Merit Badge Counselors Must Now Complete Application

Since August of 2009 our troop has been requiring the use of the Blue Card system for merit badges.   Now that system is being taken a step further by requiring the boys to work ONLY with counselors that have applied and have been approved by the BSA for specific merit badges that they are qualified to teach.

Beginning February 1st, 2011, any work done on a merit badge with a counselor who has not been approved by the BSA will not be recognized by Troop 108 or the Boy Scouts of America and will have to be redone with an approved counselor, or the original counselor will be required to register as, and be approved as, a counselor for the merit badge in question.

While this may seem like a drastic  measure, National BSA has audited the merit badges of scouts in nearby states, and in some cases have revoked not only the merit badges, but also the ranks that the questionable merit badges were used to earn.  We don’t want this to happen to our scouts.

To make sure that we stay within National BSA policy regarding the earning of merit badges, we need cooperation from both the scouts and adults who desire to teach merit badges:

• Scouts should print out a Merit Badge Blue Card .  This Blue Card s has specific steps that the scouts must have checked off and initialed as they move through the merit badge process.  First they should complete all of the items on the blue card that pertain to them and their information and print it out.  Then they must find out from the troop leaders who the local approved counselor is for the merit badge that they want to take.  At that time they should contact the approved counselor and begin work on the badge.

• Adults (including current troop adult leaders and parents) who desire to become counselors for specific merit badges (Click Here  Listing Of All Merit Badges) should download the Merit Badge Counselor Application and complete it.  When complete, bring it to a troop meeting or give it to a troop leader who will start it on the approval process.  Adults who have taught merit badges in the past will be required to fill out an application and to go through the approval process as well.

These things will keep us in compliance with National BSA policy and will make the whole merit badge process run more smoothly and without question as to authenticity of merit badges earned.