19 September 2009
Clarifying President Obama’s Policy Regarding Boy Scouts of America
Posted by admin under: recognition .
Is he in favor of Scouting? At least one person didn’t think so over at the BSA’s Innovation Engine, but comments from some other professionals clarified the situation.
This is more of a question then innovation. Several of my volunteers has asked why the Eagle Certificates has GW Bush as the Honorary President and not President Obamaa’ signature. Is there an answer that I can give them? According to my Eagle Board Chair, President Obama also has not sent out any congratulatory letters when asked, and my chair wants to know why.
So others weighed in
brian.russ 27 days ago
I spoke to some of my new Eagle Scout parents today and they reported that they DID receive congratulatory letters from the Obama administration.
Lynette Campbell 22 days ago
I received a telephone call from the White House last week when someone had requested a congratulatory letter for an Eagle Scout and I was told that President Obama’s staff does not not send out a congratulatory letter unless the Eagle COURT OF HONOR date is included in the request. I let them know that the date a Scout becomes an Eagle Scout is the date of the Eagle BOARD OF REVIEW and they are still an Eagle Scout whether they have a Court of Honor or not (many leave to go into the armed services, etc., before they can have a Court of Honor, etc.) but I was informed by the White House staff that “things are different now”…yes, they are.
Karl Shelton 15 days ago
My son received a congratulatory letter from Obama. It arrived one week in advance of his Court of Honor.
The difference appears to be the presence of a Court of Honor date. This is important to know in case you want to get a White House certificate for your son or a boy in your troop.
Update: Yep, that’s it. Got a letter from President Obama for my son’s Eagle court. Had to specify the date in our request, but it came through. You can see it in my more recent post showing the actual letter/post card. Click here.
Update: National office says current certificates do have the President’s signature on it. They kindly dropped a note on my article on my son’s certificate here.
Update: New e-mail making the rounds. See below
To: Scout Executive;area directors;National E-mail;NDC;Boys Life New York;Philmont Email Group;Florida Sea Base;Northern Tier
From: Jim Wilson
________________________________________
BSA Must Read: President Obama-Eagle Scout Certificates
There appears to be some confusion as to President Barack Obama’s relationship with Scouting. To ensure that each of you has factual information if this issue comes up, please review the following statements that will assist you with questions.
1. President Obama is the honorary president of the Boy Scouts of America. He accepted this honor soon after his inauguration last year and we appreciate his desire to serve in that position.
2. President Obama’s signature is on the Eagle Scout pocket card and Eagle Scout wall certificate. As with any change in the administration at the White House, there is lag time between when the new president takes office and the processing and licensing of his electronic signature for our documents.
3. The President of the United States signature has never appeared on any of the lifesaving awards.
4. Although he was unable to attend the 100th Anniversary Gala in Washington, D.C., in February, he did send a very nice letter to congratulate the BSA on its centennial. That letter can be viewed at http://ww2.scouting.org/100years/100years/sitefiles/1000/Celebrating100Years/Presidential_Letter.pdf
The Boy Scouts of America has always respected the office of President of the United States and will, as always, respect the holder of the office.
Jim Wilson, Director, Communication Services, 972-580-2010
- My Son’s Eagle Scout Certificate
- Yes, The President Does Send Eagle Letters
- Closeout on 2008 Eagle Application
- BSA & Cubs: Life Is A Picnic
- Our Eagle Scout President
26 Comments so far...
New York OA Trader | Shared Items From Around The Web – September 20, 2009 Says:
20 September 2009 at 9:06 am.
[...] Clarifying President Obama’s Policy Regard Boy Scouts of America [...]
Kitsap Scouter Says:
5 October 2009 at 7:57 pm.
They use up the stock they have before moving on. My son was ecstatic that his came from GWB even though it was 2009. Scouts will likely get BHO ones in 2013, even after he leaves office.
Settummanque (Mike Walton) Says:
7 October 2009 at 10:04 am.
Here’s the information about the Eagle Scout certificates:
The question/concern was: “This is more of a question then innovation. Several of my volunteers has asked why the Eagle Certificates has GW Bush as the Honorary President and not President Obamaa’ signature. Is there an answer that I can give them?”
It’s a printing issue more than anything else. The White House has to authorize the usage of the President’s signature on various BSA certificates. As of today (7 October 09), the printing has not been approved.
As with the issue with those not wanting an Eagle Scout certificate with the signature of former President Clinton while he was in office, Eagle Scouts can receive a certificate WITHOUT the signature of the Honorary President of the BSA (the President of the USA) on the certificate by request from the BSA’s Eagle Scout Service.
I personally don’t know why the disconnect between the White House Office of Public Communication (the office which handles, for instance, the Eagle Scout and Gold Award letters of commendation) and the BSA… I had thought that after the Presidents’ acceptance of serving as the Honorary President of the BSA that everything has been smoothed out and like in prior years, the neccessary approvals have been made for the certificates and other items. I guess things are “different” with this administration…or the fact that they are STILL working short-handed in many offices and those offices whereby the folks are not short-handed, they just don’t “get it” and understand the importance of a “little thing” like insuring that national organizations like the BSA has the proper stuff…
Settummanque!
scoutmom&wife Says:
21 January 2010 at 12:34 am.
So,if I’m sending a recognition letter request, and I the family hasn’t set a date, should I use the board of review date? I have sent 3 request letters over the past 6 months, and not recieved one letter. None of the other admins required the daye. How ridiculous.
Scout Mom Says:
2 February 2010 at 1:52 pm.
Our Troop has sent serveral letters to the current President with all the correct information and we have NOT received anything!
President Obama Sends Boy Scouts Eagle Rank Congratulations | BoyandGirlScouts.com - News, Opinion, Advice Says:
26 March 2010 at 6:04 pm.
[...] There was some question a while back about whether or not President Obama was going to support the Boy Scouts of America in the same way his predecessors had, with a letter of congratulations for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. Since my son had his Eagle court of honor last weekend I finally have some background on this. We had sent requests for letters about 3 months ago as well as a request through my Congressman’s office for a flag flown over the national capitol. The request to Chuck Norris came back as a wrong address. Or maybe I should say the mail was too scared to go to his house. The letter to the Army got routed to the wrong location (insert your favorite military intelligence joke here) and ended up coming back after the court of honor and written out to me. Heh. I never even did a project and now I’ve got government proof I’m an Eagle Scout. [...]
Settummanque, the blackeagle (Mike Walton) Says:
13 April 2010 at 8:49 am.
Jim:
Thank you for posting the information from the All Hands communication concerning this issue. My email box has been lit up since last fall from families wanting the Honorary President’s signature on their certificates and cards and all I could tell them is the same information I posted here back in October. We had this issue come up before, when Gerald Ford became President — much of the certificates and cards still carried President Nixon’s signature. It was corrected about four months into the new President’s tenure, and those who earned Eagle during the transition period were told THROUGH THEIR LOCAL COUNCILS that if they would like to have credentials with the current Honorary National President, to simply request them and the local Council would be able to produce those items for the Eagle Scout.
Again Jim. THANK YOU for validating what I posted back in the fall. I appreciate your friendship and your sharing of Scouting information with us!!
Settummanque!
Venture Leader in Virginia Says:
13 May 2010 at 10:52 pm.
I am confused. We recently had two Eagle Courts of Honor with the Board of Review Date of November 2009. No Obama signitures on anything in the Eagle packets.
JohnnyM2 Says:
21 May 2010 at 10:44 pm.
My son will soon have his Eagle Scout Board of Review and expressly asked me to find out if he can get the congratulatory letter and card signed by President GW Bush. He doesn’t want anything with Obama’s signature. Is that possible?
GeorgeLen Says:
23 May 2010 at 9:01 pm.
Whether Obama signs the Certificates or not, he is no friend to scouting. People need to wake up.
Ethan Lane Says:
13 July 2010 at 8:47 pm.
As an Eagle Scout from the early 90’s (and a Republican) I am appalled at some of the comments posted here. “My son…doesn’t want anything with Obama’s signature.” It appears the respect that was taught during my years in scouting is no more. What a shame. I truly never thought I’d see the day that a scout preparing for his Eagle Court of Honor would demonstrate such a lack of regard for the President of the United States, whatever his party affiliation. For the first time, I am embarrassed by my association with BSA…
Kris Says:
21 July 2010 at 6:58 pm.
As a proud Eagle Scout, I have to say you people writing on here just don’t get it. It is disgraceful that an Eagle Scout would not want his President’s signature on his certificate. Without regard to whether you politically support the President or not, he was elected by a democratic process we (Eagle Scouts and all scouts) hold sacred. If you do not respect the office and the process you simply should not hold the rank of Eagle. It seems we as a society are confused from 2001-2009 it was not patriotic if you did not support the president from 2009-now its not patriotic if you support the president. Let me tell you its always patriotic to support your president and never patriotic not to. You can disagree with policy all you want thats part of the process but the office demands your respect!
SkyScout Says:
25 July 2010 at 7:50 pm.
While I do not agree with many of Obama’s policies either, he was voted into office by a popular majority of voters. As a Scout, I was taught how to rise above pettiness and do the honorable thing. As an Eagle in 1971, I did not agree with many things President Nixon did, but his autograph was on my Eagle Certificates, and it remains proudly displayed in my home. To new Eagles uneasy about Obama’s signature: always do right by God and your country, and rise above politics. The American people and history will make the decision on the President. However, he is your President, and the Honorary President of the BSA. Do not let politics sully your achievement, which will last longer than any President’s term.
kip Says:
28 July 2010 at 8:47 am.
odumba has no patritism at all in his african blood.
James Says:
2 August 2010 at 2:03 am.
Kip, I hope you are not a scout because that comment goes against everything scouting ever taught me. To start with it violates the fifth and sixth parts of the scout law, a scout is CURTIOUS and KIND.
As an eagle scout who was awarded my rank in 1993 I not only got letters from the incomming president Bill Clinton but also from the outgoing president George H.W. Bush and his vice president. Did I agree with all of either of those president’s policies or stances, no, but it did not matter. They were both president’s of the united states and as such deserved my respect.
It is very easy to sit on the outside and comment from the peanut gallery, but I have always felt one of the most important premises of scouting is that of respect, and whether you agree with a president of the united states or not he deserves just that.
On my honour, I will do my best, to do my duty to god and my country, to obey the scout law, to help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentaly awake, and morally straight. Every scout swears it, and I for one intend to live it until the day I die. Do you?
Ethan Lane Says:
2 August 2010 at 12:20 pm.
Nice to see some of my Eagle brethren feel the same way I do about this and can rise above partisan BS.
Bill Stewart Says:
2 August 2010 at 3:16 pm.
I’m not an Eagle Scout, but, I am a Vigil Honor Member of the Order of the Arrow. I agree with those who believe that the President of the United States deserves our respect. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with the person in office or not. That person IS the duly elected President of the United States and as such deserves the respect that is earned by that election. The President, as all Presidents have, will be judged by the passage of time.
Girl Scout Leader Says:
3 August 2010 at 4:39 pm.
As a former Girl Scout leader, for over 15 years, I am absolutely ashamed of the comments on this forum, disparaging the office of the president, in this case President Obama. The rudeness and unkindness and the total lack of respect speak poorly for any Scout, Eagle Scout, or parent of a Scout. Were I to think those people are representative of the Boy Scouts of American I certainly wouldn’t want to have a son or grandson of mine have any association with them – ever!
Each person should make it their own responsibility to check out the facts, instead of believing and repeating lies, regarding this matter.
Start here. http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/eaglescouts.asp
ScoutLeaderNC Says:
5 August 2010 at 11:09 am.
As a leader I have trouble reconciling the fact that this President did NOT accept honorary presidency in the BSA when asked. He turned it down. THEN after a while accepted. Then he could not attend the 100th anniversary down the street from the White House. Too busy I guess. But he, like the world, knew about the Jamboree well in advance. What kind of man passes up the 100th anniversary of a group that has helped as estimated 100 million children become men over the years? That has 4.5 million current scouts and leaders? That helps foster unity WORLDWIDE? He had to go on a TV Show that airs daily, and joke about pop culture with people most of whom despise the BSA. The whole situation with requiring a date, obfuscation, underhanded dealings, printing undone, all of it smacks of repudiation. The BSA should drop him as the honorary President since he has no time at all to devote to this very large voting block. 1.5 million families and their friends and relatives know exactly where this man stands. He may be the President but he is NO friend of scouting or its ideals. He is a communist by everything he does, an atheist and dangerous to young minds in the opinion of many.
Dr Ed Says:
5 August 2010 at 11:27 am.
I do not like the peoples choice of our current President. I do, however, love and honor the comments and teachings of the true Scouts who have posted here. Regardless of the detractors, Scouts are on the right track. We may once again be able to put an Eagle Scout in the White House. We jsut need a good one to run.
If memory serves we have had a few. Was Gerald Ford and Eagle Scout?
yourpalsTeve Says:
5 August 2010 at 2:15 pm.
I thought our president was a brilliant Ivy League scholar.
President of The Harvard Law Review. They
say he’s The Smartest Man in Any Room
he’s in — why do we have to always apologize for him?
D Says:
14 August 2010 at 10:18 pm.
My son received his Eagle Scout certificate and it does NOT have the signature of Pres Obama. In fact the line that the Pres of the US signed on past certificates in no longer present. The only signature is the Pres of Scouting. We have not received any congratulation letter from the Obamas and we did include the Court of Honor date 8/19, but we did receive letters from George W Bush and George and Barbara Bush along with many others.
Evelyn Bush Says:
25 August 2010 at 5:36 pm.
The answers that I read seperates the eagels from the jay birds.The president of the United States is to be respected, regardless of political party. I am not of his party, but I’m an American
Lisa Says:
1 February 2011 at 5:02 pm.
To my knowledge, the BSA remains comfortable ignoring the civil rights (religious and sexual preference) of some who want to be in the club. If I were president, I’d respond to that.
Robert Cubbage Says:
9 February 2011 at 1:46 pm.
Respect. As a retired (medically) member of our countries military (and a disabled veteran) and an Eagle Scout myself (20 Nov. 1968), a former Boy Scout volunteer, and a former member of my Scout District Eagle Board Of Review – I must agree that every American should hold the Office Of The President Of The United States with respect – no matter what the President’s party affiliation is. But each of us should remember that there is a difference between respect and personal opinion. To deny any individual their right to self expression and personal opinion is to deny the individual of their right of “Freedom Of Speech.”
It should be remembered that respect for an individual is a two way street – it must be earned before given. One can still have and show respect for the office, but have no respect for the individual. In the case of President Obama, he has, in the past shown and still displays little regard or respect, both verbally and through his actions, for Eagle Scout’s and the Boy Scouts Of America.
I cannot and will not fault any Eagle Scout, Scout, or adult for exercising the right to freedom of speech here, or in any forum.
Gene Says:
5 March 2011 at 8:59 pm.
We requested a letter of congratulations from both the President and the Vice President. We received a nice letter from the VP but only got a glorified post card from the President. We got a letter and a certificate from our State Rep. My son was very disappointed in what the president had sent.
