TimesDispatch.com Jamboree Web Site


This photo was posted on their site July 24, 2005.

Web Site Links:

Official 2005 National Jamboree homepage
(Newsletter, guidebooks, history, qualifications, staff, special opportunities,
forms and resources, highlights from the 2001 Jamboree, and more!)

Equipment Lists

City Services: postal, banking, trading posts, housing, transportation, etc.

Food Services

Public Safety

Boys' Life Patrol Flag Contest (PDF-requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Patrol Rotation of Responsibilities (PDF-requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Troop Jamboree Schedule (PDF-requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Jamboree Daily Program (PDF-requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Participant Statement of Understanding and Code of Conduct

Troop Leader Guidebook

• Footlocker
  
• Combination lock for footlocker (write down combination to give to Scoutmaster in case you forget it)
  
• Cot
  
• Folding chair
  
• Duffel bag—for carrying and storage of bulky items
  
• 2 Blankets or 1 sleeping bag; 2 sheets; and large garbage bag to keep them in during the day
  
• Small air pillow or regular pillow
  
• Self-Inflating air mattress (optional)
  
• Ground cloth
  
• Poncho
  
• Second full Class-A Jamboree uniform (in addition to the one you will wear at Departure)
  
• Several Class-B Scouting t-shirts
  
• Several pair Scout socks
  
• Several pair regular socks
  
• Several pair underwear
  
• 2 pair pajamas
  
• Swiming suit
  
• Garbage bag or laundry bag to hold dirty clothes
  
• Rubber-soled shower shoes
  
• Mess kit, 1 knife, 1 fork, and 1 spoon
  
• Drinking cup
  
• Toilet kit: soap in container, 3 washcloths, shampoo, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, metal mirror
  
• 3 bath towels
  
• 2 hand towels
  
• Sewing kit (optional)
  
• Flashlight (no flame-type lights will be permitted) and extra batteries for it
  
• Scout pocket knife
  
• Bible, Testament, or prayer book according to faith
  
• Insect repellent
  
• Sunscreen
  
• Notebook, pen, pencil
  
• Camera, film, batteries for it
  
• Shaving gear (if needed)
  
• Musical instrument (optional)
  
• Shoelaces, extra pair
  
• Boy Scout Handbook (optional)
  
• Electric lantern (spare battery and bulb) (optional)
  
• Scout Songbook (optional)
  
• Council patches to trade
  
• Spending money (our Council recommends no more than $60)
  
• Extra pair of comfortable, well-worn shoes
  
• Phone card (optional)
  
• Personal first-aid kit
  

• Day Pack (for holding lunch, etc. to keep on the bus while traveling - our Council will provide each Scout with a free day pack)
  
• Bag lunch (if you prefer to bring your own)
  
• Snacks for bus trip
  
• 2 Canteens or plastic water bottles, filled with water
  
• Watch
  
• Small personal radio with earphones and extra batteries - No boom boxes allowed
  
• Wallet
  
• Sunglasses
  
• Copy of Jamboree Medical Form
  
• Copy of Family Health Insurance Card
  
• Government-Issued Photo ID
  
• Wear FULL Class A Jamboree uniform

• I-64 WEST, go about 55 miles.
  
  
• Take I-81 SOUTH, go less than 1 mile.
  
  
• Take Route 262 exit (exit #220), go less than 1 mile.
  
  
• Take Route 11 exit (the first exit), go 1.2 miles, (you will pass Valley Mall).
  
  
• Turn RIGHT onto Statler Blvd at a stoplight.
  
  
• Immediately turn RIGHT into the old shopping center with a Blockbuster video store.
  
  
• Go to the large parking lot.
  
  

• We recommend Scouts not earn more than 1-2 merit badges at Jamboree, because there are so many other fun things to do. But if you do want to work on a merit badge, get the blue cards from Mr. Q before Departure.
  
• You will be issued a Jamboree Troop Day Pack at Departure. Any radios, CD players, etc., must have headphones!
  
• You will need two complete Boy Scout Class A uniforms with Jamboree patches sewed on.
  
• Do NOT sew the large patrol emblem patches (with the eagle) onto uniform, they may be attached to day packs instead.
  
• Any official Scout pants, shorts, or socks listed in the National Jamboree Catalog will be ok.
  
• You will be issued a Jamboree Neckerchief when you arrive at the Jamboree. But you need to bring a neckerchief slide with you (any type).
  
• Class B uniform (Scout t-shirt with Class A shorts/pants) will be worn most of the time. Only Boy Scout oriented t-shirts can be worn at Jamboree (summer camp, troop, cub scouting, scout activity, etc.)
  
• The Jamboree Participant's Caps (#JW28276) which were purchased through our special ofer will be given to everyone at Departure, July 24. Those who did not purchase a cap through this offer will need to bring their Jamboree Cap with them.
  
• You will receive 2 Council Jamboree Contingent t-shirts at Departure, July 24. Additional t-shirts can be purchased for $10 while supplies last. (Additional t-shirts already purchased will also be distributed at Departure.)
  
• While supplies last, additional Council Jamboree patches are available to purchase.
  
• Please read the official "Jamboree Participant Guide" carefully that you got in the mail before Departure.
  

• Plan to visit sometime between Wednesday, July 27 and Tuesday, August 2; between the hours of 9:00am-5:00pm (EXCEPT on the nights of Arena Shows, Wed. July 27 & Sun. July 31, when the visiting hours are 12:00 noon - 11:00pm.)
  
• Pre-arrange a meeting day, place and time to visit with him, before Departure.
  
• Plan to visit for only one day.
  
• Scout Troops and visiting Scouting groups may NOT stay at: Quantico Marine Corps Base, Dahlgren Naval Surface Warfare Center, or other military bases within a 50-mile radius of the Jamboree.
  
• All Adults must have photo identificiation.
  
• All youth NOT accompanied by their parents MUST have photo identification. A school ID is acceptable.
  
• All Drivers must have a valid driver's license.
  
• Vehicles are subject to search.
  
• Bring GREAT walking shoes. Bikes, scooters, skates, etc. are not allowed at Jamboree.
  
• Food and beverages are available for purchase at three Trading Post areas.
  
• Bring: water; sunglasses; sunscreen; bug spray; hats; camera; money to buy food, drinks and souvenirs; and a portable radio with headphones (to listen to the Jamboree radio station).
  

JAMBOREE MEDICAL FORMS

BE SURE TO SAVE A COPY OR TWO OF YOUR MEDICAL FORM FO RYOUR RECORDS AND PERSONAL USE. We will be sending the originals directly to the BSA.

PHOTO ID

All Jamboree Participants for security reasons will be required to have a government issued Photo ID. If you do not already have one, you can get one at the DMV. They are set up to produce youth IDs. At DMV you will need an original birth certificate or certified school records and your parents need to show their ID.

(These notes are in addition to the notes taken at the November 7 meeting.)

Bedding for Jamboree: lightweight sleeping bag, or a couple sheets and a blanket. Someone mentioned that Walmart sells thin fleece sleeping bags for only $10 (the packaging says it adds 10 degrees of warmth if placed inside a regular sleeping bag). This might be a good thing for them to use (instead of a regular sleeping bag) since it’s not too thick, yet it should be very soft and comfortable. Obviously it will normally be very warm at night, but if it rains, they could get chilled, especially if it rains constantly over 1-2 days or more. So they really need some type of warm blanket in addition to sheets. Also they suggested you may want to bring a "backpacking self-inflating air mattress", in addition to the blankets, the kind that inflates on its own about one-two inches. They are lightweight and will add a little padding to their cot.

Every Scout must bring a cot to the Jamboree. No one will be allowed to sleep on the ground using just an air mattress or sleeping bag. Make sure it sits high enough off the ground that there is room underneath to store their gear. They recommend a standard-size single cot, not too large or too wide, because the tents are very small and have to hold two cots and personal gear. Check the weight capacity before purchasing to make sure it is strong enough to hold the Scout’s weight.

Scouts should bring a folding chair to use at the campsite. Pack this will your long-term gear that will go in the tractor-trailer.

Each Scout must bring two pair of official Scout shorts to Jamboree.

There will be two Troops made up of all Scouts attending from the Stonewall Jackson Area Council. Each Troop will have 36 Scouts, a Scoutmaster, a First Assistant Scoutmaster, a Second Assistant Scoutmaster, and a Third Assistant Scoutmaster. Here are the Troop assignments for our Scouts:

Troop 1632: Matthew N., Randy F., Joe C., Charlie W., and Fletcher J.
                    Scoutmaster: Jimmie Ritchie, email: jimmie_ritchie@cargill.com

Troop 1633: Kevin S., David C., Jacob H., Matthew J., and Thomas N.
                    Scoutmaster: David Watkins, email: D1Watkins@netzero.com

Miscellaneous Notes:

Ft. A.P. Hill is located about 17 miles south of Fredericksburg, VA.

There were approximately 40,000 Scouts in attendance at the last National Jamboree in 2001; from all 50 states and also 37 different countries.

We are Troops 1632 and 1633. The first two numerals in the Troop number (for us:16) tell which sub-camp we will be located in. Sub-camp 16 is in the south-east region, and it is pretty far away from everything. There are 40 Troops in each sub-camp, so the second set of numerals is the Troop number of sub-camp 16 (for us: 32 and 33). Each Troop has four Patrols made up of eight Scouts and two Leaders. Even though our Troop numbers are sequential, our campsites could end up being very far from one another, depending on how it is setup.

Here are just some of the events/displays you should visit while there:

• Merit Badge Midway: They will have tents set up for 80-90 different merit badge classes. Everyone should earn at least one merit badge while you’re there, but not more than 1-2 because there’s so much more to do other than earning merit badges. They even have the Snow Skiing Merit Badge, in the middle of the summer! The Fingerprinting Merit Badge class only takes about 2 hours to complete! Visit the Merit Badge Midway during the first few days to figure out which merit badges you’d like to earn and sign up for them at the tents, and they will give you a time to show up so you can begin working on it.
• Military Displays: Every branch of the military will have a huge display. Some even give you a free hat if you complete their tour! In the past one of the individual military displays took up 40 acres!
• Conservation Tour: Don’t miss this awesome event! Spend an entire day doing cool activities along this cool, shaded trail through the forest!
• Brown Sea Island: Make sure to take some time to visit this reenactment of the very first Scout camp! Play games and do activities that Scouts did 80 years ago!
• Action Centers: There are tons of different Action Centers that have all kinds of cool games and activities, from shooting to rappelling!
• Waterfront Areas: There are several beautiful lakes stocked with fish and an olympic-sized swimming pool, where you can enjoy lots of different water sports, and activities, not to mention swimming to cool off from the hot sun!
• Order of the Arrow Display: The OA will have a huge display and show, don’t miss it!
• Venturing Display: The Venturing Display is always huge! Last time they set up a real rain forest!
• Handicap Awareness: Think you can relate to what handicap kids have to go through? Try playing baseball and finding north using a Braille compass while blindfolded; or play some wheelchair basketball.
• Visit The Official BSA Headquarters: During the National Jamboree the official BSA HQ moves to Ft. A.P. Hill! Check out the Avenue of Flags from all 50 states, the Army Band during the opening ceremonies. There will be tons of displays and the Boy Scout Museum too!
• Big Arena Shows: The biggest events at the Jamboree are always the Area Shows! In the past, they’ve had the Beach Boys, Disney Shows, Bruce Springstein, and Stephen Spielberg perform. If conditions allow it, the President of the United States usually comes to speak as well! And they have a huge fireworks display after each show! There will be two shows. Both be begin at 9:00pm on Wednesday July 27, and Sunday July 31. Keep in mind that Troops begin mobilizing to travel to the Arena and get situated beginning at 7:30pm these nights. The shows last until 10:30pm, and all visitors must leave immediately after they end.
• Trading Posts: Trading Posts stay busy all day! Get some snacks and souvenirs!

All Scouts MUST use the Patrol Method at all times. Senior Patrol Leaders are in charge… not the Scoutmaster.

All Scouts MUST use the Buddy System at all times. Nobody goes anywhere without a buddy. Your buddy does not have to be in your Troop or Patrol. You can arrange to meet your buddy at a certain place and time the next day to go to activities together. You will not be assigned a buddy, so you must find a buddy.

Meals: Each day for breakfast (7:30am-8:30am) and supper (6:00pm-7:00pm) Scouts will pull a red wagon to a kiosk where they will receive ten frozen meals, and cold drinks (milk or bug juice) for everyone in their Patrol. The meals are all delicious! The Scouts will then pull the wagon back to their campsite and cook the meals themselves (most can be cooked over a double-boiler). After meals are cooked, Scouts must invite Adult Leader and Junior Leader to join them—do not forget to invite your Leaders! After eating, Scouts will clean up everything and take all trash to the grinder. After dinner is free-time until about 9:00pm. Bag lunches (11:00am-2:00pm) are served at lunch stations on the trail while out doing activities. Each Scout will receive a card and meal tags, you must have these in order to get meals, so be very careful not lose them. Note: all Scouts must go to their own campsite for dinner, unless prior arrangements are made ahead-of-time with both Scoutmasters--only in that case may a Scout have dinner with another Troop.

You will be walking more than you ever have in your life! Each Scout should bring two comfortable (and worn-in) pair of walking shoes (in case one pair gets wet). Last time it was 5 kilometers just to get from the campsites to the Merit Badge Midway or the amphitheater! Allow lots of extra time for getting from one place to another.

Bring lots of extra council patches to trade! There will be Scouts setup in long rows wanting to trade patches and OA flaps. Also, you may want to bring medallions, pins or patches from other local attractions to trade (Montpelier, Luray Caverns, Monticello, UVA, VT, etc.)

Visitors: It is extremely important that you make plans with your son before the Jamboree for when and where you will meet with him when you come to visit. For example, you might meet Sunday at 1:00pm in front of the Army Advancement Center. If you do not make prior arrangements, you will NEVER find him when you get there. All visitors must leave the Jamboree no later than 5:00pm (except for the nights of the big Arena shows). The best day to come visit to spend time with your son is on a Sunday, because there are fewer activities going on, so Scouts have more free-time. However, weekends are also the busiest and have the most visitors, so lines are a lot longer. You may want to come during one of the big Arena Shows, which will be begin at 9:00pm on Wednesday July 27, and Sunday July 31.

Health Care: You will not have to worry about medical services and health care at the Jamboree. They have tons of doctors and medical staff, as well as air-conditioned first aid centers. If for some reason a Scout is hurt badly or extremely ill, they will be taken to Mary Washington Medical Center, but this is extremely rare. Keep in mind that the temperatures will range from 85 degrees to 105 degrees! So no heavy clothes, only lightweight Class B t-shirts. Don’t worry about him getting dehydrated, there is water everywhere! Every Scout must turn in a completed National Jamboree Health & Medical Record at their swim test or they will not be allowed to go to Jamboree. All immunizations must be current to attend. Be sure to make at least two complete copies of medical form after it’s filled out for Scout to bring with him. Scout should keep one copy with him and give another copy to Scoutmaster to keep at campsite. The form will be embedded on the Scout’s card but if the card gets lost, the BSA Headquarters will not have another copy of medical form.

Both of our Troops will be earning the National Jamboree Emergency Preparedness Award and patch this year! To earn this, Scouts must attend Pre-Jamboree training in April where we will learn about Emergency Preparedness and write up an Emergency Preparedness Plan which will be submitted at the Jamboree. All Scouts must have earned their First Aid Merit Badge prior to going to Jamboree! Please make sure all Scouts earn this badge now if they haven’t already!

If you want to visit another campsite, you may not enter without asking permission first.

Plan each day’s activities carefully. If an event or station opens at 9:00am, plan on arriving before 9:00am, so you won’t end up waiting at the end of a very long line. Always wear a watch and plan your travel time carefully as well, since you will have to walk great distances to get to certain areas.

Each Scout will receive a card that has a barcode with their personal information embedded in it, as well as a microchip with their entire medical form embedded on it. They will also receive meal tags. Be very careful not to lose your card or your meal tags! You need your card and meal tags to get food!

All Scouts must be in their campsite at no later than 10:00pm each night. A representative from your Troop has to report to BSA Headquarters that all Scouts are present and accounted for at 10:00pm. If you are caught outside of your campsite after 10:00pm, you will be picked up by the Military Police, who will transport you back to BSA Headquarters. They will then go and get your Scoutmaster and transport him to BSA Headquarters as well. Then you will have to take a very long (one-five miles) and unpleasant walk back to your campsite alongside your Scoutmaster. This is a walk you do not want to take! So don’t take chances. Always get back to camp early!

Showers are located throughout the campsites. The closest one could be right across the street or it could be two miles away, depending on where your campsite is located. All showers are open until 10:00pm every night. All Scouts are encouraged, but not required, to shower on a regular basis. Despite what the official personal equipment list calls for, our Leaders who have attended many times in the past recommend each Scout bring 3 bath towels, 3 wash cloths and a bar of soap.

Each Scout will need two complete Class A uniforms with National Jamboree patches, as well as Official Scout T-shirts, shorts, and socks. The Council will provide each Scout with Troop patches, Council patches, and patrol emblem patches for their Jamboree uniforms. Class A’s must be worn when arriving at the Jamboree, at all opening and closing ceremonies and at Kings Dominion. Only official Class A uniforms (at ceremonies) and Class B t-shirts (at all other times) may be worn the entire time at camp. Our Council will provide each Scout with two special Stonewall Jackson Area Council Jamboree t-shirts; also bring summer camp t-shirts; Troop 3 Class B shirts; National Jamboree t-shirts; or other t-shirts purchased through the BSA). Official Class A uniform shorts/pants (no regular shorts or denim shorts) must be worn at all times. Also plan on bringing several pair of official BSA Scout socks. Look for deals on Ebay. Also, the Charlottesville Scout Shop will have a list of all Scouts from our Council attending the Jamboree, so if you shop there and tell them your son is going to the Jamboree, you can receive a 15% discount.

Each campsite will have a "special" laundromat which consists of a 5-gallon bucket, detergent, and a clean toilet-plunger. Scouts are encouraged to wash clothes and uniforms and towels on a regular basis, but are not required to do so.

Each Scout needs a cot. You can buy cots at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Wal-Mart and Target.

Each Scout needs a small waterproof footlocker with your name and Troop number clearly written on the outside of it. We recommend a heavy-duty plastic type, like one made by Rubbermaid. It should be fairly small, not too big, because tent space is extremely limited, and it wouldn’t be fair for one Scout to take up a lot of room in the tent with a huge footlocker. Be sure it does not have drain holes in the bottom; it must be waterproof with no holes. Look for tool boxes at Lowe’s in the Automotive section, like the kind you put in the back of pick-up trucks. It must have a combination lock (not a key lock because keys get lost easily). Write down your combination and give it to your Scoutmaster when you arrive, so if you forget it, he’ll have a copy of it for you. There will be an adult leader at all campsites all day long for security, but you still need lock your footlocker each day before leaving the campsite. You will only be at your campsite when you are eating and sleeping.

$$ Spending Money $$: Leaders recommend Scouts bring no more than $60 spending money for their time at the Jamboree. They should use this money for buying sodas, snow cones, and snacks. When arriving at the Jamboree, Scouts should give these envelopes to their Scoutmaster to keep for them. At the beginning of the day, Scouts should go to Scoutmaster and ask for a portion of the money ($5) to use during that day, allowing the Scoutmaster to keep the remainder. He will write down how much he gave the Scout that day on the envelope, so a record will be kept. The Scout can keep the change left over at the end of the day himself to take with him the next day. Don’t plan on spending a lot of money on souvenirs at the Jamboree. Each family will receive a catalog in the mail before the Jamboree. We recommend you order souvenirs through the official catalog ahead of time, instead of standing in long lines to buy them there. Plus the boys don’t need to have a lot of cash on them. Put spending money in an envelope with your son’s name on it.

Scouts cannot receive phone calls, but may make phone calls at pay phones using a phone card. We recommend purchasing a pre-paid phone card (at Sam’s Club for example) for them to use to make calls. Parents should not expect many phone calls from their boys, as they will be too busy having fun. But older Scouts will probably wait in long lines to call girlfriends!

Scouts need a good quality flashlight with extra batteries. No lanterns are used at the Jamboree, so it is very dark at night.