Board of Review BOR

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Board of Review (BOR)

• BSC 205

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Learning Objectives

• At the end of this lesson, participants will be
  able to
• State the purpose of the board of review and how
  it is used to further the Boy Scout program
• Plan a board of review with an eye to the
  individual Scout
• Conduct a board of review

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Purpose of Board of Review

• Tracks the progress of a Scout
• Determines Scouts understanding of the ideals of
  Scouting and how he applies them in daily life in
  the troop
• Board satisfies itself that the Scout has done
  what he was supposed to do for that rank
• Review with the Scout the requirements for the
  next rank
• Also a way of reviewing the troop's progress

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Types of Boards of Review

• Most common type of BOR is for advancement
• Other reasons to have a BOR
• Scout's lack of advancement
• Perceived trouble in the troop
• Certain event at the last campout or troop
  meeting
• BOR training Outline on how often

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Board of Review Characteristics

• What a BOR is/does
• An informal, friendly growth experience
• Asks about how requirements were done
• Checks requirements were done to a common
  standard
• Lasts approximately 15 minutes long, except for
  Eagle, which should be approximately 30 minutes
  long
• Determines the Scouts attitude and acceptance of
  Scoutings ideals, both in the troop and outside
  of it
• Checks on health of the troop
• Reviews with Scout the requirements for the next
  rank

• What a BOR is not
• An interrogation
• A retesting of a Scout's competence
• An examination
• A marathon session

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Who Conducts the Board of Review? Tenderfoot
through Life, Eagle Palms

• Who Does
• At least 3, not more than 6 members
• Troop Committee Members
• One member serves as chair

• Who Does Not
• Unit Leader or Assistant Unit Leaders
• Relatives of Scout
• Parent or Guardian of Scout

Scoutmaster and Assistants for Boy Scout Troops
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Who Conducts the Board of Review? Eagle

• Who Does
• Council decides if Eagle BOR is at Unit,
  District, or Council level
• Minimum 3, Maximum 6 members, 21 or older
• Do not have to be registered in Scouting but must
  understand importance and purpose of Eagle BOR
• At least one member from District our Council
  when conducted at unit level

• Who Does Not
• Unit Leader or Assistant Unit Leaders
• Relatives of Scout
• Parent or Guardian of Scout

Scoutmaster and Assistants for Boy Scout Troops
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When and Where to Hold a Board of Review

• When
• Consider Monthly
• Possibly at the same time as a troop meeting
• BSA training guide suggest Ideally, a Scout
  should sit for a board of review every six
  months, whether he is advancing or not
• Where
• Where board members and Scout are only ones aware
  of what is going on
• Where there is no possibility of embarrassing
  Scout in front of others
• Room in chartered organization's facility
• Conference room at office of a board member
• A campout or summer camp

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When to Hold a Board of ReviewSpecial Note for
Scouts 18 and Older

• Scouts who have completed all requirements for a
  rank prior to their 18th birthday should submit
  their application and be reviewed and recognized
  within three months after that date.
• Boards of review conducted between three and six
  months after the candidate's 18th birthday must
  be pre-approved by the local council. A statement
  by an adult explaining the reason for the delay
  must be attached to the Eagle Scout Rank
  Application when it is submitted to the Eagle
  Scout Service.
• If an Eagle Scout board of review will be held
  after the six months following the candidate's
  18th birthday, the Eagle Scout must petition the
  National Boy Scout Committee for an extension of
  time to hold the board of review. The petition
  must be processed through the local council,
  detailing the extenuating circumstances that
  prevented the board of review from being held
  within the six-month period following the
  candidate's 18th period, and be accompanied with
  a copy of the Eagle Scout Rank Application
• Source Advancement Committee Guide, Policies and
  Procedures, version 33088E, 2004 printing

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Mechanics of a Board of Review

• Scout neat in appearance, uniform correct as
  possible
• Introductions
• BoR Chair can ask the Scout to come to attention,
  and recite one or more of the following The
  Scout Law, The Scout Oath, The Scout Motto, The
  Scout Slogan but discussion of the Scout Oath
  and Scout Law is in keeping with the purpose of
  the review
• BoR membership is invited to ask Scout open ended
  questions
• Deliberation
• Scout leaves the room
• Have a (short) discussion that leads to a
  unanimous decision
• End a board of review by praising the Scout for
  the positive aspects of his character, skill
  level, and/or accomplishments
• Present badge of rank as soon as practical after
  the advancement report is submitted to council
• Scout holds his new rank as of the date of the
  board of review
• quotes from Advancement Committee Guide

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Sample BOR QuestionsTenderfoot through First
Class

• Who is your patrol leader?
• What do you think of the problems he is facing?
• How are you doing in your first aid skills?
• What are your goals for the next few months how
  do they meet advancement requirements?
• What do you think would make the troop better?
• How do you fulfill your duty to country? To God?
• Source Supplemental Training Guide Troop BORs,
  18-625
• Note Many more questions in class handout

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Sample BOR QuestionsStar and Life

• What merit badges did you enjoy, and why?
• What merit badges did you get the most out of,
  and why?
• How did you fulfill your Swimming (or other merit
  badge) requirements?
• How did you feel about your leadership position?
• How did you feel about how you exercised that
  position?
• Did you feel that you accomplished anything in
  that position?
• What were your frustrations?
• Who do you think is doing a good job in the
  troop?
• Have you thought about achieving Eagle?
• Have you thought about a service project for
  Eagle?
• How do you fulfill your duty to God? To country?
• Source Supplemental Training Guide Troop BORs,
  18-625
• Note Many more questions in class handout

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Sample BOR QuestionsEagle

• How did you feel your Eagle project went?
• Did you run into any rough spots?
• Did you plan enough to get you over the rough
  spots?
• How did you work with the agency for which you
  did the project?
• Where they clear in their goals?
• Would you do the project differently now?
• How do you think the troop is doing?
• How do you intend to help the troop now?
• Do you have any goals for the troop?
• What are your goals for yourself?
• How to do fulfill your duty to country? To God?
• Source Supplemental Training Guide Troop BORs,
  18-625
• Note Many more questions in class handout

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Sample BOR QuestionsEagle Palm

• How do you plan on contributing to the troop now?
  
• What are your goals for the troop?
• What are your personal goals?
• Will your Scouting experience help you?
• How do you fulfill your duty to country? To God?
• Source Supplemental Training Guide Troop BORs,
  18-625
• Note Many more questions in class handout

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Issues for Boards of Review

• Current completion of T/S/F requirements is
  concurrent.
• Though no concurrent boards are to be held for
  T/S/F, the boards can be held on the same day.
• How does the Board measure the Scouts progress
  between the ranks of T/S/F if all three boards
  held on the same day? (Cant hold backor
  stalla scout if he is progressing)
• Substituting rank requirements (disabilities)
• What is Scout Spirit? Is it an automatic given?
• A Scout is to serve actively in positions of
  leadership. How does the Board determine whether
  the position(s) were carried out (as explained in
  the Junior Leader handbook)?

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Denying Advancement

• Age or gut impression not basis for holding
  back a Scout if he is meeting requirements
• Sole basis of denial rests on the Scouts not
  meeting the requirements
• Board should certainly give the Scout the
  opportunity of learning what he needs to do to
  advance
• Scout should be given a definite time for a
  subsequent board of review
• Follow-up letter must be sent confirming
  agreement and necessary actions
• Scout should be given appeal procedure nformation
  if he/she disagrees with decision
• BOR training guide states having a Scout
  deferred for advancement by the board of review
  is unusual. If there is a problem with a Scout,
  normally he will not be presented to the board of
  review. Discussion?

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Appealing a Decision

• When can appeals occur?
• Troop leader or troop committee does not
  recommend a Scout for a board of review or fails
  to sign an Eagle rank application
• If a board of review does not find favorably for
  the candidate
• Appeal can be taken by the Scout, his leader, or
  the Scouts parents.
• Appeal Chain is unit district council -
  National Boy Scout Committee
• Committee to whom the appeal is addressed will
  promptly review the facts
• All parties must be interviewed by the committee,
  hopefully without confrontation.
• A written report with all details will be
  prepared by the reviewing committee and forwarded
  to the National Boy Scout Committee.
• Appeals to the National Boy Scout Committee are
  made only through the local council. There is no
  direct appeal.
• In Eagle matters, a copy of the Scouts Eagle
  Scout Rank Application must accompany the
  national appeal.

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Venturing and BORs

• Rank Advancement for Venturers
• Any male Venturer who has achieved the First
  Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity
  Scout in a team may continue advancement toward
  the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks up to his
  18th birthday.
• He must meet the requirements as prescribed in
  the official Boy Scout Handbook and the current
  Boy Scout Requirements book.
• The Venturer may fulfill leadership requirements
  by serving as president, vice president,
  secretary, or treasurer of his crew, or as
  boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, or
  storekeeper for his ship.
• The Scoutmaster conference will be conducted by
  the Advisor or Skipper.
• As the Venturer meets requirements for the Star
  and Life ranks, a board of review will be
  conducted by the crew or ship committee.
• The Eagle board of review should follow the
  procedures established by the local council.
• Reference www.scouting.org

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Non-Advancement BOR

• Reasons to have a board of review may include
• Scout's lack of advancement
• Perceived trouble in the troop
• Certain event at the last campout or troop
  meeting
• Guidance and care should be shown to encourage
  advancement
• Ask the kind of questions that may reveal why
  Scout is not advancing
• If resolving a problem, should be
  non-confrontational

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Resources for more information about the
advancement process? (1 of 2)

• Every aspect of advancement procedures is
  discussed in the Advancement Committee Guide
  Policies and Procedures (No. 33088), which is
  updated and reprinted annually.
• Every troop leader should have a copy of the
  Scoutmaster Handbook (No. 33002). This
  indispensable resource is a Scoutmaster's and
  assistant Scoutmaster's best bet for guiding a
  Boy Scout troop and its patrols
• Committee members should have a copy of the Troop
  Committee Guidebok (No. 34505) which is updated
  periodically
• Supplemental Training module BOR Training
  publication 18-625 http//www.scouting.org/boyscou
  ts/supplemental/18-625/index.html
• Boy Scout Requirements online http//www.scouting.
  org/boyscouts/resources/32215/index.html
• Saddleback District Guide
• http//www.macscouter.com/Scoutmaster/BoR_Guide.as
  p
• Buckskin Council Guide http//www.buckskin.org/Res
  ources/Boy_Scouts/boards_of_review.htm

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Resources for more information about the
advancement process? (2 of 2)

• The Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook (No.
  18-927) is required for completion of the Eagle
  Scout leadership service project. This workbook
  can be downloaded from the Internet
  (http//www.nesa.org/trail/manual.html) in PDF
  format, to be printed and completed by hand, or
  in DOC or RTF format, to be completed on
  computer.
• The Eagle Scout Rank Application (No. 58-728) is
  available online. (http//www.nesa.org/trail/58-72
  8.pdf) The application must be printed and filled
  out by hand it cannot be submitted online.
• The Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Rank
  Merit Badges (No. 58-730) includes the guidelines
  for advancement to Eagle Scout rank for Scouts
  with disabilities. To download this publication
  online, http//www.scouting.org/forms/58-730.pdf.
  
• NESA Trail to Eagle site http//www.nesa.org/trail
  /