How to Earn a Merit Badge1. Pick a topic

a. Ask a unit leader about your interests and merit badges that relateb. Determine the requirements

i. Ask the Troop Librarian for a merit badge bookii. Boy Scout Requirements Book

iii. http://www.scouting.org/meritbadges.aspx iv. http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Merit_Badges

2. Find a Merit Badge Counselora. Advancement Chair has a listb. Scout needs to be the one to contact the counselor

3. Fill out an Application for Merit Badge (blue card)a. Ask the Advancement Chair or other unit leaderb. Fill it out correctlyc. Have the Scoutmaster sign your card

4. Meet with your counselora. You must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge

counselor5. Complete the requirements

a. You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no lessb. You must do exactly what is stated in the requirements

i. If it says “show or demonstrate,” that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn’t enough

ii. The same thing holds true for such words as “make,” “list,” “in the field,” and “collect,” “identify,” and “label”

6. Have your counselor sign your card7. Have the Scoutmaster sign your card8. Turn the completed card into the Advancement Chair

Merit Badge Tips It is important the scout be responsible for each step of this process. If a new edition of a merit badge pamphlet is introduced with updated requirements, you may

choose to follow either set of requirements until the end of the year. At the start of the new year, Scouts who are beginning must use only the new requirements.

Unless specified, if a Scout has already started working on a merit badge when a new edition of the pamphlet is introduced, he may continue to use the same pamphlet and fulfill the requirements therein to earn the badge. He need not start over again with the new pamphlet and revised requirements.

There is no time limit for starting and completing a merit badge, but all work must be completed by the time a Scout turns 18.

You do not need to complete all the requirements with one counselor. You can take your blue card with partial requirements signed off and have another counselor help you complete them.

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MERIT BADGE GUIDE

How to Fill Out a Merit Badge Card

Ask your Scoutmaster to sign the front of the card Ask your Counselor to provide their information

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MERIT BADGE GUIDE

How to Turn in a Merit Badge Card

Ask your Scoutmaster to sign the back of the card

Turn the completed card into the Advancement Chair

The counselor can keep their portion

Please do not lose your portion of the blue card

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Common Errors

Crossed out information Missing information Pencil Merit Badge name is not complete or spelled wrong Not filled out by the Scout Not signed by Scoutmaster before starting Partial cards with no requirements signed off

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MERIT BADGE GUIDE