I have to agree with you on the low experience level of most camp councilors, and I was one in my youth so I know. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

For most skilled merit badges, the requirements and pamphlet information are usually just introductions into the topic, intended to broaden a scouts horizons (IMHO). There are few exceptions such as lifesaving & first aid where the requirements are rigorous. And for rifle, shotgun, climbing, etc. where the safty aspects of the requirements are equally rigorous, and rightly so.

I ran across two of our scouts at summer camp a few years back as they headed back into camp. I knew their schedule for that time slot was Wilderness Survival MB. So I asked what was up. They replied that they covered the requiremnts with the councilor in 30 minutes. They were experienced campers and hunters with their dads, so they had a good head start. But they sadly disappointed that the councilor was only really interested in checking off the requirements instead of sitting down and teaching them more skills. So they decided to leave the class as they didn't feel they were "earning" the badge. I had a discussion about this with the Camp Director, although there's not too much he could do at that point, and it also led me to look into the subject in more detail myself. And through a link on meritbadge.com, I stumbled on ETS.

BTW, Tom, I think a survival weekend would be a great program idea for a Campmaster. <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />