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Pretty intriguing..."The Mormon Church Conspiracy" by Charles L. Wood....didn't check his sources, but he had some intriguing things on his webpage...

* In states with a high concentration of Mormon Churches, non-Mormon boys who want to participate in Boy Scout activities often must join the Mormon Church sponsored group. In these areas the Boy Scout troops become important recruiting prospects for the church. Because the Boy Scouts have a “God and Country” award for those performing their duties well, it connects Scouts with a religion, and thus Scout programs become also an important proselytizing and indoctrination tool for the church.

As a longtime Scout leader and an apostate mormon who served twice as a Scoutmaster for LdS troops, I can tell you that the LdS most assuredly use any program they can as a recruiting/missionary tool. Especially the Boy Scouts.

That being said, the LdS outside of Utah or states or localities that have a large LdS population, typically are unable to operate a Boy Scout Troop that could be used as such. They are usually smaller and have less effective leadership because of the high turnover and the “selection” of leaders due to the “calling” process. There are folks selected who know nothing about Scouting or could care less about Scouting. But, that’s the way of the LdS.

They are also usually quite clannish in their interactions and with regards to so-called “conventional troops”, they will usually only interact with those when it benefits them to do so.

Here is some information on the religiious awards you brought up. Almost every religion that associates with Boy Scouting has one. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-879_WB.pdf

I would question the fact that a boy would have to join the mormon church to participate LdS scouting. Not to say the mormons wouldn’t be putting their best forward to use the activities to “proselyte”. Secondly, boys of varying faiths typically make up a troop and would go to their religious leader(s) to work on their faiths religious award. I wouldn’t expect a boy who is not a mormon to go to the bishop or young men’s president to earn a mormon award.

Keep in mind, Scouting to the LdS is an “activity” that is used to supplement their young men’s priesthood training program and to be used as a missionary tool. It’s use and benefits are all secondary to the church. If it interferes or contradicts with their church activities or teachings, it’s tossed aside.