National Camping Awards--Troop and Individual

[Buffalo Skipper]

How many of you do or do not keep up with troop camping records in enough detail to submit for these awards?

 

This year we had 37 camping nights (not including 2 overnight lockins). This year, including both summer camps we will have about 42. How does this compare to other troops?

 

Beginning January 1, 1991, as the National Camping Award requires, if our records are correct (we may be missing some Philmont and Seabase troop contingents), our troop has finally reached a new cumulative milestone with 504 nights. In the same vein, we have 2 scouts whom we can document are over 100 nights, qualifying for the Individual National Camping Award. Do many troops track their annual and cumulative camping totals? And do you present the individual award to your veteran scouts?

 

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/external_frame.asp?goto=/docs/formnatlcamping.pdf

 

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/external_frame.asp?goto=/docs/formnatlcampingindividual.pdf(This message has been edited by Buffalo Skipper)

[CA_Scouter]

We keep a spreadsheet of campout attendance and also list the main activity and/or significant events that occur.

 

We average 24-30 nights a year.

 

We have a couple of scouts over 100 nights. We just applied for the awards for the first time but haven't received them yet.

[Knot Head]

We had 24 nights last year and will do 27 this year. That does not include Philmont & National Jamboree. That's about our typical total, in the mid 20's.

 

Not sure if we've ever had a 100+ guy but I cannot recall any eagle with less than 70 nights. There probably has been one, just don't remember ever seeing that.

 

Truth be told I did not know a national award for 100 was even available.

[jeff-o]

We're a new, small troop, so we plan on about 27 nights a year.

 

We sent off the forms for the first unit award (10 nights) a few months ago, but haven't heard anything back. I guess I need to check and see if that check was cashed...

[raisinemright]

I never knew about this award. I just told my son about it. I'm sure he's at least got 100 nights in so far. He's been a scout for three years and has gone at least one night a month his entire time. More often, it's two nights a month, plus summer camp, some extended trips and family campouts. I think he got at least 30 nights this year alone. And we keep some decent records too.

[SctDad]

I looked at the requirements. Is there a specific age group that these awards are for? Our Cub Scouts love camping and are over anxious for this years forst campout.

[dg98adams]

It's a Boy Scout award.

 

At the top.....

You may qualify for the cumulative award and count your days since Jan. 1, 1991 (while you were a Boy Scout/Scouter, no Cub Scouts).(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

[HICO_Eagle]

Can't say I've ever bothered to run the total but our small troop usually averages 20-30 nights a year -- a little less this past year for a variety of reasons. Since 1991? Hmm... I was away for 10 of those years but we were doing about 35-40 nights a year before I moved away, think they kept an average of 25-30 during the years I was away. I'll have to check with the troop records to see if we have a total since 1991.

[gwd-scouter]

We use troop master software and it keeps very nice records for number of nights camping. We had one scout recently who got the 100 nights award. We do not count family camping nights as another poster suggested. Only troop-sponsored camping. Our troop runs somewhere around 20 nights of camping (6 for summer camp, 14 others - most two nights, but a couple of one-nighters) per year, so it takes a guy about 5 years to earn the award.

[EagleBeaver]

We do. We use Troopmaster to track unit and individual camping. We do 17 outdoor nights, plus summer camp and high adventures each year, for around 30 nights.

 

The award has three forms - annual unit, cumulative unit, and cumulative individual. The individual has 4 levels - 100, 250, 500, 1000 nights. We have 3 or 4 scouts earn the individual 100 nights award each year. We've had 3 scouts earn the 250 nights award - working on camp staff may count and camping with family counts.

The troop usually gets the Bronze award each year and we're working towards the Silver cumulative unit award. There are minimum participation requirements to count your unit camping - 50% at summer camp and 33% on weekend campouts.

 

I distribute the award tracking form to new scouts when they join. When the Troopmaster records indicate they've done around 90 nights with the troop, I give them the form again with a report from Troopmaster. After that, it's up to them to complete the form.

 

The award info (in its many forms) is at http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/award/award-874.asp

 

Scout On

[Oak Tree]

We use TroopMaster, so for at least the majority of the years, we would have complete data on the troop's camping dates. We have never applied for a unit award, though - probably just because it's one more thing on the list, and wouldn't really have much meaning to our Scouts. I'm not sure who it would really be rewarding...the Scouts and the leaders are all new compared with those back in 2000. And for the annual plan, we normally camp about 28 days a year (11 x 2 + 6), and that's pretty built in, so it would be just an award for doing what you normally do.

 

The individual awards, we do give out. We've had a number go over 100. We'll count any camping since 1991 - family, Cub Scout, youth group, whatever. It does have to be camping, though (Scoutmaster's discretion on what counts as camping.) Staying in a cabin on staff at a Scout camp wouldn't count for us.

 

No one's earned 250 nights yet. The Scoutmaster will probably be the first.

[Twocubdad]

MN -- where do you find the criteria for the minimum attendance in order to count nights toward the unit award.

 

One troop in our district received the 1000 night award a year or so ago. The SM says it took them about 11 years to accumulate the nights. Do the math. They counted every night anyone in the troop camped -- summer camp staff, jamborees, OA functions, etc. If the troop was camping somewhere and a couple guys were on an OA outing, the weekend counted double.

 

We have good records going back that far, but we sort of felt based on this other troop is was a bit of a farse. Using the criteria you mention, an average troop should take decades to hit 1000 nights.

[EagleBeaver]

TwoCubDad,

The award info (in its many forms) is at http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/award/award-874.asp - the link to the award form is there, and it says:

"Record-keeping procedures: At least 50 percent of your troop must attend resident camp. On other campouts, at least 33 percent of your Scouts must be in attendance for each twenty-four-hour period to count as a camper day to qualify for the troop ribbons."

 

Oak Tree,

You didn't ask, but on the individual form it says:

"You may qualify for the cumulative award and count your days since Jan. 1, 1991 (while you were a Boy Scout/Scouter, no Cub Scouts)."

 

Scout On

[Oak Tree]

mn_scout, thanks for the pointer. I was already aware of that one, and it's not an official BSA web site or form. It's just the opinion of someone at boyscouttrail.com. There are a lot of unofficial descriptions of this award out there. You can see the official rules on the document "Our Camping Log" from BSA, or in the Scoutmaster Handbook.

 

The Scoutmaster Handbook (2007 printing) saysIndividual Scouts and Scouters may qualify for a National Camping Award patch, provided that the required cumulative number of days and nights of camping has been met. This total can include any combination of camping experiences with the Scout's family, patrol, or troop.The wording in "Our Camping Log" is only slightly different, I believe, but I don't have one handy. The SM Handbook goes on to sayTo earn this award, a Scout must keep track of his campouts and have them approved by his Scoutmaster or assistant Scoutmaster. [...] Both the unit and cumulative awards are retroactive to January 1, 1991.