ForNewFamilies

Welcome to Troop 792!

Whether you have come here after Cub Scouts or are new to Scouting, you must have lots of questions.

When we asked one-year parents whether there were any surprises, one of the best answers was,
In Cub Scouts, the Den Leaders put the program on and signed the Scout off if he did his best. Here, the Boy Scout is responsible for his advancement in a self-paced program.

The Parent Guide describes the structure of the Troop, District, and Council. The following items will also answer common questions.

There are, generally, two types of camping:

• "Car camping," where the car is parked relatively close to the campsite and the group gear can be heavy and is stored by a quartermaster, and the food is usually perishable and kept on ice. This list shows the recommended gear for that.
• Backpacking, where we eat non-perishable (usually freeze-dried) food, cook on small, lightweight stoves, and carry everything in packs, sometime for several miles. This list shows that recommended gear.

There is also the weeklong summer camp, put on by the Council. We usually go to Camp Hi-Sierra, just below Pinecrest. This offers several merit badge opportunities as well as other activities such as climbing walls, wilderness survival, and swimming. This list shows the recommended and required gear.

There is also snow camping, which is usually car-camping with extra preparation. (We have not yet done a backpacking trek in the snow.)

The boy begins by earning the Scout Rank, then Tenderfoot, then Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and then Eagle. Although the Scout earns each rank at a time, in order, he may complete parts of each rank at any time. (The exception to this is if the requirement says this must be done as a certain rank.) For example, he can complete the First Class cooking requirement as a Tenderfoot, however, he must be a Life Scout before he begins his Eagle Project.

Although merit badges are not required until the Star Rank, the Scout may earn a merit badge at any time. Some of these, like Wood Carving, are relatively easy, while others, like Family Life, are rarely earned before the age of 14, just due to the content. Some merit badges might take months to earn because

• a skill will need to be developed through practice; Rifle Shooting is an example of this.
• Or others, such as Pets and Personal Management, have a three-month requirement.
  

There might be one that takes several years. That is rare, but it has happened. The best example I can give is a Scout who took two years to be able to dive, which is required for the Swimming merit badge.

We also have a tremendous resource page, which provides information for several key areas.