Wood Badge: Scouting America's Foremost Adult Leadership Training
May 21-23, 2027 at Camp Sequassen – New Hartford, CT
June 12-13, 2027 at Hoyt Scout Reservation – West Redding, CT
Wood Badge Course History
Below is a listing of KNOWN Wood Badge Courses that relate to our Council, either by location or Course Director. This list is incomplete. Any help in filling in the blanks, or identifying other courses and Course Directors would be very welcome.
Also included is a listing of NYLT Courses where the Scoutmaster was recognized with a fourth bead.
| Course Director | Course # | Year | Location |
| Joseph Ushchak | 13 – 72 – 26 – 1Y | 2026 | Camp Workcoeman |
| Connie Hemphill | 13 – 72 – 25 – 2Y | 2025 | Camp Workcoeman |
| Ed Gratrix | 13 – 72 – 25 | 2025 | Camp Sequassen |
| Joseph Ushchak | 13 – 72 – 25 – 1Y | 2025 | Camp Workcoeman |
| Sabrina Doolittle | 11 – 72 – 24 | 2024 | Camp Sequassen/Hoyt SR |
| Jacob Cedusky | 13 – 72 – 24 – 2Y | 2024 | Camp Workcoeman |
| Joseph Ushchak | 11 – 72 – 24 – 1Y | 2024 | Camp Workcoeman |
| Roger Williams | 11 – 72 – 23 | 2023 | Camp Sequassen/Hoyt SR |
| Connie Hemphill | 11 – 72 – 23 – 1Y | 2023 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Jeff Jorgenson | 11 – 72 – 22 | 2022 | Camp Sequassen |
| Bob Lincavicks | N2 – 72 – 21 | 2021 | Camp Sequassen |
| Dave Barrett | N2 – 72 – 19 | 2019 | Camp Sequassen |
| Kathy Dilks | N2 – 72 – 19 – 1Y | 2019 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Erik Zars | N2 – 72 – 18 – 1Y | 2018 | Camp Pomperaug |
| Andrea Ulery | N2 – 72 – 18 | 2018 | Deer Lake/Hoyt SR |
| Dave Shuford | N2 – 72 – 17 | 2017 | Camp Sequassen |
| Ray Pflomm | N2 – 72 – 16 | 2016 | Camp Pomperaug |
| Jeff Guzauckas | N2 – 72 – 16 – 1Y | 2016 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Ray Spagnuolo | N2 – 72 – 15 | 2015 | Camp Pomp./Deer Lake |
| Caroline Griffin | N2 – 72 – 14 – 1Y | 2014 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Doug Heim | N2 – 72 – 14 | 2014 | Camp Sequassen |
| Caroline Griffin | N2 – 72 – 13 | 2013 | Camp Pomperaug |
| Wade Anderson | N2 – 72 – 13 – 1Y | 2013 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| John Neary | N2 – 72 – 12 | 2012 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Dave Elkodsi | N2 – 72 – 11 – 1Y | 2011 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Jay Lubin | N2 – 72 – 11 | 2011 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Roger Poggio | NE – II – 191 | 2010 | Camp Sequassen |
| Ray Moncevicius | NE – II – 188 | 2009 | Camp Sequassen |
| Mike Abrahamson | NE-II-72-09-NYLT1 | 2009 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Bill Fromm | NE – II – 184 | 2008 | Camp Sequassen |
| Eric Larson | NE – II – 173 | 2007 | Camp Sequassen |
| Mark Clark | NE – II – 163 | 2006 | Camp Sequassen |
| Bruce Harvey | NE – II – 143 | 2005 | Camp Sequassen |
| Charlie Blanchette | NE – II – 134 | 2003 | Camp Sequassen |
| Mary Saracino | NE – II – 127 | 2002 | Camp Sequassen |
| Jay Huggins | NE – II – 111 | 2001 | Camp Sequassen |
| Doug Machin | NE – III – 145 | 1999 | Camp Sequassen |
| Gary Dingus | NE – II – 90 | 1997 | Camp Seton |
| John Farley | NE – II – 84 | 1996 | Camp Sequassen |
| Vin Nolan | NE – CS – 48 | 1994 | Camp Workcoeman |
| Nick Cianciola | NE – I – 167 | 1993 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Dick Odell | NE – III – 111 | 1991 | Camp Pomperaug |
| Peter Newcomb | NE – I – 147 | 1990 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Betty Hilker | NE – CS – 32 | 1990 | Heritage Scout Res. |
| Claire Dibble | NE – CS – 22 | 1988 | Heritage Scout Res. |
| Don Rowland | NE – I – 129 | 1987 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Dick Odell | NE – I – 128 | 1987 | Camp Pomperaug |
| Mort Johnson | NE – I – 101 | 1983 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Dr. Al Adler, PhD | NE – I – 87 | 1981 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| David J. Griffiths | NE – I – 77 | 1980 | Camp Pomperaug |
| C. Robert Small | NE – I – 71 | 1979 | Chesterfield Scout Res. |
| Tom Dolan | NE – I – 70 | 1979 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| Tim Daley | NE – I – 62 | 1978 | Camp Pomperaug |
| Dag Pfeiffer | NE – I – 56 | 1977 | Camp Sequassen |
| Dag Pfeiffer | NE – III – 19 | 1976 | Camp Sequassen |
| Leo Lemoine | NE – I – 23 | 1975 | Camp Mauwehu |
| Al Halliwell | NE – I – 4 | 1973 | Camp Sequassen |
| Carl A. J? | 310 | 1967 | Camp Sequassen |
| D. A. Barnett | 287 | 1966 | Camp Sequassen |
| ??? | ???? | 1962 | Deer Lake Scout Res. |
| # Note: Course Number Ending with “Y” Denotes NYLT Course | |||
Last Updated April 15, 2026
A history of Wood Badge in the United States
Wood Badge has a long and storied history since the first course was held at Gilwell Park in July 1919. Yet, it took until 1936 for Wood Badge to first come to the United States. A Rover Scout Wood Badge course was held at Schiff Scout Reservation May 12-20, 1936, followed by a Scout Wood Badge Course between May 24-June 3, 1936. Both courses were run by the Camp Chief of Gilwell Park, John Skinner Wilson. William “Green Bar Bill” Hillcourt, assistant director of Boys’ Life magazine attended the Rover Scout course and served as the Senior Patrol Leader (“dog’s-body” in British terms) for the Boy Scout Wood Badge course. While these two experimental courses were a success, World War II intervened, and Wood Badge did not return to the US until 1948, after the retirement of the first Chief Scout Executive, James E. West.
Courses were originally designed to run at Schiff Scout Reservation and Philmont. Under this US version of Wood Badge, the Patrol Method was heavily stressed. The patrol names picked were birds and animals (Critters) found in every state in the Union: Eagle, Bob White, Fox, and Beaver. The first American Wood Badge course was July 31-August 8, 1948. The course assembled 29 men plus staff from 12 states (Connecticut was not one of the states represented). The Scoutmaster was “Green Bar Bill” Hillcourt. The second course was held at Philmont, October 2-10, 1948. “Green Bar Bill” was once again Scoutmaster, with 35 participants.
Between 1948 and 1958, nearly 5,000 men had taken a Wood Badge course. Early courses were conducted exclusively by the National Volunteer Training Service; the first course conducted by a local council was in 1953 in Cincinnati. Week long courses were the rule until 1974, when weekend courses were authorized. Wood Badge was an exclusive male domain until 1976, when women scouters were welcomed into Wood Badge.
Explorer Wood Badge was first held in 1951; Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge was first held in 1976. Over the years, there were Walking Wood Badge courses, Rafting Wood Badge courses, and Canoe Wood Badge courses.
Through 1958, no Wood Badge courses had been held in Connecticut, according to the BSA National Council ^. Chief Bogan ^^ made no mention of Wood Badge in his comprehensive book so we assume no Wood Badge courses were held by Quinnipiac Council through 1963. However, the Chief did indicate that in 1952, Mountain Man Training began, stating that Mountain Man was “…patterned after the British Wood Badge training…” The course director appeared to be Assistant Scout Executive Hermon F. Newcomb. Apparently the Mountain Man program continued annually thereafter.
^ General Source: A History of Wood Badge in the United States (Links below); BSA Publication 3164, 1990 Printing
^^ No Larger Fields: The History of a Boy Scout Council 1910-1963; by Samuel D. Bogan, © 1966, Quinnipiac Council BSA
WOOD BADGE LINKS OF INTEREST
- Short Biography of Lord Baden-Powell
- The Origins of Wood Badge
- The Origins of the Woggle
- A Detailed History of Wood Badge
- Patrol Colors and Patrol Patch History
