Camping Merit Badge TOBAL

[theysawyoucomin']

Final note to this saga.

 

We did not get a lean-to. We camped in tents and it rained. I was wondering where all that water from the lake came from. I thought it rained someplace else far far away and was carried there.

 

we camped at the site of an old horse barn with an established fire ring. Had a great time.

 

But get this. The Boy Scout aged MB counselor/instructor from Camp Wakpominee told the boys that family camping counted for nights required for this merit badge. You remember family camping: mommy waits on you,dad builds your fire, you get to bring your game boy!!!! That is roughing it. I don't know where the heck the camping with your family came it but that is a load of bull that has quickly been circulated.

 

The boys may not remember another thing that was said except camping within the bosom of our family now counts towards camping required for this badge.

 

TOBAL!!

[Hunt]

This issue of family camping for the Camping merit badge has been hashed out before on the Advancement forum, but I would just point out that the MB requirements don't specify, and thus the counselor has the discretion to decide what camping counts. In my personal opinion, camping in the backyard with an extension cord to run the TV shouldn't count, but backpacking on the Appalachian Trail with Dad should count. In between the two, the counselor should use reasonable discretion.

[LongHaul]

As A Camping Merit Badge Counselor let me tell you how I read the req.#9 with reference to the camp having tents already set up. What Camp? The reference to previously set up tents follows the statement that a boy can use a week of long-term camping in compiling his list of 20 nights. The pre set up tents refers, IMO, to the long term camping provision.

LongHaul

 

[FireKat]

It all seems to be part of the "dumbing down" of Society. If it is too hard we are being 'cruel to expect so much'. Many times when the subject of MBs comes up some parent will pipe in with "do that one at camp because they don't expect you to do it all in a week and they get the MB anyway ". This seems especially true for the Eagle requirements which are the harder ones.

What's next? Doing the hiking MB by walking around a mall or the cycling MB on stationary bike in AC? I hope that the Scouts do not continue to follow this trend. Hold the boys to the original values and ethics.

[evmori]

FireKat hit the nail on the head. It seems parents today don't want little Johnny to have to exert himself too much to get anything. And when he has to, it is cruel.

 

Bull!

 

If boys don't learn that not everything is going to be handed to them or they are going to have to do things the way someone else wants them to do them then life will be very hard & sad for them.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[gwd-scouter]

Well said, Ed! Had several parents calling me before we left on our white water trip. It was pouring the night before and hadn't stopped by the time we were leaving. "Are you still going?" they asked. "Of course, I said, "we'll get wet in the river anyway."

 

Even though a few looked mighty skeptical and obviously nervous, no one backed out of the trip. Scouts had a marvelous time.

 

By the way, it did stop raining about 1/2 hour before we took to the river. Still cold and misty in the air, but certainly warmer than the river!

[LongHaul]

Cycling Merit Badge on a stationary bike! If a boy can get Personal Management with a budget of all zeros why not cycling with a route of a single point? Or Hiking in a Mall or on a track.

LongHaul(This message has been edited by LongHaul)

[SWScouter]

I have this picture of a scout riding a stationary bike placed in the bed of a pickup that the MB counselor drives for 50 miles. Of course, that is against the G2SS.

 

SWScouter

[LongHaul]

Not if the pick-up has a plexiglass cap and the statinary bike has a seat belt!

[Gurnee Bruce]

Ok, how about this monkeywrench. Our troop's understanding, from a council advancement chair, is that a scout may not begin counting camping nights until they have actually begun work on Camping MB - you know, SM has signed the blue card to begin.

 

This rules out any camping nights that have occured up to that point. It also makes all the new parents (and some ASMs) to want the new scouts to immediately begin the badge when joining the troop so they can begin accumulating nights..

 

Are we being mis-informed about the actual requirement, or does the scout indeed need to wait until he starts "work" on the badge to begin counting the camping nights?

 

Most of the troop leadership would rather hold back - let the scout work the foundation camping requirements first and then as a First Class scout begin the MB in earnest.

 

It seems also that counting nights for both T-2nd-1st ranks and MB nights too is a little like letting a single action count for multiple requirements which also seems to defeat (or water-down) the actual goals that the requirements are designed to achieve.

 

Help?

 

[OldGreyEagle]

In the District I serve thats up to the MB Counselor, and usually its nights camping since becommming a scout

[CalicoPenn]

What does the Camping Merit Badge book say about what counts as camping? (I don't have a copy). The merit badge book is not just a book with the requirements. The book tells the lad what to do to earn the badge. If the merit badge book lists sleeping in a lean-to as a means to meet the requirement for number of nights camping, then the boy should get credit for sleeping in a lean-to. Has anyone read the latest Camping merit badge book?

 

 

I think most counselors would accept work done prior to being contacted as meeting the requirements but if someone insists that the boy be signed off on earning the badge by the Scoutmaster and meeting the counselor first for the Camping Merit Badge, then if I were the Scoutmaster, I would become a Merit Badge Counselor for the badge and hand the lad a signed Blue Card (or white form) at his first troop meeting. But then that's just me.

 

CalicoPenn

[Hunt]

"I think most counselors would accept work done prior to being contacted as meeting the requirements but if someone insists that the boy be signed off on earning the badge by the Scoutmaster and meeting the counselor first for the Camping Merit Badge, then if I were the Scoutmaster, I would become a Merit Badge Counselor for the badge and hand the lad a signed Blue Card (or white form) at his first troop meeting. But then that's just me."

 

Amen. I actually think it's a good idea to get this blue card started pretty early, though, so the scouts can be aware of some of the things that need to be done while on a campout, and can take steps to make sure they get done.

[CubScoutJo]

I think I know the answer to this question, but am I correct in that you would not count one 5 mile overnight backpacking trip for both of these requirements?

------------------------------------

 

Camping Merit Badge Requirement 9B:

On any of these camping experiences, you must do TWO of the following, only with proper preparation and under qualified supervision: .......Backpack, snowshoe, or cross-country ski for at least 4 miles.....

 

 

Second Class Requirement 2b: Using a compass and a map together, take a 5-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian.*

 

Jo

[evmori]

Jo,

If the 5 mile hike meets both requirements it could be counted for both.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10