Introduction to Merit Badge

Any scout in any Boy Scout troop can learn outdoors, sports, science, craft, business, programming, engineering, trades, and any other future careers as you can earn merit badges. There are an exact total of 135 merit badges (As of 2014). You may earn a merit badge anytime, however, you will only have a year to complete the merit badge once you start on any of them. You do not need to worry about rank advancement to be eligible. You are expected to meet with the requirements as they are stated (No more or less). You must do exactly what the requirement tells you what to do, both showing and/or demonstrating.


Before you start working on any of these choices of merit badges through here, you will need to do the following...



1. Pick a subject of your choice. Make sure you read the requirements and have an understanding of how you can complete any of them, eagle or non-eagle. You are required to take one at a time, unless your unit leader say otherwise. Your unit leader will give you a signed merit badge application, known as the Blue Card, with the name and contact information for the counselor. Each of these individuals have the knowledge to guide you through their merit badge subjects.


2. ALWAYS use the Scout Buddy System. You must bring a buddy a long with you to every meeting with the merit badge counselor, even if it has to be your friend, parent, foster, relatives, etc.


3. Contact the Merit Badge Counselor. Get in touch with the counselor so you can let them know that you want to earn that particular badge. The counselor might ask you to meet with them so they can go over the requirements.


4. Incase if the work is long, you can start working on a requirement at any time. Ask your counselor to help you learn the things you will need to know when starting a merit badge. You should also obtain and read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. The requirements are also online in a website or in a PDF file.


5. FINALLY, Show your work to the counselor. When you are ready, you can contact the counselor again to set up an appointment. Make sure you take every paperwork or small projects with you before you meet with the counselor to present what you have made. If you do have a large project that you can not bring to the meeting, take pictures of it or have your parent tell in writing what you have done. The counselor will test you out on each requirement to make sure you know your stuff and have done, or can do, the things required. Keep in mind though that this will help you in the near future.


When the counselor is satisfied that you have met with each of the required requirement. They will sign your blue card and hand it back to you. Then, you want to give the blue card to your unit leader so that your merit badge emblem can be secured for you.


Note: If you have already started working on a merit badge when a new edition is introduced, you may continue to use the same merit badge pamphlet to fulfill the requirements. Do not worry about starting all over again the new and revised requirements.