Minimum Age for Eagle Rank

[Twocubdad]

Whoa, there big fella! Any time you string that many adjectives together in one short post, it's probably a good idea to think twice before hitting submit.

 

A good, caring, thoughtful leader will help coach a Scout to get the most he can from the program. For one, I don't think making Eagle and flaming out by 13 is getting the most out of the program. An experienced leader will help guide the boys to a nice, long, meaningful Scouting career. Frankly, I don't think Max is too far off base. I understand that behind his few-hundred word post is a lot of counseling, coaching and walks in the woods before getting to the "maybe another troop will be a better fit" conversation.

 

Of course, others will disagree, but hopefully in a bit more Scoutlike manner. Those who disagree should not join our unit. I've had boys show up day one with a notebook with the 21 merit badges they are going earn and ask for blue cards on all 21. Um, no. That's not the way our troop runs things. We want the Scouts we serve to experience all the program has to offer. That takes time. Moosetracker did a good job of describing why.

 

This is also a question of the chartered organization and the unit leaders creating a troop culture and environment it wants -- it is the CO's program, after all. I am fortunate that the gentleman who organized our troop more than 40 years ago still serves it as our COR. It is his vision for the unit we share and try to fulfill. Unfortunately, on rare occasion, we have families which don't agree with that philosophy (and I do mean families, as an 11-y.o. boy who comes up with an advancement plan like that is exceptionally rare). If, after trying to bring that family on-board with our approach to advancement and Scouting in general, the family still doesn't share our vision for the troop and their son, then it is in everyone's best interest for the family to consider other units which are more advancement-driven.

 

If makes you feel better to call that "my way or the highway", that's up to you. I'll refer to it as helping the boys get the most they can from the program and creating the culture and environment in the unit that the leadership wishes to see.

[UCEagle72]

@shortridge - I checked my Scout Handbook from 1959, and I see no mention of an age requirement, except that for Tenderfoot.

 

I too was a young Eagle. Got mine in 1972 when I was 14 (and I had been a Life Scout for a year). Actually the person who kicked me in the butt to finish (since all I needed to do was complete a partial on the Cooking MB) was my SM.

 

Couple of weeks back, I was at the retirement celebration for that SM (41 years as SM ended in December) -- and was surprised when a number of the guys who were "younger" Scouts in that era told me how much they despised me since I went on and earned two silver palms -- their dads kept asking why they weren't doing that ... ;-)

 

So, just because a Scout earns Eagle at a young age, it does NOT mean they are heading out the door. Otherwise I would have missed Philmont, the '73 National Jamboree, and being a JASM. Yes, in later years I was more active in OA, than the Troop - but when I was needed, I was there.