Geocaching MB is a Reality

[wagionvigil]

Just got this on Twitter from BSA


http://ww2.scouting.org/100years/100yea ... ing_MB.pdf

[ThunderingWind]

What if parents are anit-computer people for their children??? The boy could not complete Item 7.

I say this because I have parents in my old Crew that would not allow their son and daughter to have
e-mail, FaceBook, instant message services, etc.....and were also not very friendly to the use of computers
in the school.

[wagionvigil]

Geocaching.com is the place. Geocaching would not be in existance if it were not for the web so too bad. Don't try for the MB knowing you MUST have access to the web. How ould you find the caches without a PC?

[FrankJ]

What if parents are anit-computer people for their children??? The boy could not complete Item 7.

I would probably point out that a GPS is a computer. It uses microwaves, atomic clocks and non Newtonian math. It would be dangerous for their kids.

Not really relevant for the daughters since it is a merit badge.

[kwildman]

very disappointing merit badge. Requirements are too easy. LNT is not discussed other than why not to bury a cache. Geocaching is causing a lot of problems in public lands because people are too stupid to read a map and will go solely off the GPS and which way the arrow is pointing. They are trying to ban geocaching from national parks.

I guess I would have preferred to see more requirements related to how the GPS works, what are geosynchronous orbits, what is ephemeris, what is DOP, etc. Who knows maybe these will be covered in the GIS merit badge.

[PaulSWolf]

The Scouting Magazine BLOG announcement can be seen at http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2010/0 ... eased.html

The merit badge pamphlet is not yet available, but the Boy Scouts of America wanted to get the official requirements in the hands of Scouts and Scouters as soon as possible. The BSA knows that troops, districts, and councils will be planning spring and summer activities around this newest merit badge.

A copy of the requirements can be downloaded from BSA's site, or they can be viewed online on the US Scouting Service Project at http://usscouts.org/mb/Geocaching.asp. We'll post a worksheet as soon as we can develop one.

[mt_goodrich]

Sooooooo......does this mean they can start working on it or is there a date that boys must wait for?

[PaulSWolf]

Based on the text in the Scouting Magazine Blog, they can start working on the badge NOW.

This language is in the blog, not my own:

The merit badge pamphlet is not yet available, but the Boy Scouts of America wanted to get the official requirements in the hands of Scouts and Scouters as soon as possible. The BSA knows that troops, districts, and councils will be planning spring and summer activities around this newest merit badge.

[FrankJ]

So I guess that answers the age old question "Does the scout need to read the merit badge pamphlet prior to starting the merit badge?"

[wagionvigil]

They should BUt until it is a requirement few will and in this case it may be months before a MBP is ready

[wagionvigil]

So I guess that answers the age old question "Does the scout need to read the merit badge pamphlet prior to starting the merit badge?"

Had a climbing group this weekend two different troops. One troop all the boys had read the MBP they knew their knots,asked and ansewred questions and were very comfortable. Group 2 none had read the book, did not know their knots and answered very few questions or asked any questions. They were struggleing at the climbing wall and were very hesitant at the rappelling site. Take from this what youn may. I know what my thought are.

[FrankJ]

So what you where saying is one group was prepared to take the merit badge & the other was not. I am in general agreed with you. Scouts need to be prepared when taking a merit badge. Generally one of the better ways to be prepared is to read the the book. Group A also knew their knots. You do not get that from a book.

[kwildman]

so one group go the merit badge and the other group went home with partials.

[wagionvigil]

You do not get that from a book.

I did ask that question SPL used the MBP to teach the Knots

[FrankJ]

You do not get that from a book.

I did ask that question SPL used the MBP to teach the Knots

I misstated my case a bit. You learn to tie knots by practicing. You certainly can learn how from a book, but you will not get it just from reading. Anyway congrats to the SPL for taking the time to teach.

[wagionvigil]

Knots must be practiced even I practice knots in the off season

[PaulSWolf]

Update on the status of the pamphlet for Geocaching:

A note from a BSA staffer I saw today says that BSA has begun work on the merit badge pamphlet and expects to have it in Scout Shops and local service centers late in the second quarter.

[smtroop168]

Update on the status of the pamphlet for Geocaching:

A note from a BSA staffer I saw today says that BSA has begun work on the merit badge pamphlet and expects to have it in Scout Shops and local service centers late in the second quarter.

Cart before the horse again??????

[lifescoutforlife]

This badge should be a lot of fun to teach!

[SoCal76]

I know a park ranger who hates geocaching because:

1. People place the box in the park without permission.

2. People place the box in areas of the park that are off-limits to the public.

3. People go off-trail into closed restoration and wildlife areas in order to find the box.