From <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Wed Dec 10 00:44:09 1997 Return-Path: <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Received: from tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (TCUAVM.IS.TCU.EDU [138.237.128.148]) by cap1.CapAccess.org (8.6.12/8.6.10) with SMTP id AAA15137; Wed, 10 Dec 1997 00:44:09 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 6543; Tue, 09 Dec 97 23:11:41 CDT Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 1110; Tue, 9 Dec 1997 22:21:20 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LISTSERV release 1.8b) with NJE id 0998 for SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU; Tue, 9 Dec 1997 22:18:01 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM (NJE origin SMTP@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 0994; Tue, 9 Dec 1997 22:06:42 -0500 Received: from ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU by tcubvm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP; Tue, 09 Dec 97 22:06:30 CDT Received: from mx1.dynasty.net (mx1.dynasty.net) by ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU (PMDF V5.0-5 #20456) id <01IQZDUUJ580002K2U@ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU> for scouts-l@ALPHA.IS.TCU.EDU; Tue, 09 Dec 1997 20:14:37 -0500 (CDT) Received: from jessica ([208.205.50.95]) by mx1.Dynasty.Net (Netscape Mail Server v2.02) with SMTP id AAA97; Tue, 09 Dec 1997 20:14:29 -0600 X-Sender: blkeagle@mail.dynasty.net MIME-version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.4 (32) Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Message-ID: <1.5.4.32.19971210021413.00713cc4@mail.dynasty.net> Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 20:14:13 -0600 Reply-To: "settummanque, or blackeagle (Mike Walton)" Sender: Scouts-L Youth Group List From: "settummanque, or blackeagle (Mike Walton)" Subject: Re: Silver and Ranger Awards - Reinstitution X-To: NeilLup , scouts-l@tcu.edu To: Multiple recipients of list SCOUTS-L Status: RO X-Status: D Neil asked: >I have seen numerous references in posts to reinstitution of the Silver >and Ranger awards for Explorers. I spoke to my SE, who is a VERY >straight shooter, today and he said he had heard nothing about it. He hasn't read the December Exploring update information sent to him from the National Exploring Division, did he?? Nor did he read a request from his Region to nominate his Council (if your Council was a Quality Council) for a short fieldtesting of the Silver/Ranger Awards when released? The Southern Region sent out their letters the week of Thanksgiving. A Regional volunteer asked me two weeks ago if I've seen them...so they must be out there.... Both of them, I've been told, have been sent out to local Councils shortly after the conclusion of the National Exploring Committee meetings back before the Thanksgiving holiday in November and after other committee meetings held in late October/early November. >He said at the last national meeting he attended, the Exploring Division >said "there are big things coming, but we can't tell you what." Yep...he's exactly correct and so are other SE/CEs that attending a Regional Top Hands meeting were told the same things....actually, they were told that "big things are coming to the entire BSA program group, but we can't tell you right now and when they are ready, you'll be the first to know." >May I ask if any listmember has an official, written piece of information >from the BSA or from Exploring Division about the reinstitution of these >awards, when it will happen, what requirements will be, etc? If so, what is >the information, date, etc., and can I get a copy of it please. If not, do we >know how this information started to be disseminated? Here's what I know; I DO NOT have any official documentation here (but that doesn't mean that I won't get anything sent to me later on): *There will be a SILVER AWARD to replace the current Growth Opportunities in Leadership Development (G.O.L.D.) Award (which replaced two years back the Exploring Acheivement Award). The *proposed requirements* that were being tossed around back in the summer and fall of this year has to deal with six areas: *leadership development *service to others *personal growth development *outdoor activity participation and /or leadership *communicating both internally and externally *exploration into the Explorer Code and application thereof Within each block there's a set of requirements, many of which were recommended and worked on through a youth committee consisting of the National Explorer President and his cabinet along with selected Explorers recommended by local Councils and/or national speciality associations. I don't know what specific requirements there will but just from taking a look at the above outlines, it will come closer to Eagle than our earlier work toward the Exploring Achievement Award in 75-77 will come. I was asked to submit some ideas toward the new award, which I did, but I have no idea on which were accepted and which wasn't and even if they considered anything I wrote and submitted. The RANGER Award is being considered to return as well for OUTDOOR AND GENERAL INTEREST Exploring members, and from what I understand, will be a combination of the older EAA/G.O.L.D. Award requirements along with some merit badge work (note here gang: Explorers are *currently prohibited* from earning merit badges as the merit badge program is a part of the Boy Scout advancement program....) It is hoped that the Ranger Award would be eventually on the same plane as the current Quartermaster Award for Sea/Nautical Explorers (which by the way, has also been revised and re-written to accommodate a larger number of Explorers that do not belong to Ships but have a nautical Exploring program). "Considered" because there's not a definate reasoning for the award other than "tradition" and "because Sea Exploring has the Quartermaster". One of the things I want to know is if an Explorer can earn Ranger, Silver and Quartermaster Awards. I understand back in the "old days" of all three awards, that indeed some Explorers were able to earn two or all three awards in addition to earning Eagle. That, I feel, would be cool!! The current square knot used for the G.O.L.D. and the EAA (and the earlier Exploring Awards) has been expanded as part of the changes to the program to also include the Exploration Awards and the Young American Awards. From what I understand, that knot will be used for other non-BSA awards as well (the most notable is the Congressional Award and the Young American Awards, which Scouts and Explorers may earn as well as those outside the BSA) and the older square knots for the Silver and Ranger Awards will come back. Haven't seen an illustration of either, though....so I'm waiting like everyone else to see what they'll look like if they go that route. The *current plan* calls for a formalized announcement about ALL of the program changes (I've been waiting for it myself...if it doesn't happen this or next week, look at it happening the first full week of January in the new year), followed by a short fielding in selected (Quality) Councils, and release to ALL local Councils either in May or July of 1998, with implementation starting in August of 1998. The Exploring program will receive a large boost by these changes, if everything that I got a copy of will be accepted, worked out and fielded. It needs it, because the Division has been suffering from a loss of direction until this past summer. It has a new Director, some new staffers, and most importantly, these folks *remember the Exploring of the 60s and 70s* when Exploring was almost as big as Boy and Cub Scouting. Sea Exploring has also gotten a big boost starting with the new program year too....expect a new, bold push for Sea Exploring Ships and nautical Exploring Posts over the new year (and it's above time!). Also, something that lots of us holders of the Trident wanted, we got....holders of the SeaBadge may now wear the Sea Badge on the field uniform ON THE LEFT POCKET above the button!!!!! (in the 70s, they made the Sea Badge training award a "lapel pin" or "tietac", which could only be worn with civilian clothing. Hopefully, this will renew interest in the training experiences for Ship Skippers and their Mates and other Council Sea Exploring leaders!) Boy and Cub Scouting won't be left behind, though...there will be some program stuff to support them and some of it *came from the field* from suggestions from Scouters and parents involved in the programs. Unfortunately, along with the good stuff, will come some more tightning of policies and procedures.....and those will be announced soon, I'm hoping too. I've been *holding onto* a lot of this stuff, and others here have already released some of it on other forums....and I'm still finding out more new stuff and changes to old stuff even over this past weekend....so... That's all *I* know of, Neil. Like all BSA policies and changes, official word will come from BSA national publications, along with mailings sent to your local Council Executive from National; supplemented by additional mailings and releases to local Councils. I hope that this helps..... Settummanque! (c) 1997 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") (502) 827-9201 (settummanque, the blackeagle) http://dynasty.net/users/blkeagle 241 Fairview Dr., Henderson, KY 42420-4339 blkeagle@dynasty.net kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@hq.21taacom.army.mil ---- FORWARD in service to youth ----