 months seems like a long time between BOR's. My son's Troop offers the opportunity for one every month. Why can the Troop not offer one sooner if the Scout needs it? It seems that not doing this could be discouraging to him.

 

 

[ATCprofesr]

I asked the same question. Apparently it 'takes too much time to set up' and they have decided to only have BORs, quarterly.

[Scouter4321]

I have a copy of the Advancement Committee Guide. Here are some portions of it that may help

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page 17

Boy Scout Advancement

Clause 5: Basis for Advancement. The Boy Scout requirements for ranks shall be the basis for the advancement. There shall be four steps in Boy Scout advancement procedure: Learning, testing, REVIEWING (emphasis mine), and recognition.

 

Clause 7: Responsibility of the Troop Committee. It shall be the responsibility of the Troop committee, under the leadership and guidance of the local council, to make sure that the program of the troop is conducted in such a way that Scouts have an opportunity to advance on the basis of the four steps outlined in clause 5.

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One of the four steps is "reviewing" which is explained on page 24 as: "After a Scout has competed all requirements for a rank, he has a board of review...."

 

While it doesn't say anywhere in the advancement guide (at least not that I could find) how soon after the requirements are met the BOR has to be, it doesn't seem right that a boy should have to wait three months after finishing the requirements to have a Board of Review.

 

I am not saying that boys should have BOR's on demand every week, however, I think a compromise would be in order here to truly follow clause 7 above. In our troop, we conduct BOR's the first meeting of the month. In special circumstances, I guess we'd grant one on another week, but so far that's never come up.

 

Scouter4321

 

[Scouts61]

I also feel that 3 months is excessive. A Troop only holding 4 boards of review per year? How does this promote advancement within the program? We have designated the last meeting of the month for scouts to have their boards of review. Committee members come to this meeting and hold the boards in a separate room from our meeting. On rare occasions, we will also schedule one if a Court of Honor is just around the corner. Ive always felt that advancement in the program is one of those carrots that keep the boys motivated. Why would anyone want to dangle that carrot out so far that the possibility exists that the scout will loose interest in it and begin looking for excitement elsewhere? If theyve completed the requirements, in my opinion, the committee has an obligation to move them along (if they pass the board) and give them what theyve rightfully earned. Other scouts see their success and naturally want to follow suit.

[Scouter4321]

-----------QUOTE: I asked the same question. Apparently it 'takes too much time to set up' and they have decided to only have BORs, quarterly.

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In the troop I serve, all the committee members mark the first week on their calendars so they know they COULD be needed that day. (We also have our committee meetings then, so it does make it easier). Then a quick phone call to confirm attendance is all that is needed when a BOR is requested by a scout.

 

Perhaps they need to be reminded that one of the goals of the committee is to facilitate advancement of the scouts, not hinder it.

 

Scouter4321

[scoutldr]

Not sure what there is to "set up". We have BOR any time they are needed...last Monday I did one with 5 minutes' notice. Just grab two other committee members and go! How hard can it be?

[Beavah]

Yah, yah. Once again a bunch of armchair kibitzers demonstrate their scout spirit by criticizing or berating fellow volunteers who they don't know, in a program they have no contact with, because they happen to hear one complaint. May you be forced to carry a ten-pound weight around your neck for every time a parent or a scout has a complaint about you.

 

Some CO's have committees of professional people from their church or CO. For them, a regularly scheduled quarterly review might be the best use of their volunteers' time. This is no different from, say, martial arts schools that typically offer rank tests quarterly. It does not harm children. It perhaps teaches them that other people's time is valuable, and they'd best be prepared so as to honor and use that time well.

 

Da troop I work with pretty much does BOR's on demand. But, then, we use people beyond just committee members on BORs. With a bigger pool, we can be more flexible about time.

[nldscout]

Sounds like unwilling to bend committee members to me

 

"Da troop I work with pretty much does BOR's on demand. But, then, we use people beyond just committee members on BORs"

 

If your not using committee members then these are not legal BOR's.

[Scouts61]

"Yah, yah. Once again a bunch of armchair kibitzers" Arm chair kibitzers? Do you know any of us personally, or what our level of involvement in the program might be? This individual asked for advice on a hypothetical situation, and we responded with our opinions, as any Scout would do, we are trying to be helpful. It looks to me that you are the one offering criticism here.

[ScoutNut]

Per the BOR Training module on line at the National website -

 

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/supplemental/18-625/index.html

 

In regards to the tenure question :

 

"The Scout holds his new rank as of the date of the board of review. For ranks where a period of tenure is required, that period begins with the date of passing of the board of review for the previous rank."

 

In regards to how often a BOR should be held :

 

"An ideal troop might hold monthly boards of review, possibly at the same time as a troop meeting."

 

And

 

"It (BOR) gives three to six other sets of ears to hear how a Scout is doing, how he feels about the troop and his role in it, how he is advancing, and whether he is striving to live up to Scouting's ideals. It is a good idea, therefore, to hold boards of review regularly and often."

 

And

 

"Ideally, a Scout should sit for a board of review every six months, whether he is advancing or not."

 

So your hypothetical SM, CC, & Advancement Chair are both right & wrong. Tenure does indeed start after the completion of a BOR. However, quarterly BOR's, while they might be more convenient for the ADULTS in the Troop are NOT helping the BOYS or the Troop. They are also not BSA policy.

 

 

 

[Greying Beaver]

Call your District Advancement Chair. Tell him/her what is going on. Call you Districe Commissioner. Do the same thing. This is not the way to run a troop advancement program. Last resort: Find another troop in a big hurry.

 

GB

[John-in-KC]

What Greying Beaver said.

 

Additionally, IMO any Troop that cannot coordinate a BOR almost "on demand" has its adult leaders' heads where the sun does not shine.

 

As a CC, I had a week's lead from my SM on Scoutmaster conferences for advancement. While I expected the Scout to ask me for a BOR, I usually had one already on deck for the night he wanted it.

 

Now, as a COR, I sit on them because a Scouts' feedback helps me make policy-level inputs to the CC and SM on where the Chartered Partner wants the Troop to go!

[ATCprofesr]

All

 

Many, many thanks for the input, suggestions and advice... especially the quote from BSA document 18-625. This is precisely the support that I had hoped for. All of your assistance is greatly appreciated.

 

Many Thanks Again

[ATCprofesr]

ScoutNut (and any others)

 

Just so that I clearly understand... and please correct me if I am wrong;

 

If the scout completes his Star Rank BOR on Jan 1, 2006, the tenure for his Life Rank can follow consecutively and begin on July 1, 2006, even if he has not been afforded the opportunity of a BOR? And subsequently would the same follow with Life to Eagle, regarding tenure?

 

I truly am not trying to 'split hairs', just trying to clearly understand the rhyme and reason.