Advancement

Some would argue that advancement should be a required item for the National Quality Unit Award. I would argue otherwise. The primary reason for this is that advancement is supposed to be something that happens naturally as a part of the troop program. That does not mean the program should be consumed with advancement, but that advancement takes place because the program provided an opportunity. If your Scouts are advancing, it's should be because the program is working properly, not because the troop's focus is on advancement.

The standard presented in the NQUA is not a bad standard, and taken with the rest of the criteria for the award, advancement is in the right place. Making it a required item would shift the focus of advancement from the result of a quality program, to the purpose of the program. Too many people have that belief as it is.

Baden-Powell believed that advancement should be done on an individual basis; that the Scout would pass his tests when he was ready to pass them; that Patrol Leaders and Scoutmasters would teach him the skills not as a part of the program, but because those skills were needed for the program. For him, it all boiled down to one question: "Do we go camping because it's required, or because it's fun to do?" The answer to that question should be because it's fun to go camping.

Your goal for advancement as a quality unit should be to develop a quality program that provides opportunities for advancement. Variety and excitement are the key. You can say this months meetings are devoted to Camping merit badge, but meeting programs should not revolve around the requirements. Each Scout should be able to pass the requirements as a result of participating in troop meetings and campouts.