About Me

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I have been a Cub Scout Den Leader since 9/04, Cubmaster since 2/07. I have also been a Boy Scout Troop Committee Member and Merit Badge Counselor since 2/08, changing to an Assistant Scoutmaster in June of 2011. Since spring of 2010, I have also been the Lighthouse District Cub Scout Program director, in charge of planning district-wide events. I have three boys -- Peter is a First Class Boy Scout, Nathan is a Tenderfoot, and Nick is working toward the Webelos rank. If you like this blog, please be nice and click a link.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Advancing in rank... and choosing not to advance

Nathan completed his Scoutmaster conference and board of review for Second Class, so he has advanced in rank from Tenderfoot. He has also completed all of the requirements for First Class, but he decided to hold off on those reviews for one simple reason -- he wants a chance to actually wear his Second Class badge.

Upon reaching the Scout rank (which is mostly a formality after joining), Scouts are allowed to work on Tenderfoot, Second Class, and first Class requirements simultaneously. These ranks all consist of "Scouting skills", so they do not have to be learned and signed off in any particular order. However, the ranks still have to be earned in order. So, even though Nathan completed all of the requirements for First Class before he finished Second Class, he could not receive that rank until Second Class was completed. This opens up the possibility of a Scout earning two of those ranks or even all three ranks simultaneously.

He will go for his reviews next week so that he can reach First Class, but for this week, even if it's mostly symbolic, he is Second Class. And I couldn't be prouder.