Camping Merit Badge

[sarhiker]

I have been a SM/ASM and MB councilor for over 20 years and would like others opinions or scout policy on the Camping Merit Badge. I have a parent of a boy who wants to count family camping trips as part of his 20 nights of camping. I say that the 20 nights should be part of scout campouts and not family vacation. A few of the nights were in a tent at a KOA campground and others were not in tents, but campers and cabins at other places.

[Bob White]

Is the parent the camping merit badge counselor?

[sarhiker]

No he is not the MB Councilor. I think that he is looking for an easy way out for Jr.

[FScouter]

What does the MB counselor say?

[Bob White]

The parent is welcome to their opinion but the bottom line is it doesn't count for a thing.

 

What camping is accepted is the decision of the MB counselor and no one else. the parent has no say so or authotity in the matter.

 

Just so that you know, the requirement specifically says "Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched (long-term camp excluded).

 

So no matter what mom or dad thinks, nights spent in a cabin or camper do not count.

 

BW

 

[Hunt]

I agree--camper or cabin don't count. On the other hand, there is nothing in the requirement that says it has to be Scout camping. Thus, a counselor is not modifying the requirements by accepting nights in a tent pitched by the scout outside of Scouting. Personally, if I were the Camping advisor, I would have no problem counting nights that I considered "real" camping--i.e., if the Scout went on the Appalachian Trail and camped with a church group, etc., but I would be more resistant to family camping at the KOA. But it's really up to the advisor--he or she can accept those nights or not--if the Scout disagrees with the counselor's decision, his only recourse, as far as I know, is to find another counselor.