FCF Call Out

I understand that things may vary from state to state, but am curious about something. I'm working my current ARs/ER towards getting their required merits completed by Pow Wow so they can get called out for FCF. My question is for DRs. If they've done everything except the Camping Merit, which is an AR merit, can they be called out at Pow Wow while still being a DR? As in, for the boys who'll meet all the criteria of being an AR, 11 years old and have all the merits complete by the time the Frontier Adventure comes around in the fall, or do they have to wait another whole year?

I would say talk to yor District FCF Pres for his view. That said in Iowa, I know the age is firm. I had a 10 year old AR whose 11th birthday was 2 weeks after a trace and we were asked to wait a year.
That tells me the age is the focus. Especially when it's the summer before 6th Grade, Ild count him as an AR anyway

We do our advancements on June 1. We also have some boys who's birthdays are during the summer, so they'd be both 11 and AR's by the time the Frontier Adventure came around. Isn't that the first event for new FCF members?

It all may be a moot point anyway if they don't buckle down and get their merits done...

I wouldn't push the age. Let them be old enough to enjoy the camp. My son waited until he was old enough to be given the honors of the cut n chop and fcf and staying over at pow wow. Sure he knew it all already. I taught it to him but he wasn't given the honor until his age was up.

I think we make mistakes bringing Ranger Kids camping to Pow Wow. 1. The camp isnt' designed for them. 2. they are not up to the task of taking care of themselves they need someone to help them.

Let those boys grow in stature as well. It's important to be up to speed in all ways a boy grows.

Mark Jones

That was probably the reason God led Joseph and Mary to require Jesus to come home with them at age 12. Is it possible this was his first time going to Jerusalem with them? Sensing his place would eventually be there to do the will of the Father? Legally, he would be a "Man" in less a year in their culture. In a lot of things we're in a rush to mature or give our kids "things" to make them happy. Today, we contend with cell phones, tablets, ipods, etc.

I guess in my case I was a very mature 4 yr old when I joined Straight Arrows and went on pow wows.

I think the idea of making things special, and even a little bit exclusive, is a good thing within reason. I don't like "clicks", but don't mind having requirements age and otherwise. I guess I'm trying to clarify WHEN the entry process to FCF actually begins. Is it when they announce, the call out, or when they go to the Frontier Adventure. If the entry into FCF is when they do the call out, then I agree that they should wait another year. If in fact it's just an announcement of their going into FCF and they would meet all the minimum requirements by the time of FA, then I don't see the problem. I would never think of asking for a boy to go to FA before he was 11 and in AR. But I don't think there's anything wrong with boys who want to excel doing things as soon as they can. I think it sets an example and helps other boys see that they can do it too.

As far as age vs maturity goes, I'd put my two older boys who are 10 and 8 up against a lot of kids these days in their teens and even possibly 20s. Our culture is full of immature idiots who refuse to grow up! age is a good average indicator, but not an end all be all.

We can't assume guys in their 50s are better than us in our 30s goes for all age brackets. Part of it is inborn personality, parenting, GIGO from media, friends we allow them to keep, do we spoil them too much, are we consistent and fair with each time, etc.

My pastor did a good men's message today on this topic. He spoke to the ladies too and said when they see a guy they see potential. Potential for all the wrong things. If he needs mama to wake him up for work, can't manage himself, and focuses on gaming all night move on. I think many make that mistake of trying to save or change a man. I say all this as it relates to maturity needed for FCF.

strods wrote:I would say talk to yor District FCF Pres for his view.  That said in Iowa, I know the age is firm. I had a 10 year old AR whose 11th birthday was 2 weeks after a trace and we were asked to wait a year.
That tells me the age is the focus. Especially when it's the summer before 6th Grade, Ild count him as an AR anyway

Same way Camporama is firm on the birthday. If you're not 9 years on the first day of Camporama you're not permitted. Though I have heard of some who have fudged the DOB because they disagree with that rule.

Howdy!

"Call Out" is a basic time when one is called out in a camp or service, signifying he has met all the requirements to go through a FA. It is not meant as a choosing process, or to signify someone for their being a potential FCF member. Our call outs are in the same camp as the FA they will be going through.

Some commanders to not allow their boys to get into FCF until they are 13. But those groups have strong DR and ER aged RR's classes. A move I can understand sometimes.

In Potomac we did "testing" walk thru the village after Fri council fire. Then Sat prior to council fire we were "called out" if we "passed" the previous night's "testing". Now its a shadow of that. Its not a pass/fail test and all that apply get called out. After dist pow wow you go to Fall Trace where FA is conducted. "Pass" that and you are called out again at the Sat night's council fire and recite the FCF pledge.

Here its now just apply, FA, and you're in! We used to conduct Brigade Trace at the section level prior to FA. Its been eliminated now.

I told my son. Sure I could bend the rules and allow you in. I am the Sr. Commander as well as over many of the events in the District..yet it's not fair if I allow you in and not others. It would put me in a unfair light. Let's just wait till its'' all on the up and up and we will all be better for it.

That's my rule of thumb. If others want to ignore my advise. I won't say much about it except when it goes south on them and I will grin at them and say.. well the rules are there for a reason. Oh how they hate that... me to. It's truth though.

Mark Jones

Bend the rules in the small things and it easily gets bigger spiritually speaking. The little foxes that spoil the vine.

I have always found it best to be upfront and lay out the rules. When it's totally rediculious... well I will often look the other way. Still will state the law.... yet some laws are just made to Cover one's butt and can not be held to in the real world. During those times...it's God and me. Where in lies my faith.

I told my Children's Pastor many years back. Sure when you have a controlled invironment like inside this church put your faith in the check in and check out policies hand rails supervision rules and all you can do to keep the kids safe...yet when you get outside these walls you had better be prayed up and asking God to help you and do what you know to do that is right.

Mark Jones

RRCmdrBennett wrote:Bend the rules in the small things and it easily gets bigger spiritually speaking.  The little foxes that spoil the vine.  

Nowadays, better be prayed up either inside or outside. New report of a woman in a childcare facility raping two year olds. All a background check does is keep out the ones who have been caught. It doesn't guarantee against future occurrences.

By no means am I inflexible on some rules but we can't bend them all or kids go wild.

Ya. It's best to work with in the confines of the law. I am so glad that Christ completed the law and full filled it so I don't have to try and live up to every letter of it. It's not possible anyway. Law was given to us to show us we can't live up to it. Hence the need for Christ....yet man will try with all his soul. GRIN! Guilty as charged.

Thank you Jesus for your covering! Now I just want to do right it's in my heart to do so. Sometimes I don't do so good...GRIN!

Mark Jones

Obviously everyone views things differently, and some districts may do things differently, but I got in touch with our district commander and a boy can attend the Frontier Adventure in the fall as long as he meets all the requirements by the time of the Frontier Adventure. That means that if a boy is realistically close to meeting those requirements then he can be "called out" at Pow Wow even if he doesn't meet all requirements at the time of Pow Wow.

It may end up being a moot point anyway, but I wanted to know what carrots I could and couldn't dangle out there for the boys (DR's). No sense in giving them a goal that couldn't be realized. Now the ball is in their court for a couple of them. We'll see...

To me call-out meant a boy or man is ready at that point to do his Frontier Adventure. How much time is there between pow wow and the Fall Frontier Adventure?

Around five months.

Same here in Iowa. Merits & 11 by the adventure, but not necessarily Call Out

Here we don't do call-out and no Brigade Trace aka phase I. Just send in the app shortly before Frontier Adventure. Ohio's FA is during Spring Trace and district pow wow in late June.

My home district Potomac do a candlelight walkthru review at night in the village on Fri with the candidates. If they passed the "review" they'd be called on Sat night before council fire. Our district pow wow was in Aug and FA in Sept or early Oct at Fall Trace. During FA they are called "Greenhorns".