Issue 643 – June 9, 2020

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Hi Andy,

One of the joys of my Scouting activities is serving as the council representative for Eagle boards of review. I had my first one tonight, since social distancing was put in place. It’s always rewarding to welcome a hard-working, happy Scout to the rank of Eagle Scout. But a big drawback now—I can’t shake their hand!

As other members of the review were congratulating him from six feet away, without really thinking about it, I made the Scout Sign and lightly tapped three times over my heart. Our newest Eagle smiled and returned the gesture. This struck me as a simple alternative—almost “organic.” I don’t know if anyone’s thought of this before. It’s a variation on a theme, but it sure worked its magic tonight. So I hope you don’t mind my passing this along. (James Flynn, CAC Rep., Mecklenburg County Council, NC)

What a wonderful spontaneous gesture! Thanks so much for sharing this – I’m sure it’ll help others of us for whom the Scout handshake is temporarily off the table.
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Hi Andy,

A 16-year-old, Second Class Scout in a neighboring troop—let’s call them “Troop 1”—asked to transfer to our troop (let’s call us “Troop 2”)from another unit wanted to join our troop. Although he talked about wanting to earn Eagle rank, we leaders of Troop 2 got the very strong impression that this was more his parents’ idea than his.

The adults in Troop 1 had apparently told him he was “out of time”—by the time he earned First Class rank, he wouldn’t have the 4+6+6 months tenure needed for Star rank and then Life and Eagle before his 18th birthday. This is apparently why his parents brought him to our troop… It was in the hope that our “numbers” would be different (which is kind of silly, because they could have checked this out for themselves in their son’s own handbook).

Our committee chair checked his birth date against his upcoming rank requirements and came up with the same result: This young man could finish his Scouting career at Life rank, but he didn’t have the time needed for Eagle. Nevertheless, we invited him to join up, work on advancement if he liked, and have fun in his new patrol!

He did join Troop 2 and everything seemed okay until we on the troop committee discovered that—at the same time as we were reviewing his time-line—our Scoutmaster (of all people!), had promised his parents that he and his assistants would “make sure” their son earned Eagle. (We on the committee decided to say nothing, and let the Scoutmaster figure out what he was going to say to these parents about his completely unrealistic promise.)

Fast forward a year. I’m now the Chartered Organization Representative (“CR”) of Troop 2, having stepped up from the troop committee. Unfortunately, I lost contact with the troop for a time, while I was preparing to step into my new role as liaison between our church and Troop 2, which we sponsored. As it turned out, Troop 2 had fallen into disrepair and their meetings had fallen off, to the point where they stopped entirely and the remaining Scouts were “absorbed” by another nearby troop: “Troop 3.”

Then—Lo and Behold!—a couple of us former committee members spotted a Facebook© posting with a photo of some of our own former Scouts helping out on an Eagle Service Project for…you guessed it…the Scout who was time-starved to make Eagle!

This is why I’m writing to you. I have some questions and don’t know where to find the answers. Here goes…

With the Covid-19 pandemic and required social distancing, etc., is it not BSA National’s policy that there can be physical meetings, no physical camp-outs, no physical projects, etc., until all restrictions have been lifted? I know that this is our council’s policy. So how does Troop 3’s decision to support this project fit in with these rules? Are there exceptions for Eagle projects?

Also—and I do get it that, as you’ve often said, we’re “gate openers,” not gatekeepers—this particular young man simply spent too many years without any rank advancement, which ultimately shut down his path to Eagle. Nobody did this but this Scout and the adult leadership of his first troop: Troop 1. Consequently, I’m deeply troubled that the leaders of Troop 3 are somehow “finagling” Scoutbook and council record dates to give this Scout the extra time he needs to complete all Eagle requirements including tenure-in-position. I just don’t think this is some simple case of an adult’s arithmetic error,” because his parents have known for at least a year that there’s just not enough time unless requirements are altered or dates are fudged. In this circumstance, what are our own responsibilities—since we’ve run the calculation and it’s impossible to make Eagle without stepping over the line at least once and maybe twice? Or do we just let this slide through as if we know nothing about it?

My gut says the council advancement committee needs to check into this. If we were wrong, and time is on this Scout’s side, then God bless him and I hope he makes it to Eagle. But if someone—regardless of who—altered either one or more requirements or one or more dates, then I think this needs to be exposed and allow the chips to fall.

Andy, you’ve helped me in the past with some very tough questions, and I’m hoping you have some guiding for us on this one. Thanks! (Name & Council Withheld)

Yes, I’d say this is worth investigating by the correct people in your council, and this can’t happen unless you speak up. But please don’t do this alone. The council’s advancement chair needs to know that it’s not just you and you’re not just one gray-haired grumbler on a witch-hunt!

The CAC chair needs to know that there are several of you who ran the numbers and came up with the same result and that you’re happy to acknowledge that you may be wrong! The chair also needs to know that you invited this Scout to join up anyway and continue to advance as far as he could. So meet with the chair as a group no fewer than the former troop committee chair and yourself, and even better if it’s three or perhaps four.

Tell the chair what you’ve told me. Stick to relevant facts only. Bring Troop 2’s advancement records for this Scout, including the records you received when he transferred from Troop 1.

I’d omit your own Scoutmaster’s empty promise because it’s simply frivolous and clutters the story.

I wouldn’t bring up anything along the lines of the Scout himself having wasted his own time by not advancing, because you don’t know his family background or possible extenuating circumstances that may have prevented more active participation in Scouting at Troop 1.

And I’d allow for the fact that this coronavirus pandemic may have paved the way to a time extension based on “extenuating circumstances beyond this Scout’s control” which is permitted in certain circumstances of which this pandemic is certainly one.

Finally, for your own health and sanity, unless this is “a hill you’re willing to die on,” state your facts and leave the rest to the chair and the council advancement committee.

I hope this is useful. Thanks for taking the time to write!

Please stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!

Happy Scouting!

Andy

Have a question? Facing a dilemma? Wondering where to find a BSA policy or guideline? Write to askandybsa@yahoo.com. Please include your name and council. (If you’d prefer to be anonymous, if published, let me know and that’s what we’ll do.)

Although these columns are copyrighted, any reader has my permission to quote or reproduce any columns or column parts so long as you attribute authorship: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 643 – 6/9/2020 – Copyright © Andy McCommish 2020]