Eagle Scout does not want a ECOH

[donert]

I have a new Eagle Scout in the troop and he is very close to being 18 years old. He has stated he does not plan to have a Eagle Court of Honor. Has anyone ever had this situation before? What is a SM to do?

[RememberSchiff]

Yes. His award, his call. Respect his wishes.

 

 

 

 

[nolesrule]

If that is his wish, then present his award to him at a weekly Scout meeting like you would any other badge of rank. There is no requirement to have an Eagle Court of Honor.

[Eagle92]

Not only did one guy I know not want an ECOH, he almost didn't have an EBOR b/c of his own wishes. Young man had a challenging situation at home and wanted to leave badly. Busted his butt to get all the work done before 18, but district couldn't schedule a EBOR before he left to go to FL. Fortunately we were able to talk him into talking to the DAC to squeeze him in. He got Eagle, but no ECOH.

 

Another young man I know has not had a ECOH. He had to appeal to national to get the EBOR, district couldn't send a rep before he left for bootcamp, got the appeal and had his EBOR, but by that point he had to report for active duty since he was originally delayed entry.

 

One of my SPLs did the same thing. Had his EBOR, then left for the USAF. THREE YEARS LATER he shows up for his ECOH, after serving his time.

[mom162]

The same thing just happened in our Troop, two young men did not have time for ECOHs since they were starting college. They kept in touch with the troop, and when a third Scout of ours got his Eagle rank, the three of them decided to have a combined ECOH during their Winter Break from college/school. Having three Eagles to honor all at once sure packed a lot of punch - for the Eagles, the families, the current Scouts and the guest speakers! Win/win all around. It was a lot of fun.

[GernBlansten]

We have an Eagle who probably won't have an ECOH. Its up to him and his parents. We already presented him his award at a troop meeting. He aged out last fall and signed up as an adult. Still active in the troop. Just doesn't care about the COH thing I guess.

[gwd-scouter]

Our last four Eagles earned the award anywhere from two months to one day before turning 18. The first three did not have a COH. The first of these four wanted a COH, but just couldn't get his family together at a convenient time for all and just decided to drop it. The next two just didn't care about it. The fourth and most recent Eagle had his Court of Honor the day before he left for college.

 

In these cases: the first Eagle worked very hard to earn it, having dropped out of Scouts for a couple of years and returning at age 17 to 'get' his Eagle. Hmmm, things had changed in the Troop since he left. New SM (me), new expectations. He was pretty clueless about performing in a POR since the Troop had never had any real job requirements in the past. He did OK though.

 

Next two guys were out to 'get' their Eagle too. They did what was required, but it was with an attitude of 'let's just get this done and get outta here.'

 

The fourth young man is an example most of us think of when we think of Eagle Scouts. While I was disappointed that the first three did not have Courts of Honor, I admit it was with real pride in his achievement that I presented the Eagle Award to this young man last summer.

 

So, at least from my perspective, perhaps those boys that choose not to have a COH only finished the requirements in order to 'get' Eagle rather than 'earn' it. In other words, why make a fuss over something that was just a bunch of check marks in a book?

[Lisabob]

We had one boy last year who chose not to have an ECOH. He said he just didn't feel that being the center of attention for an event like that was his thing. So we formally presented his rank to him at a regular troop COH and that was that.

[evmori]

Had this happen, too. Remember, it's his award, not the Troops.

[nrp1488]

In our troop, the Eagle COH planning is left to the family. They can have whatever they want. My oldest son had his at the CO church. My middle son had his at the American Legion in an outdoor pavillion. I don't know what my youngest son will choose. Anyway, we had one boy in the troop that had his Eagle presented at a regularly scheduled troop COH. I don't know what his reasoning was but his mom, dad and siblings were all there but we never saw him again. He hadn't aged out yet either.

[Be_Prepared]

The troop I work with had a scout last year that did not want one either. The scoutmaster presented it to him at his house after church one Sunday. Just his family and a few friends were there. We've had formal COHs, casual ones. One scout had a bar-b-que dinner for his. One scout invited a few friends, had a hike up to the top of a local mountain, and had his ECOH there.

[red feather]

The troop that I serve has a few young men who did not want, or have time for a COH. Two comes to mind where we threatened a 'drive by COH',award tied to a brick and tossed as we drove by, just kidding.

 

The award of one of these young men was held for 4 years and we contacted his parents and asked them if they would be willing to give it to him as a Christmas present in place of a COH. They thought that would be a great idea and that is how it was given to him. The other Eagle award for the second young man was presented to him the same way.

 

Responses from the families was it was a great idea and a special moment for the families.

 

Eagle presented is the way it should, family there. Birthdays are our second option in these cases.

 

Worked for us.

 

yis

red feather

[Basementdweller]

I agree with what was said above, His Eagle his choice. Just shows how little they think of the award.

 

While some on this forum don't view Eagle as much of an award. Being an Eagle Scout still means a lot to people outside of scouting. I have seen a number of young men complete it for just another line on a college resume or even just to earn a scholarship.

 

Not in the scouting spirit. It is a shame that is possible for them to still earn it. Fewer eagles not more, make it mean something again.

[scoutldr]

This has happened with our last 3 Eagles. We let them know at the EBOR that the COH is up to them and their families and what the options are. Never heard from them. In fact they never bothered to come back to pick up their awards. I don't get it.

[jon80flt]

Ok, now a point of view from an Eagle who didn't want his own ECOH.

 

Hi all, I'm brand new to your site... I just stumbled across it this week... I'm liking what I've seen so far!

 

As GWD-Scouter would put it, I was one of those boys who "got" his Eagle... who didn't "earn" it. I was 3 merit badges away from my Eagle on my 14th birthday, and I was still 3 merit badges away from Eagle when I was 17 1/2, when I decided to "just get it done." I had my EBOR on the morning of my 18th birthday... talk about getting in under the wire!

 

At the time, I was having lots of problems at home... parents divorcing, hating the school environment, all I wanted to do was move out, get a job, make some money, and possibly go to college. I begrudgingly hooked up with my little brother's troop (my original troop folded) and did as little as I needed to, to accomplish the goal. Once I "got" my Eagle, I was nowhere to be found at the troop meetings... I was done. I was ready to move on.

 

My Mother and I had big problems with each other at the time, but she insisted on putting together a huge ECOH, which felt more like a ceremony to congratulate herself on all the effort she put in to "helping" me get my Eagle. It was the LAST place on earth I wanted to be that night.

 

That was 1982.

 

Fast forward 27 years... now I'm the father of two beautiful and intelligent girls in Girl Scouts, and this year, I took on the job of a Girl Scout Cadette Advisor (Troop Leader) for my older daughter's troop. After helping in her troop over the years as Product Sales Manager, then Camping Leader, I realized that I, as a Dad and an Eagle Scout, can bring a unique skill-set to these middle-school aged girls.

 

When I was 18, I wasn't thinking about others... I was thinking about my life finally getting started. I knew I would regret not earning my Eagle later in life if I didn't "get" it, much like my father does... who only made it to Life Scout before moving to an area that didn't have any Boy Scout oportunities available. So, I knew I had to finish it, but, like Basementdweller wrote, other than being able to put it down on my college application, I really had no other plans to use it.

 

I guess, bottomline is, that when I "got" my Eagle, I was young and focused on my life... as I have matured, I believe I have "earned" my Eagle by what I am doing with it now.

 

I think when Basementdweller wrote "Not in the scouting spirit. It is a shame that is possible for them to still earn it. Fewer eagles not more, make it mean something again.", he was being very short-sighted.

 

I may have been "late to the party" in fully understanding how important Scouting can be, but now, having "earned" my Eagle, it has led me to a leadership position with my daughter's troop.

 

While going through my ECOH scrapbook, I found a letter to me, written by Former President Gerald Ford. In that letter he wrote "Scouting has been good to you... as a boy. Be good to Scouting... as an adult." I belive I have taken his sentiment to heart, and I am proud to be one of the very few men willing to become a Girl Scout Leader.