Issue 660 – December 15, 2020

Hi Andy,
About that Scout who used an outdated merit badge workbook, I’d like to offer an alternative view on why he grabbed that worksheet and started in before contacting a counselor. My guess is that somewhere along the way, the notion that it’s all about “capturing” the next badge (rather than learning about brand-new stuff that’s often never taught in school) got a very strong hold. Don’t get me wrong, that has probably been around longer than I have. I certainly saw a few in my troop in the 70s and 80s. But it’s become endemic nowadays.

Most districts in my council hold merit badge “colleges” where Scouts can walk away with two signed-off “blue cards” in a single day, and I’ve seen some of the so-called counselors at these all-day events tell Scouts who have signed up for that merit badge to bring a “workbook” with a certain amount advance work already completed. I have a friend who takes his two sons to these colleges regularly.

Not too long ago, I had a Committee Chair tell new parents that “merit badges are the whole point” of summer camp.
To be sure, search engines try to give us what they “think” we want, and because you’re “going to the source,” those are the sites that pop up at the top whether they’re accurate and current or not.

If you have some answer on how to change the prevalent dominance of “getting badges,” I’d really love to hear about it! (I have this pretty much contained in my troop, but it sure it seems rampant all around me. (Kirk Wood, SM)

Actually, I believe you’re spot-on! I’ve seen exactly the same thing, as a Scoutmaster, a Merit Badge Counselor, a Camp Visitation Team leader, and—way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth—as a Scout Camp Aquatics Director and Program Director.

As a Commissioner noticing this trend in my prior home town, I did a bit of informal “research” among parents of Webelos Scouts about to graduate into troops. Most parents, I found, had been groomed by their sons’ den and pack leaders to the notion of “do something-get a badge,” and they thought Boy Scouts would be much the same.

As a Commissioner, I observed a fair number of troops also handing out badges—especially non-uniform stuff like the infamous “Totin’ Chip” and “Firem’n Chit” badges that immediately got sewn on BOTH FLAPS of uniform shirts. I’ve seen rows of “visitor pins” handed out at West Point, patches by the National Park Service, car sponsor patches from NASCAR, and much more—all based on the same notion of “do something/go somewhere and get a pin-patch-whatever to stick on your uniform.” (This is where the not-so-complimentary “Christmas tree” description of Scouts’ shirts comes from, and of course the mentality of this mess spills over to merit badges.)

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard the first question parents ask when their Scouts return from summer camp, “How many badges did you get?” instead of “Did you have a fun week?” or “What did you learn?”

As a counselor, the usual answer I get to my question, “So, Scout, what prompted you to learn more about (let’s say) Communication?” is this: “BECAUSE IT’S REQUIRED.”

I don’t have a magic wand, but—if I did—I’d change the Cub program first, and let it seep up to Scouts!

Thanks, Andy. I hadn’t thought about the Cub Scout side, but I have to agree. It seemed that many den and pack meetings began with counting up which Activity Pins each Cub had earned and had left top earn (so that they’d have a “sweep” of all pins!). I can also remember how some folks were worried that “Will our Cubs still want to shoot BB guns, if they don’t get a pin or something for it?”

(I don’t know for sure, but maybe some of this also comes from the Girl Scouts, whose sashes and vests are blanketed with all sorts of patches.)
In my area, several troops hand their Scouts a loop of knotted paracord following each campout, to hang from the right pocket buttons of their uniform shirts—some of these Scout had huge gobs of knots hanging on their shirts to the point of distortion and—I’ll say it—silliness.

A few years ago, when our troop started up, several parents wanted us to do the same thing. I had to tell them we’re not going to do that; that the experiences of the campouts were their own rewards.

I honestly think there’s an irony here. I personally think giving trinkets for everything is actually hurting our membership. We should focus on having a great active program where Cubs learn while doing stuff, and Scouts learn (and have fun!) from doing even more! And meanwhile, eliminate the myriad “classroom-style” stuff, so that Scouts can learn by DOING and not sitting in classrooms (or in front of computer screens full-time) as if they’re “attending Scout school.” And if they want trinkets, souvenir shops are still open. (Kirk Wood)

Couldn’t have said it better myself!
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Hi Andy,
A question just came up about what “counts” for service hour time. The Scout in question had volunteered at a weekend “camporee” for Webelos Scouts about to graduate from the Cub Scouting program. He wanted to know if the time he actually spent sleeping overnight at the camporee counted toward total service hours, or just the time he spent helping with the daytime activities. (And, BTW, he’s not a Den Chief.)

The sides of this debate range from “Yes, all of it should count” to “Ask the Scout if he thinks it’s right to count sleeping time as service” to “None of this should count as service hours because this is ‘just what Scouts do’ and, besides, whatever ‘service’ he thinks he should get credit for actually benefits his troop because he also ‘recruited’ by setting an example at the camporee.”

I looked for myself in the BSA’s TROOP LEADERSHIP GUIDEBOOK, but couldn’t find anything to help me decide. The only thing I could find that was even close related to service projects for Eagle rank and that they can’t be at a Scouting-owned campground (regular service hours can, but not Eagle service projects). Is there any official guidance that I missed? (Puzzled Scoutmaster)

The BSA “rule” on service to others in general (i.e., not including the service project for Eagle ranks, which has its own specific rules) is that there is none and there are no restrictions.

Every rank except “Scout” contains a requirement for service and, except for Eagle, the BSA specifies only that the service be approved by one’s Scoutmaster (note to Scouts— Unless it’s a troop-wide service project, it’s always best to get your Scoutmaster’s okay first; this way there are no “surprises.”).

Nowhere in the “service” requirements from Tenderfoot through Life is there any mention of the nature of the service and it’s absolutely not restricted to non-BSA activities.

If you’re still unsure, read the GUIDE TO ADVANCEMENT Topic 4.2.3.3: “Service Projects.” You’ll find nothing that says “not for Scouts/Scouting.” Yay! This is good news!

That was all a long-winded way of saying I firmly believe this Scout needs to be given full credit for volunteering at an overnight Scouting event, without playing games about “since this benefits the troop it shouldn’t count.” In fact, if his presence and Scout-like service results in new Scouts joining his troop, I’d be urged to congratulate him; not “ding” him.

As for pointing out that this Scout isn’t a Den Chief. So what.
You can “count” the overnight part, or not—it really doesn’t matter, because the greatest number of service hours specified by any rank is for Life, and it’s six.

(BTW, you can’t “credit” the Scout for fulfilling the service requirement beyond the rank he’s working toward right now. If you’re wondering why, I urge you to read the exact wording of each rank’s service requirement.)

Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay positive!

Happy Scouting!

Andy

When you write to me, please include your name and council. If you’d rather be anonymous—if published—just say so and that’s what I’ll do. Also, although these columns are copyrighted, you have my okay to quote or reproduce any column or part, so long as it’s attributed: “Ask Andy” by Andy McCommish.

[No. 660 – 12/15/2020 – Copyright © 2020 Andy McCommish]