Recently the National Director for Boy Scout Advancement, BSA reviewed our council policy concerning "Letters of Recommendation" for the rank of Eagle Scout. As a result of that review, some changes are being made to council policy concerning "Letters of Recommendation". They are outlined below. The changes take effect immediately and Eagle Applications will be processed according to these changes effective February 14, 2002. Please advise all current and future Eagle candidates of these changes.
Letters must be written by reference directly to the Council Eagle Service Desk as outlined in the Occoneechee Council' Adult Scouters Guide to the Life-to-Eagle Trail. The council! office must destroy the "Letters of Reference'' after the Eagle Board of Review (BOR) and any appeals are completed.
The people listed as references under Requirement 2 of the Eagle Scout Rank Application must be the people writing the "Letters of Reference".
Scouts may not use any of the following people for references: i
a - His scoutmaster
b - His assistant scoutmaster(s)
c - His immediate family, including grandfather/mother, aunt, uncle
d - Youth under the age of 21
Religious Reference: A scout must have a belief in God (Supreme Being) or he cannot be a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Beyond mere membership, each scout pledges to live by the Scout Oath (... do my duty to God...) and Scout Law (A Scout is... reverent). An Eagle candidate should demonstrate the same excellence in this area as he would in merit badges or leadership positions in the troop. The scout must do one of the following:
A- If the scout is a member of an organized religious institution, he must list a religious reference who knows of the candidate's fulfillment of his duty to God, and the reference must provide a letter on the candidate's behalf.
B- If the scout is not a member of an organized religious institution, his mom or dad must write a letter to the attention of the "Eagle Board of Review" stating that the family has no church affiliation at this time and outlining the reasons why. The letter should state whether or not the scout has a belief in God, and how he fulfills his Duty to God in his daily life.
Letters of Reference from people other than those listed on the Eagle Application are welcome and will be submitted to the Board of Review for its use. However, letters from the unnamed persons) will not count towards the minimum three required letters needed to process the Eagle Application.
Eagle Scout Requirement 2 states: Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf. If a scout is of Eagle quality, and if he lives the Scout Oath and Law in all aspects of his life, he should have no problem with this requirement.
Occoneechee Council Advancement Committee
Jim Gray
If the applicant is a a member
of an established church, he needs THREE letters of recommendation,
including one from his religious
reference.
If the applicant is not a member
of an established church, he needs FOUR letters, three letters of
recommendation and one from his
parents explaining his religious stance.