This October, Troop 581 traveled to BSA Camp Rock Enon in Gore, VA where several Scouts attempted to earn the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge. This is one of the more difficult merit badges to earn as each Scout must learn and demonstrate the basic skills needed to survive and be rescued in the event they find themselves in a bad situation in the back country.
Preparations began several weeks earlier when Scouts participated in three classroom sessions to learn the proper mindset and the priorities required to survive in the wilderness. They also received instruction on how to be prepared for the campout which served as the hands-on portion of the merit badge instruction. At Rock Enon, each Scouts had to demonstrate how to build fires using three methods that didn’t include using matches. They also had to show how to purify water using three different methods and demonstrate various ways of signaling for help during the day and at night. Finally, each Scouts had to build a shelter using natural materials and sleep the night in it. Most found that their shelters were actually warmer than their tents.
Almost all the Scouts that participated have earned the coveted Wilderness Survival Merit Badge. Earning this merit badge is a great example of living the Scout Motto – Be Prepared. These Scouts are now prepared in the event they ever find themselves in a survival situation.