Do You "Mandate" Certain MBs at Camp?

[jr56]

Same here. I suggest MB for the scouts to take, but it is just suggestions, it is their summer camp expericence after all. I also strongly suggest that 1st year scouts take as much of the trail to first class program as possible.

[ThunderingWind]

To add an actual reply....

The troop I am with now "Highly Recommends" all New Scouts take the First Class/First Year Camper program at whatever camp they
go to. For the past few years, the program was a full day program with some solid rank stuff, Nature and Swimming MBs. If the boys
could not pass the swim test or can't swim at all, that block of instruction was swimming lessons.

When my son corssed over in 2005, the FCFY program at the camp we attended was a half day program and gave him the time to take three
merit badges. He opted to only take two and have a nap after lunch. Worked for him.

[AquilaNegra2]

For a Scout that doesn't swim well enough to pass the badge, it seems that requiring he take lessons will eat up most of his week. While badges can be "strongly suggested," I don't believe that you can actually require them. Same as a SM who "strongly suggests" that Eagle-requireds are not done at camp.

$65/wk might be worth the plane ticket! No way can my Scout eat $200 worth of food to make up the difference.