DougJ

I work with two different troops in the Seattle area, and I have two Scouts who have previously earned the National Medal for Outdoor Achievement, including my daughter. I have two other Scouts who are close to completing the medal. However, the medal seems to have disappeared from the web site. Has anybody heard about this? It's no longer on the National Outdoor Awards page: https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/noa/ It's no longer listed on the Awards page: https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/ I've seen no recent discussion of this online. It does still exist on the SA site in two places: The application is still on the site: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor Program/pdf/430-041_WB.pdf It IS still in the Scout Shop: https://www.scoutshop.org/national-medal-for-outdoor-achievement-award-660210.html Does anybody have any information? Thanks- Doug Johnson, ASM- Troop 312, Troop 681

False alarm. I confirmed today that this award is NOT discontinued. The medals are available for purchase and National was called to be sure they are available. Confirmed- the National Medal of Outdoor Achievement is still available. (Apparently some medals were collected and destroyed and a new medal produced- but I cannot confirm this.).

This is not acceptable. The award is still up in the web site and appears available in the store. I serve as ASM and High Adventure Coordinator in two troops and we emphasize these awards. I have three Scouts who are currently working toward this award and it is outrageous that someone would pull the rug out on Scouts like this without warning. Does anyone know who at National is behind this decision? For those considering making the award, I would be very interested to see what you come up with. I want to honor these Scouts’ accomplishment, even if the folks at National don’t care. I feel that the National Outdoor Awards and the National Medal of Outdoor Achievement represent an important extension of the core program. The Scouts I know who are pursuing these are those who are excelling in the core program and are looking for a further challenge I cannot imagine why anyone would want to discontinue this.