Scoutmaster Award Of Merit

Are you a committee member or a committee chairman of a Boy Scout Troop? Do you have a scoutmaster who has been doing an outstanding job? Is he trained? Are most of the boys in your troop First Class Rank or higher? If your scoutmaster has been performing well then you owe it to him to look into recognizing him with the Scoutmaster Award of Merit which is presented to deserving scoutmasters through the National Eagle Scout Association.

Here are the Requirements:
(The nominee need not be an Eagle Scout.)
• Be registered as Scoutmaster and have served in that position for at least 18 months.
• The unit must have achieved the Quality Unit Award at least once during the Scoutmaster’s tenure.
• Must have completed Boy Scout Leader Fast Start and Scoutmastership Fundamentals (or equivalent).
• Must have a record of proper use of the Boy Scout advancement program, resulting in a majority of his Boy Scouts attaining the First Class rank.
• Nominee must have a record of:
o Development of boy leadership through the patrol method
o Positive relations with the troop’s chartered organization
o Extensive outdoor program including strong summer camp attendance
o Positive image of Scouting in the community
o Troop operation that attracts and retains Boy Scouts.

Procedure:
The chairman of the troop committee has the responsibility of nominating the Scoutmaster on behalf of the patrol leader’s council and the troop committee. The nomination is certified by the unit commissioner and forwarded to the local council. Approval authority lies with the Scout executive.

For more information and an application you can check HERE on the NESA site.

Mixed Up Court of Honor

The previous blog post explained the agenda of a Troop 68 court of honor. This agenda works well for us. However, we sometimes need to be flexible. Our September court of honor was a good example who things can change quickly.

One of our youngest and newest Boy Scouts, we'll call him Duke, had worked hard to complete his Tenderfoot Rank requirements to receive the award at this court of honor. He was very excited about getting his first rank. During the course of working on his Tenderfoot he also almost completed his Second Class Rank.

When the day of the court of honor arrived Duke's parents happened to be in the Twin Cities, one hundred miles away from Melrose. They called Duke to let him know that they would be a little late getting to the court of honor. Duke informed me of this as soon as he arrived at the city hall. He wanted his parents to be there with him when he received the award. I told him there would be no problem. We could rearrange the agenda a bit to push back the rank presentations.

We began the night with announcements which we usually do at the end of the ceremonies. That gave his parents about ten extra minutes to get closer to town. Then we began the opening ceremony. The honor guard brought the flags forward and we recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Unfortunately, the Scouts did not have a Scouting-related opening ready so we lost a few minutes there.

The award presentations began with the year pins, the recruiter patch, and the merit badges. Duke's parents still had not arrived. No problem. It was time for some entertainment. Wait! The Scouts had forgotten to plan or practice a skit or song for this portion of the meeting. Now we have a problem. Wait! We could present the Progressive Scout Award and the Progressive Patrol Award.

Finally, all the awards had been given out except for Duke's Tenderfoot Rank. I knew that Duke had really looked forward to his parents being there for the presentation. And I knew his parents wanted to be there. There was only one thing left to do. Break out the refreshments!

Duke's parents arrived as we were drinking punch and eating the cookies. As we reconvened the court of honor they stood proudly next to their son as he received the first of his ranks on his way to attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout, you ask? Oh yes, I reply. Duke has two brothers who are Eagles. This eleven year old has already set his sites on soaring with the Eagles. I have no doubt that I will be attending his Eagle court of honor someday, with his parents standing proudly by his side again.

Scouter Of The Year 1985

Joe Timmins had been the cubmaster of Pack 68 for five years as the year of 1985 began. Two of his boys were already in the Boy Scout troop after their tenure as Cub Scouts, one was currently in Cub Scouting, and one would soon be a member of the pack. Joe was an excellent cubmaster. He was enthusiastic. He was willing to put in the time needed to have a successful pack. He surrounded himself with a good committee. And the boys liked him.

It came as no surprise when I was told that Joe was to receive the district's Scouter of the Year Award at the annual recognition banquet in February. He deserved it. He and the other pack leaders had built up the pack to nearly 50 members in a town of only 3000 people. When asked if I would attend the banquet I did not even have to think about it. I was going to be there to support Joe.

About a dozen of us carpooled to the banquet, including Joe and his wife Carol. I do not think Joe suspected anything. They had told him that someone he knew would be receiving an honor so he was attending to support that other person. The plan was working well.

After the meal they began to present the various awards to leaders from around the district. Then it was time for the Scouter of the Year. The presenter of the award started by talking about the recipient's achievements and community service. It did not take me long to realize he was talking about our cubmaster. Joe was both surprised and honored as he accepted the award. Those of us sitting at the table were wearing ear to ear grins as he sat back down among us.

The presenter began reciting the achievements of a another person who would be receiving the Scouter of the Year. This time it would go to a scoutmaster. It did not take long to realize that the recipient was the 24 year old scoutmaster from my own troop. Me! I was shocked, and very honored, as I walked up to accept the certificate. I had no idea that this would be happening.

The pack and troop committee had told me that I should attend to support Joe. They had told Joe to attend to support me. It was a sneaky but great way to get the two of us to attend the banquet and keep it a secret from each of us.

Court of Honor, March 2007

Boy Scout Troop 68 of Melrose held it's first court of honor of 2007 on Monday, March 26, at the Melrose City Hall meeting rooms. Over seventy percent of the troop's membership received awards during the celebration. The award ceremony began the presentation of the colors and the Pledge of Allegiance. The "Climbing the Ladder To Eagle" opening was followed by the invocation given by the troop's chaplain Eymard.

Senior patrol leader Dakota and Scoutmaster Steve welcomed the troop's newest members, Kyle and Lucas, and their parents by presenting the boys with the Scout Badge. Lawrence and Zack were awarded their one year anniversary pin. Dakota received the Citizenship in the Community merit badge.

A brief entertainment skit, based on the show "Who's Line Is It?" television series, was enjoyed by the Scouts and parents in attendance. Mike, Dakota, Alex, and Jonah did a great job adlibbing to the three scenarios that were given to them.

Six ranks were presented during the court of honor. Avery, Billy, and Lawrence received Tenderfoot, the first of the six Scouting ranks. The second rank, Second Class, was presented to Zack and Jonah. Dakota earned the Star Rank, the sixth of the BSA ranks.

Scoutmaster Steve had a special announcement. Chris' Eagle Scout application was approved by the BSA national office. Chris is the seventeenth Boy Scout of the current troop to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, Boy Scouting highest award. Chris is the eighteenth Boy Scout in the history of Melrose to earn the award.

The Progressive Scout Award, a Troop 68 award to recognize the Boy Scout who has achieved the most advancement since the last court of honor, was presented to Dakota. The Progressive Patrol Award was earned by the Nighthawk Patrol who had five members who earned their next rank in Scouting. The leadership of Melrose Troop 68 would like to congratulate all the Boy Scouts who received awards during the court of honor.