Earning merit badges should be Scout initiated, Scout researched, and Scout learned. It should be hands-on and interactive and should not be modeled after a typical school classroom setting. Instead, it is meant to be an active program so enticing to young men that they will want to take responsibility for their own full participation.
- The recommended process for earning merit badges:
- The Scout develops an interest in a merit badge.
- The Scout discusses his interest in the merit badge with his unit leader.
- The unit leader signs a blue card and provides the Scout with at least one counselor contact.
- The Scout contacts the counselor.
- The counselor considers any work toward requirements completed prior to the initial discussion with the unit leader.
- The Scout, his buddy and the counselor meet (often several times).
- The Scout finishes the requirements.
- The counselor approves completion.
- The Scout returns the signed blue card to his unit leader, who signs the applicant record section of the blue card.
- The unit leader gives the Scout the applicant record.
- The unit reports the merit badge to the council.
- The Scout receives his merit badge.
Additional Guidance Regarding Eagle Scout Specific Merit Badges
In conjunction with guidelines recently established at various Council Merit Badge Universities (MBU’s) and past experiences with Scouts while conducting select Eagle Scout specific merit badges, it will be the policy of the Scouts BSA Troop 193 that a Scout should following the recommend guidelines and be at least 14 years of age, or currently in the 8th grade, before requesting to enroll in any of the following Eagle Scout specific merit badges:
- Citizenship in the Community
- Citizenship in the Nation
- Citizenship in Society
- Citizenship in the World
- Communications
- Environmental Science – or – Sustainabilty
- Family Life
- Personal Fitness
- Personal Management
Any Scout that had previously obtained a Scoutmaster signed blue card for one or more of the Merit Badges listed above will be allowed to continue working on that Merit Badge based on the following:
- The Scout still possesses a Scoutmaster signed Merit Badge blue card.
- The Scout has been actively working (i.e., within the past three months) with an authorized Merit Badge Counselor.
While the Scout may continue working on the merit badge, successful completion of the merit badge will be based on the Scouts ability to demonstrate to their Merit Badge Counselor that they have fully performed and completed all the requirements of said Merit Badge.
If the Scout has not received a Merit Badge blue card with the Scoutmasters signature or no longer possesses a Merit Badge blue card with the Scoutmasters signature, the Scout will need to meet the 14 years of age requirement prior to being allowed to commence, or recommence, working on the above listed Merit Badge(s).
Scouts younger than 14 years old will be allowed to enroll in the following Eagle Scout specific merit badges once the Scout has received a Scoutmaster signed merit badge blue card:
- Camping
- Cooking
- First Aid
- Hiking – or – Biking – or Swimming
As a reminder and in accordance with Step 6 of “The recommended process for earning merit badges” listed on page 1 of this document, Scouts are to work on merit badges in pairs, employing the buddy system, when meeting with a Merit Badge Counselor. In short, if the Scout is working with a Merit Badge Counselor, they must have another Scout that will partner with them to work on the same merit badge. The requirement applies to ALL merit badges.
