New Boy Scout Merit Badge

[ScouterJoe]

Boy Scouts of America has released the tenative requirements for Geocaching Merit Badge. I thought I'd post them and see what everyone thought:

Geocaching Merit Badge
1. Do the following:
a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in geocaching activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
b. Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of injuries or illnesses that could occur while participating in geocaching activities, including cuts, scrapes, snakebite, insect stings, tick bites, exposure to poisonous plants, heat and cold reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, hypothermia), and dehydration.
c. Discuss how to properly plan an activity that uses GPS, including using the buddy system, sharing your plan with others, and considering the weather, route, and proper attire.

2. Discuss the following with your counselor:
a. Why you should never bury a cache.
b. How to use proper geocaching etiquette when hiding or seeking a cache, and how to properly hide a geocaches.
c. The principles of Leave No Trace as they apply to geocaching [[Front country and back country issues can be discussed in the text.]]

3. Explain the following terms used in geocaching: waypoint, log, cache, accuracy, difficulty and terrain ratings, attributes, trackable. Choose five additional terms to explain to your counselor.

4. Explain how the Global Positioning System (GPS) works. Then, using Scouting’s Teaching EDGE, demonstrate the use of a GPS unit to your counselor. Include marking and editing a waypoint, changing field functions, and changing the coordinate system in the unit.

5. Do the following:
a. Show that you know how to use a map and compass and explain why this is important for geocaching.
b. Explain the similarities and differences between GPS navigation and standard map reading skills and describe the benefits of each.
c. Explain the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) system and how it differs from the latitude/longitude system used for public geocaches.
d. Show how to plot a UTM waypoint on a map. Compare the accuracy to that found with a GPS unit.

6. Describe the four steps to finding your first cache to your counselor. Then mark and edit a waypoint. [[To all: After more thought, I think we can leave out any mention of geocaching.com here and just cite the Web site as the source in the text. We use this same type of reference in other mbps, such as Whitewater.]]

7. With your parent’s permission*, go to http://www.geocaching.com. Type in your zip code to locate public geocaches in your area. Print out information about three of those geocaches and share this with your counselor. [[Yes, details about account info can be discussed in the text. We have specific guidelines for online use—this doesn’t need to be written by MS.]]
*To fulfill this requirement, you will need to set up a free user account with http://www.geocaching.com. Ask your parent for permission and help before you do so. [[Q to all: Does this wording work?]]

8. Do ONE of the following:
a. If a Cache to Eagle series exists in your council, visit at least three of the 12 locations. Describe the projects that each cache you visit highlights, and explain how the Cache to Eagle program helps share our Scouting service with the public.
b. Create a Scouting-related travel bug that promotes one of the values of Scouting. “Release� your travel bug into a public geocache and, with your parent’s permission, monitor its progress at http://www.geocaching.com for 30 days. Keep a log, and share this with your counselor at the end of the 30-dayperiod.
c. Set up and hide a public geocache, following all the http://www.geocaching.com guidelines. [[We will include those guidelines in the text.]] With your parent’s permission, follow the logs online for 30 days and share them with your counselor.
d. Explain what Cache In Trash Out (CITO) means, and describe how you have practiced CITO at public geocaches or at a CITO event. Then, either create CITO containers to leave at public caches, or host a CITO event for your unit or for the public.

9. Plan a geohunt for a youth group such as your troop or a neighboring pack, at school, or your place of worship. Choose a theme, set up a course with at least four waypoints, teach the players how to use a GPS unit, and play the game. Tell your counselor about your experience, and share the materials you used and developed for this event.

[Keger8]

Wow, thats pretty cool, i think #9 is a little much though

[TeamMina]

Wow! We don't even know a bunch of that!
Can adults participate in the program too, we need all the help we can get!!

[Mighty_Mo]

I'm afraid 8c might promote "temporary" caches. It suggests that 30 days involvement is all that is required when in fact the involvement should be much longer than that. GC guide lined prohibit temporary caches.

Number 1 - safety related very good

Number 2 Wow if we could only get all geocachers to understand this one.

Is this all covered in a GEO101? I admit I have never been to one.

[ScouterJoe]

#9 is a part of scoutings new ethic of teaching what you've learned. I shouldn't say that it's new, but it is being stressed now.

I thought the same thing, I've got stuff to learn. As far as participation goes, there is a camp out this fall that we hope to attract 1,000 scouts and scouters. I'll need plenty of help in promoting geocaching. NWOGEO will be gaining a lot of good publicity that weekend.

[ScouterJoe]

I'm afraid 8c might promote "temporary" caches. It suggests that 30 days involvement is all that is required when in fact the involvement should be much longer than that. GC guide lined prohibit temporary caches.

Actually I thought the same thing. Section 8 gives several options and only one is to be choosen. As the counselor for this, I would steer the youth away from that option for that exact reason.

[Mighty_Mo]

But doesn't it "suggest" a 30 day involvement is all that is required? Did the author read the GC.com guidelines?

[ScouterJoe]

8b requires following the exploits of a travel bug that the youth created for 30 days. Also, not my favorite. Most of my bugs don't move that often. The requirements were created in consultation with gc.com

[Mighty_Mo]

If GC.com likes it end of my concern.

[ScouterJoe]

Actually I just reread the 8c. I completely agree with you. I don't like it at all.

[Mighty_Mo]

I think it is GREAT to get a geocaching merit badge. The 30 days tracking a TB is OK because it is released and requires no further action by the "releaser" (is that a word?) but a geocache requires maintenance and a long term commitment,. Oh well maybe we can get some "new - young" blood in the hobby. I know that with you as a counselor they will receive proper guidance.

[GrizzFlyer]

When the young-uns complete those requirements, they'll know they earned the merit badge.

Does number 9 require a 4-stage multi-cache, or am I interpreting it incorrectly? A 4-stager would certainly show proficiency with their equipment.

Its obvious that a lot of thought went into those requirements, well done.

[ScouterJoe]

Does number 9 require a 4-stage multi-cache, or am I interpreting it incorrectly? A 4-stager would certainly show proficiency with their equipment.

Not entirely sure. It could be that or 4 individual caches.

[rnw422]

I can't believe #9 would ask for a 4 stage multi on a first attempt outing. I would think more along the lines of 4 indiviual caches. But then again, what do I know?????? lol

[TeamMina]

Does number 9 require a 4-stage multi-cache, or am I interpreting it incorrectly? A 4-stager would certainly show proficiency with their equipment.

Not entirely sure. It could be that or 4 individual caches.

That's the way we read it. That a group could be assembled at say, a Metropark, or another single location with four caches located there.

8c seemed to imply to us that it only needs to be monitored and reported on for 30 days, not shut down necessarily. But can see how it reads as though you only have to upkeep it for a month.

There's always cachers going places. If they perform the TB task, it might not be that hard to find someone going somewhere who can get them started immediately. We love moving bugs ourselves.