2017 55th Annual West Point Military Academy Camporee

Attached is the permission slip to the West Point Military Academy Camporee. Please return this permission slip with the attendance fee ASAP, we will not be accepting permission slips after February 1.The camporee will be from Friday, April 28 through Sunday, April, 30.

Also attached is the full information packet on the Camporee. Below are some of the highlights and key information from this packet. Additional information will follow.

The Annual West Point Invitational Camporee is the largest annual Scout Camporee in the nation. This is a joint Boy Scout and Girl Scout event. The Camporee is run by volunteers made up of West Point Cadets, many of whom are Eagle Scouts or Gold Award recipients.This should be an incredible experience for the Scouts. Our Troop has not been to this event in 28 years. Attendance at the Camporee is awarded by lottery and as such we do not know when we will have another opportunity to attend.

Camporee Rules:

• The minimum uniform for all scouts throughout the camporee will be a class B uniform with scout pants and a scout T-shirt or scout polo shirt.

• The class A uniform will be required for reveille and retreat formations, formation on Saturday and all subsequent activities Saturday evening, for the religious services, and the awards ceremony on Sunday.

• Gym clothes and shoes are the uniform for Saturday morning PT, be prepared to get them dirty and not be able use them for the rest of the weekend.

• No locking knives with blades longer than six inches, or butterfly knives.

• Profanity is prohibited during the camporee.

• No cutting down trees.

• Troops will clear with the cadet in charge of their campsite before leaving on Sunday.

• Vehicles are strictly for emergency use. No driving on Lake Frederick grounds from midnight Friday until after the Closing Ceremony and Parade on Sunday.

• Please do not touch any military training refuse (spent rounds, barb wire, etc.). Report it to a cadet staff member if it needs to be removed.

• Do not play with the wildlife.

• All Boy Scout, Girl Scout, and Venture Units must comply with all applicable national policies. This includes, but is not limited to tour permits, camping permits, two deep leadership, patrol method, and uniforms.

• We ask scouts NOT to wear official elements of a military uniform, such as physical training pants or military style camouflage while at West Point. Backpacks with camouflage patterns and items that aren’t military uniform items are okay.

Graded Events (Winner to be announced during the closing ceremony):

• Camouflage - At this site Scouts will learn how to properly apply US Army camouflage. They will be graded on their ability to apply what they have learned to a time standard.

• Litter/First Aid - At this site Scouts will fashion a litter and perform first aid techniques. Scouts will have to apply what they know to an “emergency” situation. They will be graded on proficiency and time.

• Knot Tying - Scouts will be taught how to tie various knots. They will be graded on their ability to correctly tie the knots in a certain time limit.

• Leadership Reaction Course - At this site Scouts will be given a specific problem to solve using given materials. The Scouts will be graded by time with time added to their score for errors (touching minefield).

• Drill - This site is mandatory for every Scout in attendance. The Scouts will learn the US Army drill and ceremonies techniques that they will use for the closing review.

• Fire Building - At this site the Scouts will have to build a fire to burn a string that is at a given height. The Scouts will be graded on how fast they are able to burn through the string and the materials they use to build their fire.

• Wilderness Survival - Scouts will be given a designated amount of time to look for materials to build a shelter and then given additional time to create the shelter. Once the shelter is graded on its' usefulness, the scouts will be required to take down the shelter and attempt to make the site look as though it was unoccupied.

• Ranger Challenge - A combination of physical events Scouts must complete (climbing ranger wall, carrying water jugs, etc.). Event requires Scouts to work together as a team to best accomplish the challenge.

• Swiss Seat/One-Rope Bridge - Scouts will be taught how to tie a US Army rappel seat and will be graded on their ability to re-tie the seat in 90 seconds. They will then have the opportunity to cross a One-Rope Bridge using their seat.

• Kim’s Game - Scouts will be given a certain situation to analyze to identify and remember the variety of items within the situation. After a certain period of time, the Scouts will be asked to turn around while certain aspects of the situation previously analyzed are altered. The Scouts will attempt to identify any changes that were made to the original site.

• Commander’s Challenge - This event will not be announced until the Camporee. It will be both physically and mentally tough and designed with a military background.

• Zodiac Challenge - The RB-15, also known as a Zodiac, is a US Army raft. If these are not available due to supply issues, we will use canoes. The Scouts will have to negotiate a course on the lake. The fastest patrol will win this site.

• Fitness Challenge - Fitness is a critical aspect of military life. The Scouts will be graded on the relative fitness of their patrol through participation in physical activities such as push-ups and sit-ups.

• Weapons – Scouts will be briefed on a variety of US military weapons, their capabilities, and also their uses. Scout will be graded on how well they retained each weapons’ characteristics.

• Knowledge Baseball - Scouts will play ‘baseball’ by answering questions about rank requirements, common scout skills, scouting heritage and some basic West Point knowledge. The more questions answered correctly, the more points the Scouts can score.

• TAC Challenge - Scouts will carry dummy rifles and bound through woodland terrain to rescue a hostage at the end of the lane. They will face physical obstacles and be required to react to enemy contact along the lane.

• Campsite Inspection - Each troop will be judged on the neatness of their campsite. Judges will be looking for planning in the layout of the troop’s area, safety, and cleanliness.

Individual Events:

• Scoutmaster’s Cook-Off: Scoutmasters are invited to participate in a cook-off at lunch time on Saturday. There are five categories: main dish, chili, Dutch Oven, light fighter and dessert.

• Troop Gateway Competition: Troops are encouraged to prepare a gateway for their campsite, to be judged by camporee staff. The troop must bring all materials and completely remove the gateway before leaving Sunday morning. Troops may not utilize trees, vines, or other vegetation from Camp Lake Frederick grounds.

Events Schedule: