Show Pity on your Advancement Chairs!

[HICO_Eagle]

"2) I remember the days when units only gave awards only at COHs. I know things have changed, but if this is an older unit, traditions die hard. "

 

When would this have been? My troop in '79 was handing out awards as soon as possible after they were earned, just retaining the pocket cards for recognition at the CoH.

[emb021]

""2) I remember the days when units only gave awards only at COHs. I know things have changed, but if this is an older unit, traditions die hard. "

 

"When would this have been? My troop in '79 was handing out awards as soon as possible after they were earned, just retaining the pocket cards for recognition at the CoH. "

 

Same with mine in the same time period (late 70s), at least we where handing out skill awards and rank patches, usually that night. Merit badges were usually later. Cards at the CoH, and we had 3 or 4 a year.

 

 

[Gunny2862]

Yeah, but we have to remember that we are doing this "For the Boys".

In our case we follow the announce as soon as they complete their BOR, attempt to have the badge at the next meeting, outing, or event. And then present the Card and Mother's pin at the next CoH. In this way there is instant feedback, recognition, and reinforcement.

 

Wouldn't it be nice if the real world did work that way for us adults? And look at the massive costs(not) we incur doing it, I mean, How long ago did Napoleon Bonaparte figure out that a man will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon Incentives don't have to break the bank and when properly scheduled (Skinner) can drive long periods of higher productivity than are available without.

 

But in recognizing that it doesn't, who are we doing this for? IMHO, it's important that we give these youth with their undeveloped brains and thus undeveloped pathways to recognize the virtues of waiting, every opportunity to BE rewarded as soon as possible. Inevitably there will be something in Scouting that they will need to wait for especially after they reach 1st Class(waiting periods - i.e. time in a POR?).

 

It's all about building character - but that's hard to do in a kid who doesn't stick around because the timeline for recognition of the work they did is too long.

 

On another note re: an off-hand comment about Color Guards: Military Color guards v. what Boy Scouts do - While some of you may think it's easy. It's isn't done without a degree of discipline that isn't typically found, without being crafted into the people doing the ceremony.

I assure you that most troops have folks around who can craft some vague similarity but the reality is that the folks who do that as part of their additional duties in the Military(not mentioning the degree of perfection attained by the fine individuals who do this at our major national cemeteries or for say ceremonies like are held weekly at 8th & I) spend hours doing tedious repetitions of the smallest movements, hours doing nothing but standing holding the flags, facing movements, making invisible marks on the poles to guide correct hand placement. In trying to craft this kind of perfection into the youth that I see I'd be dealing with only one Scout - the rest would all run off - the Scout who stayed is that weirdo who eats that stuff up!

Not to say that there aren't Troops out there who do a fine job, but to get the product I remember developing there needs to be a sense of Commitment, Pride and believe it or not to take some pain because to do it properly means doing enough repetitions that it is very real WORK. Work that I think some posters would object to their little boys being subjected to - "Can't you just take it easy, they're not in the Military?" "Aren't you being a little too serious about this? They're just boys."

 

So, let the Scouts do their Color Guards and remember that we are hopefully developing over time people who will be willing to take on the challenges of building and preserving our society and perhaps, in some instances, guarding it. But the bottom line is the Scouts are not a paramilitary organization.

 

[Eagle92]

My troop growing up, mid to late 80s, was one of those that gave the awards at COHs. You were recognized ASAP in front of the troop, you may assume duties of the rank, i.e. signing off on rank, serving as SPL, etc, before getting the badge. But the badge was given at the COH.

 

In regards to color guards, Gunny is spot on. I did ceremonial drill in HSJROTC and we practiced 1.5 hours 4 days a week. Sometimes we did practices on our own during lunch and free period,if the armoury was open. Ditto the color guard.

 

Now Scouting is not suppose to be as disciplined as the military, but a nice color guard ceremony is doable with a little practice. I know our summer camp staff practiced it alot.

 

But what was funny was remembering one grouchy old retired MGySgt who served on staff. If you were a staffer, he had high expectations. If you were a boy Scout, he expected you to know what you were doing. But what the old man loved was watching Cubs doing the flag ceremonies, mistakes and all.

[qwazse]

In the late 70's in my troop, the SM handed out skill awards and MB's (I think) at meetings, and badges of rank at CoH's. The SM would ask the SPL, "Are there any who have achieved __?", boys were called up in order of rank awarded, and the SPL lit the corresponding candle on the "advancement trail".

 

There was no notion of 1st Class - First Year, so waiting a couple of months until the next CoH was no big deal. I might have known of one scout who was awarded TF and 2C on the same night. And it impressed us all to see it done.

 

I think we also awarded TF to Life rank advancement at Eagle CoH's as well (as a lead-up to "the big show"). It was a big deal when we got that whole "advancement trail" lit up!