New Wolf, Bear, & Webelos Handbooks
NOW IN STORES!

In a continuing effort to help leaders deliver a quality Cub Scout program, and to ensure that program materials remain current and age-appropriate, the Boy Scouts of America have enhanced the content of the current Wolf, Bear, and Webelos handbooks. These books have been updated for relevance to today¹s youth, appropriateness of content, ease of use, and perceived challenge to the reader.

The new handbooks have maintained many of the current elements that have been proven successful in the past. The books have eliminated topics that have become dated and do not challenge today¹s Cub Scouts and their families. Some specific revisions are as follows:

• Integrated Charter Connections (that draw on Cub Scouting¹s 12 Core Values) directly into selected requirements in each book.
• Infused age-appropriate outdoor program activities into both the requirements and the electives in each book.
• Enhanced the advancement and elective trails to create a progressively more challenging pathway that logically prepares boys for the next rank in Cub Scouting and prepares Webelos Scouts for Boy Scouting.
• Reformatted and enhanced the Webelos handbook; particularly, the Webelos badge and Arrow of Light Award requirements.

In an effort to assist the leaders with the transition from the current handbooks to the new handbooks, the following implementation plan has been created:

• The enhanced Wolf, Bear, and Webelos handbooks will be released by late August 2003.
• The enhancements to the requirements in these books will not affect the advancement trails of boys who are using the current books. They are to continue using their current books until they have completed all requirements in those books.
• Based on availability, Cub Scout youth members may use either the current handbook or the new handbook. As boys enter the program or advance in rank by the dates indicated below, they are required to use the new books.
  1. Boys who become Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts after August 1, 2004 will be required to use the new book for the corresponding rank.
  2. Boys who become Webelos Scouts after August 1, 2005, will be required to use the new Webelos Scout Handbook.

BOYS' LIFE QUALITY UNIT EMBLEM AVAILABLE

Beginning Jan. 1, 2003, members of units that qualify for the Quality Unit Award and also qualify as a 100% Boys' Life Unit can wear a special version of the Quality Unit Emblem on their uniforms.

The new emblem has a metallic gold border and "100% BOYS' LIFE" embroidered under the large Q. Leaders can purchase it, along with other Quality Unit items, on the Special Order Form No. 14-754.

All 100% Boys' Life Units will continue to receive a recognition ribbon for the unit flagpole at no cost.

The new BSA Physical Fitness Award offers adult leaders and youth members a program for increased fitness awareness, improved exercise habits, and a healthier diet.

All Scouts and Scouters who successfully complete the requirements may wear a special recognition pin and patch purchased through their local council. Scout leaders are encouraged to set an example for youth by earning the award.

A key figure in the process of earning the award is a fitness mentor, an individual recognized and trained in activity education and identified by the local Scout council's health and safety, risk management, or training committee. (Mentors may include merit badge counselors for any physical activity-oriented merit badge.)

Scouters and mentors beginning the program will receive from local councils a copy of the pocket Leader's Fitness Card, containing a checklist for completing requirements.

Requirements include establishing and carrying out a plan for achieving improvement over time in activities that reflect the seven major components of fitnessÑposture (personal posture chart), accuracy (softball throw), strength (sit-ups), agility (side steps), speed (distance dash), balance (squat stands), and endurance (squat thrusts).

Other requirements include obtaining a cardiovascular fitness evaluation, giving a presentation on fitness to a youth group, and demonstrating knowledge of proper equipment and safety considerations for different activities. Resources for youth earning the BSA Physical Fitness Award can be found in the advancement requirements for fitness activities in the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs. Such advancement activities include bicycling, hiking, swimming, many types of sports, and more.

Contact local council service centers for more information.

For years, Webelos Scouts have been able to wear either a blue uniform or a tan-and-olive uniform. However, regardless of the shirt's color, they could wear only a blue diamond-shaped Webelos badge (No. 00043).

Now, a new tan oval-shaped badge (No. 80375) has been introduced for the tan uniform shirt. Unlike the blue diamond badge, the new oval badge is not worn with arrow points or rank badges from the Tiger, Wolf, or Bear programs.

The blue diamond-shaped badge can still be worn on a tan shirt as well as on a blue shirt. In both cases, it is grouped with other badges of rank on the left pocket.

Less than half of the registered leaders in Cub Scout packs have completed basic training for their positions. To improve this record, the Cub Scout position of pack trainer is being introduced.

The pack trainer:

• must meet BSA membership requirements, be at least 21 years of age, and register with the Boy Scouts of America as a pack trainer. (It is recommended that the pack trainer have at least one year of experience in a leadership position in Cub Scouting, preferably as a Cub Scout or Webelos den leader.)
• is selected by the pack committee, with the approval of the chartered organization.
• should be trained in a Trainer Development Conference and, of course, have completed a training session before teaching one.

The pack trainer is responsible for:

• conducting orientation of new families and new pack leaders.
• training each new leader and pack committee member for his or her specific position, using material in the training manuals New Leader Essentials (BSA No. 34870) and Cub Scout Leader Specific Training (No. 34875).
• encouraging pack leaders to attend ongoing training, such as roundtable; pow wow or University of Scouting; outdoor training; Youth Protection training; and Wood Badge.
• staying current with training materials and program updates.
• keeping track of pack training records.

Release of new Basic Leader Training materials has resulted in some confusion regarding the status of Webelos Leader Outdoor Training.

There are no changes in Webelos Leader Outdoor Training. The course outline is in the publication Cub Scout Leader Training (BSA No. 34700).

Webelos Leader Outdoor Training is supplemental training and is not required for a Webelos leader to be considered "trained." It is, however, a requirement for earning the Webelos Den Leader Award.