Scoutmaster Courtesy

[Eagle732]

I had a Scout leave my troop, seems mom didn't feel he was advancing fast enough which is understandable since the Scout rarely attended camping trips and only half of the meetings. His new troop does advancement on a troop wide schedule, in other words everyone in the troop comes to a meeting to work on a certain requirement together. This type of troop apparently fits his needs better than our boy led troop since mom said her Scout needed more individual attention than we were giving him. So at some point the Scout transferred although I don't know exactly when. I did get a look at his handbook when I went to visit him and mom to ask why he was leaving. It seems that the Scout was getting signed off on requirements from both troops at the same time! So my question is; Is it customary for one SM to give the other SM a call and let him know if a Scout is leaving his troop? Should SMs let each other know if a Scout is looking to change troops? Maybe give the current SM a heads up on a problem he might not know about? In this case I had no idea they were looking to move. I think it would be the courteous thing to do. Also, I don't feel it was very honest for the Scout to come to me for signatures on requirements when he knew he had already joined another troop. That's not my concern now since he's left but maybe that's something that should be discussed between two SMs.

[Scoutfish]

Well,I don't know about the rules, but yes! It sure would have be a courtious thing to do! Just common courtesy indeed!(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Basementdweller]

Sounds like an eagle mill. A growing problem in my opinion.

 

The path to eagle varies in quality and duration. Sad his mother is taking him to the Mcdonald's of scouting experience.

 

[acco40]

Any youth of "scouting age" may attend any troops outings or meetings from the BSA's perspective. However, a Scout is registered with only one "unit" i.e. troop, at a time. To change troops, a Scout needs to register with the new troop, not just attend their meetings and outings. If he is a member of "troop 1" for instance, only they can turn in an advancement report for that Scout (and have the council process it).

 

When a Scout wants to transfer troop, a fairly common occurence, immediately after transfering (i.e. turning in new application) they should request that their advancement records be transferred too. TroopMaster comes in handy for this but is not required obviously.

 

P.S. One sign of a successful troop - they do not do merit badges at troop meetings.

[Beavah]

Yah, that would be da courteous thing, Eagle732. Also da prudent thing, because if you're goin' to accept a transfer yeh want to know the story so you know how to help the lad, and you know about any "issues" that may affect your troop and your boys.

 

Sometimes if they're runnin' a badge mill, they aren't necessarily runnin' high expectations for Scout Spirit either, eh?

 

Beavah

 

[Eagle732]

No records were transferred since no request was made. The troop that the Scout went to is not in our council. I guess the SM accepts previously signed off requirements from another troop. The Scout was working on First Class so the new council just accepts that he earned Scout, Tenderfoot and Second Class?

[Lisabob]

Do you personally know the other SM? If it was out of council, I think it might be the case that the other SM either felt less obligation to contact you, or that perhaps he had no idea who you are.

 

I know that some of the local SMs do talk - but often it is because they know each other through district events, roundtables, and the local community.

[Eagle92]

Depending how far the other council is depends on the phone call. Across the country is one thing, but down the road, is definatley another.

 

While the transfer forms are nice, the paper that national came up with to aid in the process, SCOUTNET is suppose to keep up with it records, so they may not be as necessary. Also some troop do use the honor system, and if the book is signed off, they will accept it. I know that when I transfered from my first troop to my old troop as a Tenderfoot, they accepted my book as proof, no questions asked. The again I did have older cousins in the troop.

[evmori]

This does sound like an Eagle Mill Troop. Churn out as many Eagles as you can regardless of whether they actually earn it or not! Sad.

[shortridge]

It would seem to be common courtesy, but consider that since the Scout was apparently playing both sides of the street, he may not have been fully candid with his new troop. Perhaps - and this is just a hypothetical - he told his new SM in the other council that he was leaving your troop because it was folding, or something similar. Would you have any reason to question a Scout coming to your unit under those circumstances? Or would you trust him?

 

I don't think it's necessary - or desirable - for a Scoutmaster to contact another just because a Scout is "looking to change troops." Perhaps the Scout hasn't fully decided on his course of action, and is just checking out his options. It's up to the Scout to make that decision and communicate it to his past and present leaders.

[GKlose]

I'm membership chair of our troop -- this last September, we had a visit from a scout from another troop. He participated in the meeting, while I talked with his mom off to the side. She was very up front that they were taking a look at other troops. I wanted nothing to do with "poaching", but if the scout wants to move, that's his choice. So I answered the mom's questions, I hope fairly an accurately, but didn't try and "sell" our troop.

 

A couple of weekends later, I was at a Woodbadge weekend, and I bumped into the scout's current scoutmaster. I really didn't know him, but I did know who he is, and I knew that he was new to being SM of their troop. So I decided to be up front about it, and told him that we had a visit from one of his scouts and that we didn't solicit it, and that I wanted nothing to do with poaching. He was very friendly about it -- he thanked me, and said that there were some issues in their troop and that he knew about the scout's visit. He also told me that he talked to all of the parents in the troop to clear up some of the lingering issues (seems like miscommunication to me, seeing as how he was new in his role).

 

The scout didn't switch troops, but something interesting happened. Now I'm on very friendly terms with the other SM, and our troop invited them to our fall "Pumpkin Chuck" event. They came and had a great time, and we'll do it again next fall. They've invited us on their February "freeze out", since they already have space reserved at a camp. The "start of a beautiful friendship", I hope.

 

So here's my advice: communication is a two-way street. Sometimes we get caught up in who calls who, but maybe what we should worry about is being friendly and being in communication with SMs from other troops. Then poaching isn't so much the issue as it is finding the right fit for every scout.

 

Guy

[dg98adams]

I have never seen the term "poaching" in any BSA manual or training class. Not saying I don't understand what you mean, but I would not hesitate to talk to or answer questions of a "visiting Scout" for fear of it.

 

Boys vote with their feet.

 

Straddling the line between 2 troops for "advancements", sounds more like a parents idea than the Scout.

 

Our Troop relies on Troop Guides and the support of an assigned ASM to guide new Scouts thru the first year....advancement is still individual.

[resqman]

A nearby troop went through a leadership change a couple years back. The experienced leadership formed a venture crew and left the troop. Boys visited our troop telling the story that they had been in the other troop for 12-18 months and were still Tenderfoot. Half dozen scouts joined our troop.

 

A year later one of our ASMs was teaching at Woodbadge and was accused of poaching the boys from the other troop. The other troop apparently still holds a grudge.

 

I know we had one scout join our troop and participate for 4-6 months. He stopped showing up after a while. I bumped into him at the hardware store. He had found a different troop that better suited his needs. I was happy he was able to find a troop that better fit his personality. No hard feelings. Just want them to stay in scouts. I feel it is the scouts obligation to inform the troop he is leaving so they can work to improve if possible.

[acco40]

The Scout was working on First Class so the new council just accepts that he earned Scout, Tenderfoot and Second Class?

 

Absolutely not. One may start working on First Class without finishing Tenderfoot.

 

Folks, changing troops is a formal process. The change does no happen until the paperwork is complete. Scouts change troops all the time. Not all troops are for all scouts, nor should they be.

[jr56]

No problem if a scout wants to change troops. A phone call to the scoutmaster is certainly not required, but it is the courteous thing to do.