New Award “knots” representing Old Awards (3 Jun 14)

Pat wrote and asked over on the BSA’s SCOUTING magazine blog:

 

“I have a question I have not seen an answer to anywhere. I earned the Webelos Den Leader, Cub Scouter, Cubmaster, and Scoutmaster Award of Merit when they were all separate awards (and knots). I know I can wear them as long as they hold up and/or I can find a replacement.”

 

That is correct.

 

“My question is: Is it proper to substitute the new Cub Scout Den Leader and Unit Leader Award of Merit (with program devices) for those superseded awards?

 

The short answer is “No.”

 

The longer answer is “No, you cannot substitute them because you did not EARN the new awards. The Unit Leader Award of Merit requires you to do things which you did not perform or complete as part of the previous Cubmaster (Training) Award or the Scoutmaster Award of Merit. Likewise, while you may have the tenure part of the new Cub Scout Den Leader Award down, there is different performance and training standards which you must meet in order to earn the new training award.

 

I am sure that your question was answered over on the BSA’s Training Times webpage a couple of times since the new awards were introduced. I’ll add it to the Badge and Uniform Site this evening so that others can find it. I am also capturing the question for submission as part of the next Insignia and Uniform Guide. Thanks for asking, Pat!!!