Attending Troop meetings AND still working on AOL

[SctDad]

I do not know all the specifics about this, but I will just let you know what I was talking with the SM about. (I am a registered ASM)

 

This is not my pack but another in our county.

 

There are a couple of boys that have recently joined the troop, that are attending meetings. I heard the SM say that they were also still working on some of their WEBELOS itmes so they could get their AOL. I said "What?"

 

The SM told me that they were still working on some of the AOL stuff so they may not be at every meeting.

 

My thought. What is going through the mind of the leaders and parents. Are they more interested in the BLING of the uniform than teaching the boy right from wrong. If the boy is registered in the troop how can he earn the AOL.

 

Not trying to sound harsh here, but if a scout has not earned it by the time that he crosses over, then why are they makeing exceptions.

 

Do I blame the boy? No. I think that it is a program planning issue. We have at least 18 months to motivate a young man to earn not only his webelos, but his arrow of light. That is plenty of time. How many boys have earned all 20 Activity badges in that time. Do I give away activity badges. No I make the boys earn them. They learn nothing from pencil whipping of paper work. A badge/rank/award that EARNED rather than given is much better for the boy. That is my opinion.

 

Anybody have any thoughts. Or is this an issue that I should grit my teeth.

[ntrog8r]

I'm with you. If you are a registered Boy Scout, you a not also a registered Cub Scout. Since the AOL can only be earned by Cubs, they can not earn it after bridging.

[John-in-KC]

Of course, if the DE or Registrar is sitting on the apps...

 

Right? No. Done? Dunno...

[GKlose]

I ran into a circumstance this last year with our "feeder pack" -- the W2 den was a small and very gung-ho group. They'd finished all activity badges and AoL by early spring, however their pack doesn't award AoL or crossover until the end of their program year, which happened in early June.

 

They've now since crossed over, but I kind of danced around the issue with the den leader dad (who is an Eagle and is now on our troop committee). I couldn't exactly tell him that the pack is dragging their feet on this, so I suggested he start bringing his den to our troop meetings. It was convenient -- their den meetings were usually held on the same evenings as our troop meetings.

 

The applications were eventually turned in, but I don't know exactly when they officially transferred.

 

Guy

[Eagle92]

I have heard of a troop that welcomed Webelos IIs to their meetings so that the scouts and parents get comfortable with the troop. But they were NOT registered with the troop. Once you cross over, yuo are done with CS.

 

Belay that, You may have the formal AOL/Crossover ceremony. I know that some units will have the Webelos II fill out the paperwork, a requirement for AOL, and then a week or two later at the pack Meeting crossover.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Two years ago, I was advising a scouter in a different council (she is a volunteer and also works in the office). She had a Boy Scout in her troop who was subject to joint custody. He was 11 and the father wanted him in boy scouts. The mother in another state and council wanted him to finish cub scouts (he was still in the 5th grade), so he was a Webelos finishing his AOL. What a mess for that boy.

 

Unlike Boy Scouts and Venturing/Sea Scouting, Cub Scout registration is exclusive; one cannot be a registered as both a Cub Scout and Boy Scout at the same time. The example above was only railroaded because his registration was in 2 different councils.

 

I would verify with the council registrar where these scouts' registration lies. Only when you have this information can you begin to sort out this complicated situation.

[Beagle Scout]

After crossover last spring, there were only two Webelos left in our pack. It was our plan that they would begin meeting with the first-year Webelos until next spring, but neither has been very active since crossover, and one has told us he is dropping out.

 

In an attempt to keep them both in Scouting, these Webelos will soon start meeting with the troop as prospective members and work with the Boy Scouts on the requirements they need for AOL (only Outdoorsman and Readyman left). Both Webelos will meet the 10 1/2 years old age requirement next month, so we will have an AOL/crossover ceremony for them at the October pack meeting, at which point they will officially be Boy Scouts and may start working on the Boy Scout requirements.

 

[gwd-scouter]

Beagle Scout - we did something like that with a scout in our Troop. Three years ago he was the only fifth grader in his Webelos den. All the other guys were just starting out as Webelos and the den leader was working hard with them on earning their Webelos badge. This left the 5th grader, in his 2nd year as a Webelos scout, with essentially nothing to do. In January we invited him to our Troop to work with one of our Boy Scouts to help the fella finish his requirements for Arrow of Light. The boy loved the personal attention! Four months later, in April, he was awarded his Arrow of Light by his Cub Pack, with his entire new Boy Scout Troop in attendance, and officially became a Boy Scout.

 

Even though he met with our Troop for those few months, he was never registered as a Boy Scout until after he earned his AOL.

[Beagle Scout]

Thanks, gwd-scouter, it's good to know this has been done before and turned out well.

[scoutldr]

Once they are officially registered in the Troop, they cannot be awarded Cub Scout ranks. The ScoutNet program will not allow it, AFAIK. Of course, if the transfer apps are on hold until they get AOL, that's different...and they are still officially Cub Scouts who are visiting your troop. As someone else said, they cannot earn Boy Scout ranks until properly registered. Bottom line...you cannot be a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout at the same time. Choose one.

[SctDad]

I can see it going on as to what GWD was saying. THere was no registration differences.

 

As for what is going on with the boys that I have in question, I will have to find out more as things go along. I think that if they are registered with the troop and still working onthe arrow of light, then it will simply become an attachment to the uniform with no records. Which will only hurt the boy in the long run. I would prefer to have the boy earn it when he is supposed to.

 

Just like I tell parents who ask if it is still too late to earn last years rank badge. No. your son was transferred into the new den in June and any rank specific badges that were not finished at the previous rank are null (EX: he is a bear now, he cannot go back and try ot finish his wolf badge.)

 

Just like I have a boy who was still working on his Bobcat. I never gave him anything else because his parents never told me that they discussed the Child Protection book.