How do you earn and express your rank?

[Taranite]

It's in the title, how do you become an OBOD Bard, Druid, or Ovate? Thanks!

[katsu]

Hi Taranite,

a good question with a simple answer.
Every member of the OBOD that is following the correspondence course can ask to have the rank of the Grade they are working on/have completed displayed underneath their name.
So in my case it says: "OBOD Druid", which means I'm currently working on the Druid part of the course.

(oh, and welcome )
katsu

[Myrddin7]

Thanks for clearing that up. I have just started on the Bardic grade, so now I know that I can 'call' myself a Bard, for the time being!

really, though, titles don't interest me that much. I'm just a traveller on the path, like everyone else. I think this is quite important....use of the word 'rank' can look both a bit militaristic to the uninformed, and also give the impression of people who might be trumpeting their rank, or 'pulling rank'. Is 'grade' an improvement? Any comments?

Blessings

Myrddin7

[Kat Lady]

Welcome Myrddin7. Ranks are used on this message board only to allow others to know information about the users in connection with the message board, such as technical administrators, site administrators, moderators and yes, even which part of the course someone is currently studying. Other message boards will use them for other reasons, including rank and file. However, we do not utilize them in that way.

The OBOD ranks are there for use by those that choose to use them. It allows individuals to see who is perhaps studying the same part of the course as they are for private conversation etc. No one is given the "rank" of OBOD Bard, Ovate or Druid unless they ask for it.

Let me assure you, the only time you will see someone "pulling rank" is when a Moderator or Administrator has to step-in to moderate a forum, which is very rare. In those cases, you will see the response on the thread either in green or orange so that it is known we are speaking as an administrator or moderator and not just as a member of this Board.

I hope that helps a little concerning the use of ranks on this board.