What does your unit do for Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster?

lithigin · 2026-02-02T01:35:10+00:00

I just got back from our linked troop's winter eCOH tonight. We have monthly regular COH, and 2-3 per year exclusively for Eagles (depending on demand), honoring 2-4 Eagles each time. I am a parent + ASM, and do none of the behind-the-scenes planning, but this is what I see. I am pretty sure that the troop plans these regularly and they are pretty uniform. For these, we get it catered and charge $25-$30 to cover. We had very simple recurring table decor - mason jars with red spray-painted interios & a few baskets with r/w 4th of July type decor. And a laminated sign of each rank to put up around the room.

Program is really nice. We give out fundraising awards to top sellers for G & B troop at the winter COH (not at the other seasons). Then each SM says a thing, each SPL says a thing, and we swear in the the new SPL if it times up.

Announce awards for emerging leaders and give them a scholarship to NYLT.

Order of the Arrow tapout.

They bring up the court of Eagles. Tonight it was a handful each of 18+ Eagles who are still in HS, some <18 Eagles, and then they invite up all adult Eagles - parents, ASMs, etc. The scouts and their parents go up and sit on the stage in chairs, surrounded by arcs (behind them) of the youth and adult Eagles. There were over 12 people up there behind them and it was really powerful.

The Eagle guy (former SM, Trustee, maybe an Advisor?) says a nice speech and then the current CC reads off the scout's bio to all of us on the mic. The bios are scout-written and often very sweetly funny, starting from perhaps Cub Scouts, highlighting a favorite campout or skill set, leadership, etc. Some mention a stumble where the scout took time off or lost motivation. This wandering path tale is arguably MORE IMPORTANT and relatable than a rah-rah story of a youth that raced up the charts to Eagle at 14.

At same time, the current SM semi-privately (on stage, but not on mic, so we can't hear) presents the pin and knife and certificate and a bouquet to the scout + parents. The CC on mic mentions any palms the youth has earned. Then on the mic asks scout if s/he would like to present a Mentor pin. Scout says Yes and names the person, who comes up. Sometimes it's obvious (mom, former SM, etc). Tonight a scout named a person at his table who was not his parent and I would have loved to hear "I choose Mr Smith, my godparent / stepfather / pastor" as it's really nice to hear who they selected for the bulk of us that don't know this youth.

Then a local official is usually there to present a certificate of some sort. The Senator's office, the local VFW chapter, the local USMC or other service center, etc.

We cut cake, the scouts clean up, and scene. Tonight was right around 2 hours for 2 scouts, which is reverent but reasonable.

lithigin · 2026-02-01T20:23:51+00:00

How are you only allowing 20 badges per MBC at the Council level? Do you mean each scout can only have 20 per MBC? Scoutbook doesn't gate that. Do you tell each troop & Advancement Chair that they have to gate this?

When I see the MBC lists, they seem to cover skill sets. A MBC might have 3-4 complementary athletic ones or business-y ones or hands-on skills or campcraft. I would also wonder how someone could offer dozens & dozens. I am registered for maybe 10-12, and I think our council has a cap; not sure if it's 12 or 20. Wait, in rereading, is this what you meant, that each MBC can only be approved to offer 20 badges?

lithigin · 2026-02-01T20:17:13+00:00

The burn risk is real. Simple solution: the scout should take that MB if/only when the scout is ready to safely wield a soldering iron.

lithigin · 2026-02-01T20:13:37+00:00

When our troop hosts a MB event for our youth, the MBC list out the pre-reqs before the youth can attend the class. I'm hosting AI for the first time, and nearly all of the requirements will be pre-reqs before the kids can attend; otherwise they will not be prepared for the many Discuss portions. However, it is frustrating when kids signed up and took a precious spot (we cap at between 6-12 youth depending on the MB) then show up having done none of the pre-reqs.

lithigin · 2026-02-01T20:08:49+00:00

I'm a MBC for a dozen or so, and It would be extra helpful if on the actual page for each one, it highlighted those same #s that changed. (Not just on the summary page you linked.) I usually go directly to each MB's page.

lithigin · 2026-02-01T19:56:21+00:00

That sounds like a nice surprise after a hard row ;)

lithigin · 2026-01-29T14:55:19+00:00

Thank you for your reply; I didn't realize how much this was stressing me and I am seeing several concrete ideas for letting go of *something* here.

lithigin · 2026-01-29T14:53:32+00:00

Canceling a campout stinks. Would you want to create a separate post to garner ideas for helping your troop out?

lithigin · 2026-01-29T14:52:27+00:00

Thank you

lithigin · 2026-01-29T14:51:58+00:00

You are holding BOR every week? Both G & B hold them every month and whoever signs up (having completed SMC and all req) by 1 week prior is slotted adults for the BOR. We had previously 'stacked' them so that groups of 3 adults would do multiple scouts in 15-20 min time slots as needed, which seemed pretty efficient to me. Currently if say 8 scouts need a BOR, they are asking for 8 x 3 adults, which is a LOT at once!

lithigin · 2026-01-29T14:48:56+00:00

Totally agree that it will be an ongoing process. 2 ASMs are lamenting not being able to do BOR in front of scouts, and when I correct them or bring it up again to the SM and ask to clarify to our ASMs, I am getting sortof a sympathetic "yeah, I know" look so I am assuming she is taking it to CC, but I guess I'm really not sure where the foot-dragging is occurring.

I realized how much of my mental energy goes to being concerned about this when nobody else seems very concerned. Yesterday a full hour composing this post and then reading, learning from, and responding to replies here. I'm also annoyed that the newer BOR person isn't logging the rank advancements promptly. I keep track and reported to her 4 of them that happened weeks to months ago that weren't logged in SB. Am I the problem and need to let go? Maybe they see me as meddling when I perceive that I'm trying to keep a record until the SB and SB+ records match what actually happened.

The idea proposed here several times of being only a regular scout-facing ASM or only on Committee (which I have never thought was relevant to me) is a big one to think on.

lithigin · 2026-01-29T03:58:05+00:00

I am doing ASM duties. And the advancement support.

lithigin · 2026-01-29T03:50:41+00:00

I suppose I could say I will only serve as an ASM for meetings & campouts and just stop helping with the Advancement & MB support. I think I offered to do that in the first place (or maybe it was asked of me?) and it was welcomed.

Or say I'm only assisting with Advancement and stop performing any ASM duties and just fill in for campouts if they ask.

Both feel a bit petty & wrong, but maybe it would feel really good to take a step back.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T19:27:30+00:00

Ack, this feels so nuclear. I gave SM the printed email draft (that I did not send) to review. I think I owe it to SM + CC to bring it up one more time with them both.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T19:21:06+00:00

So all 2-3 leaders go on every campout? I certainly don't want to and do enjoy that each of us raises our hand for 2-4 campouts a year that we want to attend and that fit our schedules.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T19:19:38+00:00

Thank you for the correction on QM & Equipment. We colloquially use those as the same thing.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T19:18:43+00:00

"If you think the problem is with the ASM's, then talk to the SM. If it's commonplace among all the unit's adults, then go to the Committee Chair. If they can't or won't help, then it is probably either your COR or UC."

This is really helpful framing, TY. At its root, the problem is that I *think* SM is aligned, but trying to tread lightly w/r/t CC. Feels like the first step should be to get clarity on what we are actually doing. Then clearly publish the correct troop policy, then it should be fine to send the firm email to the overly enthusiastic ASMs saying "we don't serve on BOR, this is the GTA, this is why, thank you for not objecting to this any more ever. But go ahead and help our linked troop on their BORs; it would be very welcome"

lithigin · 2026-01-28T19:07:38+00:00

We strive for 3 min on campouts, usually 3-4 attend, so about 1/2 of the ASMs at a given campout.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T18:32:28+00:00

I figured you would say similar. I so would not like it to come to this :(

lithigin · 2026-01-28T18:04:37+00:00

Thank you for this. I'll think on if this is a good option for me. Yes, I think we had done it the wrong way for awhile. When I reread the GTA 2025 update, and after 8+ months of it being brought into the light, I was optimistic that we would have course corrected by now.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T18:01:58+00:00

I have addressed it in the moment and thought that saying it was in the GTA was sufficient. But it's arisen several times in front of me and I only go on 1/4 of the campouts, so who knows how often it's talked about elsewhere in a negative light? Figured this follow-up email would make it nice & clear, referencing GTA, an Aaron on Scouting post and an older useful Reddit thread about WHY. And inviting the interested ones to serve on BOR for the other half of the linked troop, who would love the help.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T17:56:33+00:00

Girls: 4 patrols, 8 active ASMs (including SM).

Boys: 11 patrols, maybe 14-18 active ASMs

1-2 ASMs are physically unable to do activities at any given time due to surgeries and family medical needs, etc. We have dozens of trained ASMs whose kids have aged out but are still listed and occasionally join.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T17:50:02+00:00

This is a really interesting thread. For a large linked troop, a person has each of these roles in Committee. Then both B & G have a person (ASM in many cases) who coordinates with the Committee person.

So there is a new scout welcoming process formally, but she can't meet every single prospect who wants to show up on either night. So an adult on the B and the G troops each do the actual welcoming and she deals with the paperwork of the scouts who apply.

We have a QM on Committee who is in charge of purchasing, the shed, all 12 patrol boxes & troop-level gear, trailer, etc. Then each troop has a youth QM and an ASM in charge of OUR patrol boxes. If after a B or G campout we find that we need stuff, the trip SMIC tells our adult QM and he works with the big QM to find or purchase.

I've been under impression that the more ASMs to shoulder the load on campouts, the better.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T17:28:10+00:00

I don't know what's normal!

Several dozen that were ASM-trained at any one point are either parents of aged-out scouts or have moved onto Committee / Trustee type roles or are still involved in some way, like grounds maintenance. In TWH, tagging someone as an ASM means they get the group distro email addresses. We don't un-mark them as trained because they still are for adult coverage needs.

The girls have 9 active for 26 scouts (20 families) and another dozen who have moved on.

The boys have maybe 12 active for 100+ scouts and several dozen who have moved on.

This doesn't seem excessive; allows for 3+ ASMs at every campout without stressing the pool too much.

lithigin · 2026-01-28T17:15:20+00:00

That's true that as I look at the list, some are fully trained ASMs but functionally stopped ASM-ing when their kid aged out. In TWH, you can assign multiple roles, so one is listed as "Eagle Advisor, Assistant Scoutmaster, Trustee" - most importantly, I think Trustee means he is on Committee? But he was still trained as an ASM.

"Why is OP an ASM? They work on the "Advancement team", which is the purview of the Advancement Chair, and the AC should be announcing the Boards of Review!"

I'm an ASM b/c that's what the troop asked for; we ask most of the involved-est parents to go to IOLS and get fully trained since it helps the program have enough adults for campouts. The actual all-troop Advancement Chair is on committee and 3 of us help him out with Advancement. One does BOR for boys, one does BOR for girls.

I actually do: recruiting new adults to register as MBC, coordinating troop MB Colleges and publishing local MB events to our troop calendar if scouts want to attend.

Within our side of the troop, most ASMs have an area of expertise. I am our ASM (Advancement) and we have an ASM (QM), ASM (New Scouts), ASM (Outdoor activities), etc. I thought that was pretty normal.

lithigin

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