Incomplete merit badges

[jr56]

Great idea, it helps the boy organize his advancement, but keeps him in charge of it.

[John-in-KC]

Several comments:

 

First, when I was advancement coordinator, I kept partials on Troopmaster and made sure the SM and youth knew where they stood.

 

Second, I really like the idea of giving each youth a copy of his advancement and activity records. No sense in playing I've got a secret with him. OTOH, that is what the pages in the Scout handbook are supposed to be for. I guess the bottom line is: The youth has to account for his own advancement.

 

Third, with the wonderful wacky folks of our Council Registrar's office, we help the youth do his app, but an adult turns it in, AND GETS A SIGNATURE OF RECORD FOR IT. Sometimes, it pays to be able to back the Director of Field Service into a corner (ours is a large council)...

 

Last, we allow the youth to select the site for his Eagle BOR. We give him 2-3 choices of dates (the District Eagle Guests drive that train). He makes the call on the date. We're grateful our District NESA and Advancement folk believe that the BOR is an important day for the youth; he should have direct input into where and when it will be. I know many Districts mandate Eagle BORS be at some monthly District function; our district believes the burden of support is on the grownup, not the youth.

 

[Lynda J]

We do much like Eagledad. The boys get one part of their blue cards and the troop keeps one. This way if for some reason a scout loses his binder we have copies on file.

As for incomplete. Even if a scout never complets a certain badge he learns something from it.

About a month before COH we let each boy know where he stands on incomplets badges. Part of the time they get at least one of their inc finished.

 

Had one SM tell me that if a boy has more than 3 incomplete he refuses to give them any more blue cards. He and I had a little disagreement about BSA policy on this one.