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DID YOU KNOW?

Exploring / Venturing - The Changes

On August 1, 1998, the National BSA split the Exploring program into two separate organizations.   Explorer Posts in the areas of: 

• Arts and Hobbies
• Outdoor, 
• Sea Scouting, 
• Sports, and 
• Youth Ministries

were transferred to the new Venturing Division of BSA and became Venture Crews.  Viking Council rechartered units in 1999 as "Venture Crews" rather than "Posts".   

Sea Exploring Ships are now called Sea Scouting Ships.  Sea Scouting has its own advancement program  for youth members (male and female) of Sea Scouting Ships.   While Viking Council does not have any Sea Scouting Units, you can visit the Sea Scouting site for details.

Venturing has its own separate Advancement tracks:

• The Venturing Bronze, Gold, and Silver Awards are available to all youth (male and female) in the Venturing program. 
• The Ranger Award is also available to all youth in the Venturing program, but is primarily for members of Outdoor Crews.

A parallel track is available for boys that are transferring from a troop:

• Any male Venturer who has achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue advancement toward Star, Life and Eagle Scout ranks up to his 18th birthday.
  • He must meet the requirements as prescribed in the official Boy Scout Handbook and the current Boy Scout Requirements book.
  • The Venturer may fulfill leadership requirements by serving as president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer of his crew.
  • The Scoutmaster conference will be conducted by the Advisor.
  • As the Venturer meets requirements for the Star and Life ranks, a board of review will be conducted by the crew.
  • The Eagle board of review shall follow the procedures established by the Viking Council BSA.

• All other Explorer Posts and their members were transferred to the new Exploring Program in the Learning for Life program, which is a separate subsidiary of BSA. 

• Explorers that were working on rank requirements toward the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks only had until December 31, 1999 to complete them.  If an Explorer wishes to continue to work on Boy Scout Rank awards, they now must also register as a member of another Viking Council unit - as either a Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or in a Venturing Crew to complete requirements Boy Scout advancement requirements.  No exceptions, sorry.