From: Scoutmaster John

To: Troop 316

Re: Merit Badges

Date: 12/22/99

I have had a number of questions about the relationship between merit badges and rank advancement requirements. The purpose of this note is to respond to these questions.

The merit badge program of the Boy Scouts of America is not to be confused with the rank advancement program. More information about the merit badge program can be found at the USSSP webpage:

http://usscouts.org/mb/index.html

where you will find the following statements: "You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business and future careers as you earn these merit badges. There are more than 100 merit badges (119 as of 1/1/99). Any Boy Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. You don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible."

Hence, you don't have to be at a particular rank in order to work on any merit badge. Some troops in our council conduct "merit badge blitzes" which offer an opportunity for Scouts to get a lot of work done on particular merit badges of interest to them. Often these troops require participants in these "blitzes" to be at a certain rank. I believe that one of the primary reasons for this requirement is to ensure that the merit badge counselors at these "blitzes" will not have to work with a disparate group of Scouts, some who have a lot of experience in Scouting and some who are just beginning Scouting. This requirement, however, is not a requirement for working on merit badges. It is just a requirement for participation in these "blitzes".

Until you have achieved First Class rank, you are not required to work on any merit badges. At that point, however, you are required to earn a certain number of merit badges for each of the higher ranks, Star, Life and Eagle, among which a certain number must be taken from a list of particular merit badges which are required for Eagle.

Our main goal for the new Scouts in our troop is to take them to First Class rank in one year. Until they reach this rank, while they may work on merit badges of interest to them, if they so desire, they will not be required to work on any merit badges.

Remember, you don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible to work on a merit badge. If you want to learn more about the BSA Merit Badge program, I recommend that you visit the following webpage:

http://www.usscouts.org/mb/intro.html

Please give due respect to the following principles regarding Merit Badges :

1) Before starting on a merit badge, you should talk to your Scoutmaster about your interest.

2) Once you have decided to work on a merit badge, get a signed blue card from your Scoutmaster.

When your Scoutmaster signs your blue card for a particular merit badge, he is testifying, with his signature, that you are a registered Boy Scout of your troop and that you are "qualified to apply for" that merit badge. Your Scoutmaster is responsible for stating whether you are qualified to apply for the particular merit badge. Hence, you should pay due respect to his role in the process of approving you to begin work on a merit badge.

3) Next, contact a merit badge counselor for the merit badge you have chosen to work on and and tell him or her that you want to earn the merit badge.

If the counselor agrees to work with you on the merit badge, he will guide you through completion of the requirements for the badge. You may have to have some meetings with him in order to complete the merit badge. In keeping with the BSA "buddy system", you must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. This person can be another Scout, your parents or guardian, a brother or sister, a relative or a friend.