National Camping Award

[Eagle69]

Has the National Camping Award that you used to turn in the paper work for every year at recharter time been replaced by something else?

[FScouter]

Don't think so. Our council doesn't promote this award. The form can be ordered from the catalog or Scout Shop, #33690A.

[peewee]

It would be a good idea to turn in the paper work at recharter-- it comes with our recharter stuff --- RM

[tnthop]

Our troop has not kept track of the award since 1996. I completed the paperwork for 2003 and we received the ribbon for 10 days and nights camping. I had asked our council to check our troop's records to see if we qualified for any cumulative awards. They did not have any records.

 

I located some ribbons our troop has received, but they do not indicate on the ribblon itself the number of nights camping and no one wrote any information on the paper on the back of the ribbon. The only information someone wrote was the unit number, the Scoutmaster's name and the date. We have ribbons of the same color from 1984, 1990 to 1996.

 

My questions were to verify what types of camping is allowed for the cumulative award. Some examples are: Buckskin, OA Ordeal, OA Conclave, staff member for summer camp, cabin camping, etc. I know that we keep track of each Scout's individual days/nights camping for awards of 20, 40, etc. but what is allowed for the unit and cummulative award nights camping?

[FScouter]

Any type of camping is allowed for the troop award, for both the yearly and the cumulative awards. For the troop ribbon, the troop must attend a long term resident camp. At least 50% of the boys must attend. Other campouts require at least 33% attendance. Lesser attendance will not qualify the camping as a troop camping day.

 

The requirements for the individual award are different than for the troop award. Individual Scouts and Scouters qualify for the cumulative patch for any camping including campouts with their families or other groups. The details are printed on the award application #33690A.

 

If 33% or more of your troop attended an OA ordeal, that would count as a troop camping day and individual days for the boys attending. If it was less than 33%, the boys attending would each earn an individual day.

 

If your troop has earned 8 ribbons, you could say the troop has earned 80 days towards the 100 day cumlative award. (8 ribbons * 10 days per ribbon). You may actually have more days, but without the troop camping records to support more days, it would not be right to claim more than 80 days.

 

 

[Proud Eagle]

I learn something new every day. This is the first I had ever heard of such a thing. I guess my council must not be into this, but then again what can you expect from a council that doesn't bother to use proper accounting procedures or pay its taxes.

 

While I am not familiar with the award, based on what I have just read I must say the idea of counting an OA ordeal as a troop camping trip is... I think I will go with "novel" to be diplomatic.

[FScouter]

The Scout Shop should have the camping log which includes the award application, #33690A.