Cub Scouts Award Pins and Loops for Mad Gamer Skills

[CaptainCrunch]

I don't understand what exactly the cubs are. Is it "Cub is to Cadet as Cadet is to Army"?

In the US, the Scouting program starts as young as age 7, with Tiger Cubs (Cubs Scouts are generally divided by age group so they can advance alongside schoolmates in the same grade.) Some packs will separate the Tigers, as sort of a "pre-Scouts."

These kids can stay in Cub Scouts until they are 11 years old, doing activities and earning achievements primarily by completing some type of family-building exercise that the parents vouch for. The last rank a boy in Cub Scouts can earn is called the Arrow of Light, which means little more than "you're ready to graduate to Boy Scouts now."

In Boy Scouts, the achievement focus changes to personal development. Things like camping skills, first aid, and even firearms (Riflery, Black Powder, and Shotgun merit badges are not required for advancement.) The Scouting program in the US is partially funded by the military, and the ranking / advancement system bears striking similarity as well. Those that earn the Eagle (the highest rank), are often deemed worthy of an advanced rank upon enlistment in the military. (Generally they start at E-2 instead of E-1.)

To sum it up:
Good Cub Scouts become good Boy Scouts, and good Boy Scouts become good leaders. Good leaders make good officers.

 

[skitzo van]

DAMN! If only this was available when I was a scout.

 

[NightmareTaco]

Since most parents don't seem to understand (or notice) the ESRB, at least these Cubs will, haha.

 

[Bobkat1252]

WHAT!?! Now why the fuck couldn't they have had this when I was in Cub Scouts!?!

Oh well. I'm an Eagle Scout anyway, so there.

Hello fellow Eagle Scout!

OT: Yeah those belt loops have all sorts of topics, so I'm not particularly surprised that they've made a video game one, its not like all of the skills Scouting promotes are outdoor ones. (Looking at you Reading merit badge.)

 

[Flying-Emu]

Ok guys. What are cubs but kids with their own achievements on their sleeves? What's so weird about this?

The Scouts are about teaching children the joy of the outdoors, survivalist skills, and things like that. Not video games.

 

[Jroo wuz heer]

I don't understand what exactly the cubs are. Is it "Cub is to Cadet as Cadet is to Army"?

Cub Scouts are the 4 to 10 year olds, Boy Scouts are 11 to 18.

OT: It would of course be long after I was a Cub Scout that they'd start doing stuff like this. My life might have been very different had there been a Tetris merit badge... but probably not.

8-11 not 4-10

thats awesome, I would have loved that 3 years ago. but now I'm a boy scout. Although I think the shotgun merit badge will be just as fun if not more so

 

[plastic_window]

Isn't it a little strange that the Cubs are using what looks like the Virtual Boy controller on the merit badge? Seems a bit ironic to me.

I wasn't aware video games had anything to do with Cubs, though. As far as I know, technology's place in the Cubs society is outside, peeking in through the window.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

I can see it now... a badge for helping the old not get pwn'd in a Halo match.

 

[heyheysg]

I read somewhere that the scouts were Christian based anti homosexuals anti atheist.

Is that true? Something to do with the founders?

 

[Lillowh]

WHAT!?! Now why the fuck couldn't they have had this when I was in Cub Scouts!?!

Oh well. I'm an Eagle Scout anyway, so there.

Hello fellow Eagle Scout!

OT: Yeah those belt loops have all sorts of topics, so I'm not particularly surprised that they've made a video game one, its not like all of the skills Scouting promotes are outdoor ones. (Looking at you Reading merit badge.)

Hello fellow Eagle Scouts! I got mine last summer. Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle

Anyways, I have to say I loved cub scouts and loved the camping in Boy Scouts even more. Went to Phillmont last summer and have to say, this would have been a fun pin to get in Cubs, but i still enjoy all the outdoor and leadership skills i learned their and apply them in my everyday life.

 

[Feste the Jester]

I wish they offered that when I was a Cub Scout. Now Boy Scouts needs the Video Game merit badge.

 

[Danpascooch]

About damn time!

 

[bassdrum]

I don't understand what exactly the cubs are. Is it "Cub is to Cadet as Cadet is to Army"?

Cub Scouts are the 4 to 10 year olds, Boy Scouts are 11 to 18.

8-11 not 4-10

Oh wow my brain had a bit of a failure. Thanks for the correction.

WHAT!?! Now why the fuck couldn't they have had this when I was in Cub Scouts!?!

Oh well. I'm an Eagle Scout anyway, so there.

Hello fellow Eagle Scout!

OT: Yeah those belt loops have all sorts of topics, so I'm not particularly surprised that they've made a video game one, its not like all of the skills Scouting promotes are outdoor ones. (Looking at you Reading merit badge.)

Hello fellow Eagle Scouts! I got mine last summer. Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle

Anyways, I have to say I loved cub scouts and loved the camping in Boy Scouts even more. Went to Phillmont last summer and have to say, this would have been a fun pin to get in Cubs, but i still enjoy all the outdoor and leadership skills i learned their and apply them in my everyday life.

Oh hello all you fellow Eagles! I didn't know that we were out on the Escapist in such force!

[sub]I think that a gaming merit badge should henceforth be required for Eagle. It's obviously an important survival/leadership skill.[/sub]

 

[Roxas1359]

Well I remember when I was a cub scout. I had to go to camps, go on trips, and basically go outside. My dad will be so mad if he were to see this, he used to be the Pack leader. I joined Boy Scouts and got up to Life scout, but our troop got disbanded for two reasons. One, we did not have much money in our troop anymore, and two we had no new members coming in.

 

[Mortons4ck]

I really hope this is a joke.

I am totally not making this up.

Shit.

Next thing you know they'll be cranking out a Merit Badge with a XBOX Gamerscore of 100,000 points as requirement 1a.

 

[thefunk686]

I'm a little in awe of how many people in this thread think that awarding badges to scouts is some sort of new achievement system. I made Eagle scout six or seven years ago, and scouts have been around and doing their thing LONG before that, so if anything, the "achievements" that you guys think Scouts are ripping from games are something that games have ripped from scouts.

It's also kind of shocking how many people think that Scouts is all about being tree-huggers or getting on some fast track to a military career. I went through it all and am about to graduate from DePaul with a degree in Computer Game Design, and thoroughly enjoyed my time in the scouts.

The Scout Law is as follows

"A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."

Being in the scouts is about becoming a strong, well-rounded person, and it applies to all walks of life.

 

[Sir Kemper]

They should be careful.

Or else those tenacious little scout might start yelling "Need a Dispenser here!" if they discover a certain game...

 

[Mortons4ck]

This is somewhat cool.

Now maybe if they start letting gays and atheists participate, I'll cease being adamantly against Boyscouts of America.

It really depends on the Troop and Council you are in. Our troop had a gay kid and a few atheists ins it. During my tenure as SPL (the elected leader), my Asst. SPL (who was SPL before me) was agnostic and my Den Chief (liaison to a cub scout troop) was a staunch atheist. But I grew up in a (relatively) liberal area of the US. The General Rule that everyone followed was "No proselytizing"

I read somewhere that the scouts were Christian based anti homosexuals anti atheist.

Is that true? Something to do with the founders?

Again, depends on the Troop and Council.

At the national level, they have expanded to encompass all religions.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

This is somewhat cool.

Now maybe if they start letting gays and atheists participate, I'll cease being adamantly against Boyscouts of America.

It really depends on the Troop and Council you are in. Our troop had a gay kid and a few atheists ins it. During my tenure as SPL (the elected leader), my Asst. SPL (who was SPL before me) was agnostic and my Den Chief (liaison to a cub scout troop) was a staunch atheist. But I grew up in a (relatively) liberal area of the US. The General Rule that everyone followed was "No proselytizing"

I read somewhere that the scouts were Christian based anti homosexuals anti atheist.

Is that true? Something to do with the founders?

Again, depends on the Troop and Council.

At the national level, they have expanded to encompass all religions.

My idea of the organization probably comes from living in Texas.