FAQs

Have other questions?  Connect with the Scoutmaster, Stuart Burris, via email at wb.14.205.26@gmail.com

To attend Wood Badge, you must meet the following requirements:

1 - Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.

2 - Complete the Pre-Course Orientation training on training.scouting.org/ and provide a certificate of completion.

3 - Be 18 years old or older.

4 - Be current with your Safeguarding Youth Training through October 11, 2026.

5 - Have a complete Annual Health and Medical Record Parts A, B, and C current through October 11, 2026.
Part C must be completed by a medical professional.

6 - Complete basic training courses for your Scouting position.

7 - Be capable of functioning safely in an outdoor environment.

8 - Be able to attend BOTH weekends.

9 - Come ready to have FUN and Learn!

Like other trainings, you can find the Wood Badge Pre-Course Orientation on training.scouting.org using your my.scouting login.  You can also find more information on this website on the Pre-Course Orientation page.

The pre-course orientation modules are required to be completed and the certificate provided to the Scoutmaster prior the first weekend.  

Once you have completed the modules, you can email the certificate to the Scoutmaster, Stuart Burris, at wb.14.205.26@gmail.com.

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the document from Scouting.org that lists the required training for various Scouting Positions.  Most of this training is available online, so you can do it at your convenience.

We are able to accept 48 participants in the course.  The first 48 participants to regsiter and pay the full course fee will be able to participate in the course.

Once the course fills and cannot accept any more participants, the remaining Scouters who wish to register will be placed on a wait list for spots that may open.  If a spot doesn't open, their registration can be transferred to the next Wood Badge course that should be in 2027.

Prior to course, complete the required Pre-course Orientation module on training.scouting.org.  

Arrive for course in a complete BSA field uniform (shirt, pants, belt) with a positive attitude and a willingness to be exposed to new ideas.  It also helps if you are enthusiastic, can be flexible, and are a team player.  Be willing to share and apply what you learn on course in your unit and district.  Conduct yourself at all times in a manner consistent with the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

Yes, both weekends are required to complete the course and critical to the overall experience of Wood Badge.

The course starts early on Friday, September 11 for the first weekend and on Saturday, October 10 for the second weekend.  Please plan to arrive no later than 7:00 AM on both of these days.  There will be availability for participants to arrive the night before, if desired, so they are ready to go as each weekend starts.

No.  The course is packed every day with presentations and activities.  For participants to complete Wood Badge, they must participate in the full program schedule during both weekends. 

Participants are allowed to bring laptops, tablets, etc. to take notes during the course.  However, please note that you will NOT have access to receptacles to charge your devices while using them.  Please plan appropriately.  The course weekends have a very full schedule so there will be minimal time available to check in with personal or work commitments.  Please come prepared to provide your full attention to the course and remember that this course occurs at our scout camps where there is no guarantee that WiFi or cellular signals will be available. 

The course will operate as a Cub Scout Pack and a Scouts BSA Troop.  Participants are placed in dens and patrols of no more than 6 individuals.  Also, there will be no more than 8 patrols, for a maximum of 48 participants.  Course will be all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for the first weekend and all day Saturday and Sunday for the second weekend.  The first weekend you'll sleep indoors and attend indoor and outdoor activities.  The second weekend you'll sleep outdoors in tents as a patrol and attend indoor and outdoor activities.  The Course will have a Course Director (Scoutmaster), Assistant Scoutmasters, Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Scribes, Quartermasters, Instructors, Health & Safety, and Troop Guides.  All staff members are knowledgeable, caring, and trusted resources for participants.  The course will operate according to a set schedule which will be published in the course newsletter, The Gilwell Gazette.

Wood Badge is important because it is the highest level of adult leadership training available to BSA councils.  Have you ever heard the expression, "every youth deserves a trained leader"?  More highly trained leaders will deliver a better program and a better experience for our youth; our youth will stay in scouting longer, accomplish more, and have more fun.  If you look at units in our council that are successful, you'll generally find the primary adult leaders are Wood Badge trained.  The converse is also true.  The units in our council that are not living up to their potential usually have a deficiency of trained leaders.

Wood Badge is an adult leader training and is open to any registered member of the BSA that is 18 years old or older.  The course will have some Youth Staffers that will assist on the second weekend.  Youth that want to further develop their leadership skills are encouraged to take National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).  NYLT is a leadership program for youth members of the BSA and is the youth corollary to Wood Badge. More info on the Lincoln Heritage Council NYLT courses can be found at https://lhcbsa.org/nylt/.

Wood Badge is based on 5 themes and 14 leadership competencies.  The themes will cover Growing as an individual and leader, Connecting with others, Guiding and Empowering Scouts and other adult leaders, and Living the Values of Scouting.  The leadership competencies will cover Drive Vision, Mission, and Values; Know Thyself; Communicate Effectively; Include and Optimize Diverse Talent; Learn to Listen, Listen to Learn; Plan with a Bias for Action; Develop Individuals and Teams; Know the Territory; Apply Interpersonal Savvy; Manage Conversations; Coach and Mentor; Embrace and Lead Change; Create a Culture: "Train Them, Trust Them, Let Them Lead"; and Inspire the Heart.  These competencies will fill your "Toolbox" and provide you the needed "Tools" to improve your unit and become a better Servant Leader.  Additionally, you’ll learn a lot from the other participants and Staff. Most importantly, you’ll grow and develop into a more effective leader as you “Work Your Ticket”!

See the Personal Equipment Lists on the "Documents" page for information on what you should bring to the course.  There is a document for the first weekend and one for the second weekend.  This info will also be sent to participants as we get closer to the actual start of the course.

All required items are covered by the course fee so you do not have to bring cash for the weekends.  However, you may want to bring some cash to purchase some course SWAG, patches, and other items at our trading post or make a donation to the World Friendship Fund during the Interfaith Worship Service.

Yes, all participants and staff must submit a completed BSA Health Form including Parts A, B, & C.  Part C must be completed by a medical professional. The BSA Health Form can be found on the "Documents" page.

The staff will follow all of the council's recommendations for health and safety concerns.  We take the health and safety of everyone involved with course seriously and have a staff member dedicated to Health & Safety.  More information will be available and communicated as we get closer to the start of the first weekend.

While the course will attempt to keep this website updated, the primary means of communication that the course will use will be email.  As course approaches, emails with info will be sent out to registered participants so it is important that you provide an email address that you monitor.  Once the course starts, your Troop Guide will be your primary point of contact for the course and also as you "work your ticket".

The official BSA course number for our course is 14-205-26.  

• 14 represents the national territory of the BSA where the council is located

• 205 is the council number for Lincoln Heritage Council

• 26 is the 2 digit year in which the course occurs

The purpose of the Wood Badge experience is to strengthen Scouting in our units, our District and our Council. The Wood Badge "ticket" represents each Participant’s self-directed commitment to complete a set of five personal goals relating to that individual's Scouting position. These goals will significantly strengthen the program in which the Participant is involved.  In addition, the Ticket gives participants an opportunity to practice and demonstrate a working knowledge of the leadership skills presented during the course. Participants should complete their Wood Badge ticket no later than 18 months after the course.  There will be a lot of discussion about tickets during the course.  You may want to talk to your youth and unit leaders about potential ideas for goals to improve your unit.  Please note, that your ticket goals have to be new items and not something you are already doing, so don't start working on it until your "ticket" is approved by your Troop Guide and you have finished the second weekend of course.