National Medal for Outdoor Achievement being discontinued?

[UKScouterInCA]

Does anyone here know what National is doing with the National Medal for Outdoor Achievement?

https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/noa/

The medals have been removed from Scout Stores and supposedly all collected by National and destroyed. The medal itself is a janky piece of junk, so flimsy and lame. But the level achievement you need to reach to earn it is super impressive.

I for one think it would be an absolute shame if National discontinued this medal. And doing so without any comment period, skulking away in the dead of night, seems super shady. I kind of understand them discontinuing other awards like the NOVA Stem, although I thought they were fun they were always a little like National were jumping on the STEM bandwagon. But OUtdoor Achievement? That is front and center our Core Mission.

 

Maybe I can dare to hope that National have realised that the medal is cheap and tawdry and not worth of representing the accomplishments, , and decided to replace it with something more worthy of the incredible achievement the Scouts have made to earn it. Yeah, I doubt it.

 

[InquisitiveScouter]

On 6/6/2023 at 5:42 PM, UKScouterInCA said:

Does anyone here know what National is doing with the National Medal for Outdoor Achievement?

https://www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/advancement-and-awards/noa/

The medals have been removed from Scout Stores and supposedly all collected by National and destroyed. The medal itself is a janky piece of junk, so flimsy and lame. But the level achievement you need to reach to earn it is super impressive.

I for one think it would be an absolute shame if National discontinued this medal. And doing so without any comment period, skulking away in the dead of night, seems super shady. I kind of understand them discontinuing other awards like the NOVA Stem, although I thought they were fun they were always a little like National were jumping on the STEM bandwagon. But OUtdoor Achievement? That is front and center our Core Mission.

 

Maybe I can dare to hope that National have realised that the medal is cheap and tawdry and not worth of representing the accomplishments, , and decided to replace it with something more worthy of the incredible achievement the Scouts have made to earn it. Yeah, I doubt it.

 

Although nothing has been announced, I believe they are going to axe this one.  There are so few Scouts who earn it, so National may be taking the stance that the demand has not justified the expensive of production and marketing.

Dad brag:  My Eagle Scout son completed this late last December (completing Wilderness First Aid training was his last hurdle).  Most people have no idea how challenging this award is...

When we went to order the medal, we hit the same wall... our local Scout Shop folks said there were none available from National Supply, and it appears to be discontinued.  So, I had to call up the most knowledgeable supply person I knew (she works in another council we used to be in).  She had the ability to query other inventories of shops, found one in stock in a distant council, and had it shipped to us.  (I wish Scouting had more people like her.)

Yeah, the medal and ribbon are a bit flimsy.  But, IMHO, there should be a knot for this one...

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by InquisitiveScouter

[Better4itall]

Congratulations on your son's achievement! Irregardless of position of national. And yes, there are gems like your friend still left in scouting. I wonder why there isn't a knot for this one . . .

[UKScouterInCA]

According to National Scout Store, they are issuing new medals. So maybe my dream is coming true and they are replacing the old janky medal with something more impressive.

[Eva]

I left a message at the National office today. I’m at a loss for words. We have Scouts working very hard to complete all the requirements for this achievement and medal. I found out today from a Scout who recently completed the requirements and his application submitted, that the Scout shop cannot order these medals. The last one they sold was in February of this year.

NO ONE KNEW ABOUT THE DISCONTINUED MEDAL

There is yet another Scout,  and more to follow in near future, that is disheartened over this discovery.

As a Committee Member, I am very disappointed with BSA or Scouts of America. 

 

[mrjohns2]

23 hours ago, Eva said:

NO ONE KNEW ABOUT THE DISCONTINUED MEDAL

Did you read the post right before yours?

[Eva]

I did not. Crikey 

Our Scout shop is not in the loop, obvi. THANK YOU! 

[InquisitiveScouter]

So, another poster here asked to procure a medal.

I called my contact in supply.  She found none in a system query.  After a few phone calls, she discovered that any that were in stock were recalled by National Supply Division a few months ago.

(Thanks for the announcement, National!)

She had not heard whether there was a new medal in the works, so could not confirm that report.

So, if you have a previously-issued National Medal for Outdoor Achievement, then you have a collectors item.

 

 

 

 

[BQZip]

Recalled? That's disheartening unless they are going to replace them...

[Tron]

The program is changing, I think it's going to get streamlined and I think we're going back to our roots. The first mission of the BSA is to train scouts in scoutcraft, maybe we're getting back to that.

[mrjohns2]

1 hour ago, Tron said:

The first mission of the BSA is to train scouts in scoutcraft, maybe we're getting back to that.

This badge is the closest to a Scoutcraft badge of anything else out there, even Eagle. 

[BQZip]

3 hours ago, Tron said:

The program is changing, I think it's going to get streamlined and I think we're going back to our roots. The first mission of the BSA is to train scouts in scoutcraft, maybe we're getting back to that.

I'm fine with going back to our roots...this medal was all about that: adventure!

[BryanInOakland]

This is rather sad. Changing the program/award is fine. But pulling all of the medals before any announcement is ripping off those scouts that earned the medal.

[Tron]

On 7/12/2023 at 9:20 PM, mrjohns2 said:

This badge is the closest to a Scoutcraft badge of anything else out there, even Eagle. 

 

On 7/12/2023 at 11:33 PM, BQZip said:

I'm fine with going back to our roots...this medal was all about that: adventure!

You can go camping and not do any scoutcraft. It happens all of the time, the requirements for camping and such even include statements like "If a tent is already setup and provided" so some scouts are not even learning to set up tents on their outings. Real scoutcraft is learning how to build a fire, and why certain methods are better, scoutcraft is learning how to tie knots, knowing their strengths and their weaknesses, etc ... etc ... Adventure is nice; it's definitely part of the Enable part of edge, but its not at the root or core of the program. Go read the national charter from congress and show me in the purpose statement where it says adventure. 

I am not at all concerned about any of this peripheral stuff going away as long as it means we're getting back to the core of what scouting is supposed to be. How many scouts with one of these awards or membership in the OA freeze up when you ask them what their good turn for the day was? How many scouts lose their words when you ask them at a BOR  to describe a situation where they exhibited an act of courage? How many times have you seen a scout lock up like a deer in the headlights when you ask them about the last time they participated in a patriot ceremony?

[OscarS]

The award is till showing as active in Award Central and Scoutbook, seems appropriate for scouts who have earned them that they should be awarded the medal. Anyone looked into having a custom medal made?