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The Wood Badge is the recognition received by adults in Scouting who have completed the Scoutmaster training program provided by their respective National Scout Association. Those who successfully complete the training receive recognition in the form of two wooden beads on bootlace. A Wood Badge receipient is called a Wood Badger or Gilwellian.
Additional beads are awarded to Wood Badgers who serve as part of their council's Wood Badge training team. One additional bead is awarded to Assistant Leader Trainers and two additional beads are awarded to Leader Trainers, for a total of four.
As part of a tradition that is not widely practiced, if at all, a total of five beads is worn by the National Scout Association's person in charge of Wood Badge trainings. This symbolizes his position as the official representative of Gilwell in his country and as a Deputy Camp Chief of Gilwell.
Robert Baden-Powell himself wore a total of six beads which he passed on to Sir Percy Everett , then Deputy Chief Scout. Percy in turn gave the six beads to Gilwell to be worn by the Gilwell Camp Chief as a badge of office. This tradition continues today.The training was first conducted by Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, on September 8, 1919 in Gilwell. At the conclusion of the training he awarded each participant a wooden bead from a necklace he received from Dinizulu, a Zulu chieftain. The supply of original beads has long been exhausted and the beads awarded today are replicas.
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