Advancement

Advancement Update

20 December 2011

Advancement is a critical part of your unit’s Journey to Excellence.  Without it, your youth members are not getting the full benefit of the Scouting experience.  And don’t forget that “instant recognition” is so very important.  Boys, especially Cub Scouts, need to get their badges soon after they earn them—no later than next month’s Pack meeting.  If they have to wait several months to be recognized, they badges have much less importance for them.  That’s why monthly Advancement Reports are so important—because young boys have short attention spans.

Advancement Reports:  National policy (page 14 of the new Guide to Advancement) states that “All badges of rank, merit badges, Eagle Palms, and Venturing awards are restricted items. Unit leadership may not purchase these insignia for presentation without having filed an advancement report with the local council.” All ranks as counted in the Journey to Excellence plus Sea Scout ranks, Venturing awards, merit badges, Webelos activity badges, and Cub Scout belt loops should be reported on the advancement form or through Internet Advancement.  Please remember that you need a completed Advancement Report in order to purchase advancement items in the National Scout Shop. 

Internet Advancement:  The best way to be sure all your advancement is properly recorded (and your unit gets the appropriate recognition in Journey to Excellence) is to use Internet Advancement.  Note that you will need an access code which is found inside the folder with your rechartering password.  You will need to keep that folder for future reference.

Heroism and Meritorious Service Awards:  Nominations for these awards should be forwarded directly to the Council Advancement Committee for action.  Your District Executive can help you with the delivery.  Nominations sent to any other committee, including the National B.S.A. office, will be delayed in getting final approval.

New Eagle Workbook:  Remember that, starting January 1, all Scouts starting work on their Eagle Scout Service Projects must use the revised workbook available at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/resources.aspx.

As always, please contact your District Advancement Chair for help with any advancement matter.

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What is Advancement?

Advancement is the process by which youth members of the Boy Scouts of America progress from rank to rank in the Scouting program. Advancement is simply a means to an end, not an end in itself. Everything done to advance and earn these ranks, from joining until leaving the program, should be designed to help the young person have an exciting and meaningful experience.

Education and fun are functions of the Scouting movement, and they must be the basis of the advancement program. A fundamental purpose of advancement is the self-confidence a young man acquires from his participation in a troop.

Requirements serve as the basis for a Scout's rank advancement. The four steps to advancement are learning, testing, reviewing, and recognition.

A fundamental principle of advancement in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Varsity Scouting, and Venturing is the growth a young person achieves as a result of his/her participation in unit program.

One of the major avenues of achievement in Scouting is advancing from rank to rank. To advance, a youth member fulfills specific requirements, usually including active participation, skill achievement, service to others, and leadership experience.

Advancement Principles

Council and district advancement committees implement procedures that help achieve the following advancement principles:

Personal growth is the prime consideration in the advancement program.  Scouting skills—what a young person knows how to do—are important, but they are not the most important aspect of advancement. Scouting's concern is the total growth of youth. This growth may be measured by how youth live the Scouting ideals, and how they do their part in their daily lives.

Learning by doing. A Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or Venturer may read about fire building or good citizenship. He/she may hear it discussed, and watch others in action, but he/she has not learned first aid until he/she has done it.

Each youth progresses at his or her own rate. Advancement is not a competition among individual young people, but is an expression of their interest and participation in the program. Youth must be encouraged to advance steadily and set their own goals with guidance from their parents, guardians, or leaders.

A badge is recognition of what a young person is able to do, not merely a reward for what he or she has done. The badge is proof of certain abilities, and is not just a reward for the completion of a task.

Advancement encourages Scouting ideals. Scouting teaches a young person how to care for himself/herself and help others. Advancement should reflect the desire to live the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or Venturing Oath in his/her daily life.