Webelos at Boy Scout Camp?

[t158sm]

O.K. here's a slightly different twist on the situation.

This is exactly what happened to us last year while going to Comer. (BTW - Yellow Hammer are you going to Comer, Sequoyah or an out of council camp?)

At the time there were two assistants in the troop. Assistant #1 was unable to attend camp (This was clear from the beginning.) Assistant #2 had totally committed to going to camp from the beginning.

On the Thursday night before our Sunday departure, it is learned that Assistant #2 has moved 200 miles away without telling anyone. At such a late time no other adults in the troop are able to attend camp. The troop will be in a site alone, unable to share leadership with another troop. On Saturday morning Assistant #1 calls letting me know he has possibly found someone. That someone is his brother in-law who would be willing to jump up, spur-of-the-moment, and attend with us on one condition. Condition being that his 10 year old Webelos II son be allowed to go also. The CC and I were in agreement to allow him to attend. Things go smoothly at camp with said Scout taking first year camper program with other Scouts in troop. While at camp - said Scout wears Webelos uniform complete with neckerchief and hat, including during check in. No one ever questions. Date of birth and pack ## are plainly visable on paperwork.

In such a situation, was this wrong? No discussion was ever held regarding any advancement status since the Scout would be crossing over to another troop some 30 miles away from ours. The family was was versed in Scouting. (the mother even being advancement chair for her son's pack.) No one was ever misrepresented at camp - he was advertised as a Webelos Scout and a guest with our troop.

BTW - I understood that said Scout was attending for fun and experience, not advancement per se.

[scoutldr]

t158 =

 

Just my opinion...if the troop leadership AND Camp Director were ok with it, then it's nobody else's business, as long as the Web is not disruptive. I think the Web should have attended as a guest, not as a Scout. As I stated before, nothing he did at camp can count toward Boy Scout advancement if he is not registered in a TRoop at the time.

[fotoscout]

First lets get something straight, there is a difference between a Webelos Program at Camp, and a Webelos going to summer camp with a Troop.

 

If he is going to camp to attend a Webelos Program...so be it, there is nothing wrong with that.

 

If he is going with a troop, and plans to integrate with the rest of the Boy Scout campers a big flag should go up! Not only is this bad for the boy and bad for the troop, but it can and should put the camp's accreditation in jeopardy. Just as Packs/Troops have YP standards for CS's camping with BS's, so do the BSA Camps. There are national standards about CS's and BS's mixing at summer camp. Facilities must be dedicated to one or the other while a session is being held. Programs must be separated, with separate leadership. At one extreme, many believe that CS's should not be on the property while a BS Camp is in operation. National has upheld this interpretation on occasion.

 

Like many other camp visitation specialists, this would raise a flag for me if I caught it during a camp inspection.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

I believe what Fotoscout says here is pretty darn accurate, especially in regard to mixing of programs. Although I'm not NCS trained and am not a Council visitor, I suspect seeing someone outside the age range would be a red flag to a BSA Camp Accreditation team.

 

As to T158sm, I'd say "count your lucky stars." Someone in your Council's professional and seasonal staff was feeling very lenient in letting that Webelo camp. At the same time, as mentioned by Lisa'Bob, you've opened your unit to a long-term precedent: "Why can't I take Susie with me to camp? You let Jack take Robby two years ago???" The potential of internal bad blood... and the potential of unintended 2d/3d order consequences...