MeritBadge.Net

by **wagionvigil** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 1:44 pm

At the 2001 and the 2005 national Jamborees there were scouts with petitions to have Wilderness Survival made a Required MB. I believe this is a great idea what do you all think?

by **scubascout** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 2:27 pm

I think it is great because as I said in the other post, eagle required merit badges should be things that the scout will remember and use for the rest of his life. I think that this merit badge fits that criteria.

by **WVBeaver05** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:10 pm

I'm not sure about this one. I'll have to look over the requirements and think about it for a while.

As I understand it, it's a good MB to have.

YiS

by **WeeWillie** » Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:45 pm

If a Scout finds himself in a survival situation, he already has the skills to survive. It is a fun badge and should be treated as such.

You can make the case for Orienteering, Pioneering, Hiking, Backpacking as Eagle required, but where do you stop?

by **ASM-142** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:43 am

Instead of Wilderness Survival I would rather have Disabilities Awareness a required badge.

by **Quailman** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:09 am

As the parent of a Star (soon to be Life) scout with a physical disability, I like hearing that comment. He earned the DA MB at Winter Camp in 2005, and helped the rest of the kids earn it too (You have to interview a person with a disability).

Like Wee Willie said, you could go down the list and make a case for many of the MB's. I am an advocate of the Bird Study MB, which used to be required, and more difficult to earn. There are a lot more I'd add before that, though. I just think all the scouts in Texas should earn it, since birding is a growing factor in the economy of our state.

by **vpalango** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:19 am

I voted NO on this one.

My reasoning is that at some point we need to figure out where the "line" is for required badges. I think this is a great badge, and most of the scouts I meet take it at one time or another, but I'm not sure this makes the cut for what an Eagle is, relative to things like citizenship, emergency prep, camping, and others.

Again, I'm not saying it shouldn't be encouraged, but I just don't think it's "required" to make an Eagle Scout.

VLP

by **Quailman** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:42 am

I implied without specifically stating that I voted NO also. I think the current total requirement for MB's is reasonable - 12 required and 9 elective. If you start requiring more, then you'd cut back the number of elective MB's (unless you feel this one should replace one like Communication or Citizen in the World). Even though most scouts earn more than the minimum nuber of elective badges, I think the numbers work well as they are. And if more (let's use the extreme case of all) 21 MB's were required ones, the pace of advancement beyond First Class would slow, and the interest in a variety of elective badges would diminish.

I am a MBC for several elective badges, and I'd like them all to stay that way. I much prefer to have boys in the class who are sincerely interested in the subject rather than because it's required.

by **FrankJ** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:46 pm

I voted no. Quailman said better than I could except I wouldn't vote to replace Communications. It is a great skill to have & I highly recomend the merit badge.

by **Mad Dog** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 4:55 pm

I think 12 required is a good number. How about making it an option instead of the camping merit badge?

by **scubascout** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 6:05 pm

Mad Dog, I completly agree, maybe even throw backpacking in there so you have Camping OR Wilderness Survival OR Backpacking

by **ICanCanoeCanU** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:43 am

Yes, yes, yes. This is building on much of what the scout has already earned and takes these skills up another level. This is to me, the type of skills I would like to see for Eagles.

by **Lynda J** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:24 am

I vote no. Every merit badge has it's merits. So where do we stop with required badges. I think the ones currently on the list are a great representation of skills and knowledge.

by **ICanCanoeCanU** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:17 am

I do see your point Linda but I think outdoor skills are one of the most important pieces of the scOUTing program, therefore I think this one should rank.

by **pipestone1991** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:56 am

Great badge....'nuff said.

by **wagionvigil** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:23 am

I am bringing this up again as some folks may have missed it. I really think WS should be required.

by **pipestone1991** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:44 pm

wagionvigil wrote:I am bringing this up again as some folks may have missed it. I really think WS should be required.

To be perfectly honest with you, I learned a lot more in wilderness survival than some of the eagle req mbs. The stuff I did learn is invaluable information I will need, just like the info in 1st aid,personal mgmt, swimming, etc.

by **Bill Pitcher** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:10 pm

i agree with scubascout: make a Camping, Wilderness Survival or Backpacking option as a required merit badge selection.

by **pipestone1991** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:30 pm

Bill Pitcher wrote:i agree with scubascout: make a Camping, Wilderness Survival or Backpacking option as a required merit badge selection.

I 2nd this idea. Then I would make the other Eagle req mb selection:

Swimming or Hiking or Safety

by **wagionvigil** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:45 pm

I dislike Options for MB. National needs to Pick one and say this is it.

MeritBadge.Net

Wilderness Survival

Should Wilderness Survival Be required (for Eagle)?

Wilderness Survival

Who is online