New Scout how to !!
T840 Advancement consists of a team of adult leaders who "track" Scouts' and adults' training, advancement, and awards. Usually T840 Advancement meets during Troop meetings in the room closest to the pool table.
In addition, T840 Advancment works with the T840 Scribes to record attendance and dues collection at T840 Troop meetings. They do this via the Patrol "notebooks" that are out on the "coffee bar" before each meeting. To be successful in recording attendance and payment of dues, each Scout should:
- Get to each Troop meeting a few minutes early.
- Record their attendance in their Patrol's notebook
- Record whether they were wearing the correct and complete Scout uniform, including neckerchief/slide and socks.
- Pay their weekly dues ($1/week, whether you attend a Troop meeting or not) and record that payment.
For Scouts, using T840 Advancement is straightforward:
- When you have completed any rank requirement, take your signed/dated Boy Scout Handbook to Advancement at the beginning of the Troop meeting so they can record your achievement(s) in TroopMaster (the software we use to manage this information).
- When you have completed all requirements for your next rank, first make sure your dues payment is current, THEN take your Boy Scout Handbook to Advancement and request a Scoutmaster Conference. This might be with an Assistant Scoutmaster. Do NOT expect to get a Scoutmaster conference IF your dues are NOT current! Note: The requirement to "Demonstrate Scout Spirit ...." will be discussed during (NOT before) your Scoutmaster Conference, which is where this requirement is signed off.
- When you have successfullly completed your Scoutmaster Conference, take your signed/dated Boy Scout Handbook to Advancement and request a Board of Reivew. Advancement will give you an information sheet which validates that you are current in payment of your dues and will arrange a Board of Review, which will be conducted by three (3) T840 Committee Members (NOT Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster). Your Board of Review team will sign/initial/date your information sheet as well as your Boy Scout Handbook.
- When you have successfully completed your Board of Review, take your signed information sheet and Boy Scout Handbook to Advancement so they can record your success. They will give you a "pin" to indicate your new rank, which you may wear until you get the official rank patch at the next Court of Honor.
- When you wish to take a Merit Badge (MB), get a MB "blue card" from Advancement, fill it out as much as you can, and get the Scoutmaster (SM, for Eagle-required MBs) or an Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM, for non-Eagle-required MBs) to sign it. The Scoutmaster or A
- When you have completed part(s) of your MB, your MB counselor will mark it off and intial it. When the MB is completed, the MB counselor will sign it.
- When the MB is complete, have the SM or ASM, respectively, sign it as completed.
- Then take your MB blue card to Advancement, where they will record your MB completion. You will be awarded this MB at the next Court of Honor.
- Any time you take ANY BSA training, you will be given a completion certificate. Take a copy of that certificate to Advancement so they can record your training completion.
- Any time you want/need to know about your progress, you may look up your progress on the T840 web site. You may also request a more detailed listing from Advancement if necessary.
- To look up your progress, click on My Profile after you login; then click on your rank. Note that IF you are not yet a Scout, you will not yet have a rank to click on.
- For Scouts who are First Class or above, to request a report from Advancement, use your T840-registered Scout (not parent) email to send a request to report@troop840.org and request either a progress report or a history report. If you use a non-registered email, your request will not be received and you will get notification of this fact.
Scouts, remember — this is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY — Advancement will not do YOUR job for you! And ... any time you give Advancement your Boy Scout Handbook, it is YOUR JOB to get it back at the end of the Troop meeting!
For adult leaders, using T840 Advancement is even easier:
- Any time you take ANY BSA training, you will be given a completion certificate. Take a copy of that certificate to Advancement so they can record your training completion. Note that this includes online training, classroom training, and outdoor training.
Questions? Ask — we will find an answer for you!
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