Dear Life Scouts of Troop 515, and their parents;

Due to recent changes in Eagle Board of Review proceedures, and Eagle merit badges requirements the Troop Committee of 515 feels it is necessary to communicate this information directly to you. With the advancement to Life Scout, your son, is now ready to begin thinking of what he would like to do for an Eagle project. On average he has earned all or most of the required merit badges (RMB) he needs.

Our program is set up to offer the correct balance of courses so he can move through the ranks according to BSA policy. This is very important because the dates of all eagle RMB are now being checked by the office in Tampa and he must have a certain number while he is holding the rank of First Class, Star, and Life. Some of the merit badges take up to ninety days to complete the requirements and must be scheduled ahead because the instructor must come from a list that has been pre-approved by the Tampa office. If your son leaves the troop for a period of time he risks not getting the correct mix of RMB.

Our program is set up to offer all RMB every 2.5 years. This allows the scout to be involved in other programs without forcing him to make a final decision each time a RMB is scheduled. If your son should miss a RMB he has time to make it up under normal conditions. Another requirement other than the merit badges is participation in the scouting program which translates into involvement in troop fund raisers, camping trips, Eagle projects and other troop activities. We realize that there are many things that your son is involved in but we still must insist that he be present for a certain percent of scout events.

Your son is also required to hold a position of responsibility within the troop for each rank advancement. The scouts are told of the attendance and performance requirement for all positions prior to each troop election. He must perform the duties and meet the criteria that goes with each position. If he does not attend enough troop meetings, camping trips, or fails to adequately perform the tasks that his position demands he will have to run again for a troop position. These requirements also hold true for advancement to Eagle Scout.

We keep track of attendance and participation and these records are reviewed by two adults along with your son at the troop board of review. As you can imagine this takes a lot of effort on the part of the adults to make sure that all records are correct. In order to offer a solid program that will benefit your son we must ask that he in turn also gives a lot of effort. The fact that only 2 percent of those in the scouting program actually complete the trail to Eagle shows the amount of dedication required. It takes commitment, drive, discipline and a willingness to follow the trail and do what it takes to achieve the goals that one has set. What sets an Eagle Scout apart from all other scouts is that he put the time and effort into the program when it was required of him. We are not asking your son to make scouting his only priority, but we cannot allow him to realistically think of himself as an Eagle Scout just because he feels that he deserves it because he showed up from time to time. All of the items mentioned in this letter can be found in your sons BSA handbook.

In closing I would like to point out that this letter is not directed at any one scout, but has been prompted by several changes in the RMB program of the Boy Scouts of America. We want both the scout and his parents to understand what it takes to be an Eagle Scout. We are proud of the way Troop 515 is perceived by the local council and want to keep our standards high. We strive to give your son a comprehensive and well-rounded program that will make him a better person, citizen, and human being.

Sincerely,

The Scoutmaster