Merit Badges
You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 136 merit badges a wide range of skill, including:
- Scout skills like hiking pioneering, cooking and camping
- Life skills like Personal Management, personal fitness, first aid, communications
- Career skill like Salesmanship, chemistry, engineering and dentistry
- Fun skills like golf, fishing, model building and water skiing
Merit badges are an important part of rank advancement and a Scout may begin earning merit badges at any time. However, Troop 279 recommends that younger scouts focus more on rank advancement up through First Class. For Scouts participating in their first summer camp or merit badge college, choose fun, easy merit badges to starting with only a couple initially. This will allow you to learn the process and minimize any frustrations in starting your merit badge collection.
A scout must earn a total of 21 merit badges to achieve the rank of Eagle. Out of the 21 merit badges, there are 14 specifically required for the rank of Eagle and are trimmed in silver thread. Eagle-required merit badges include:
Steps to Earning a Merit Badge
Pick a Subject. Talk to the Scoutmaster about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you, and pick one to earn. The Scoutmaster will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors. These individuals have special knowledge in their merit badge subjects and are interested in helping you. When you have decided on a merit badge, the Scoutmaster will provide you with an Application for Merit Badge, “Blue Card.” Enter your information and the name of the merit badge, as highlighted on the example image. After entering your information, the Scoutmaster will sign your blue card. Only after receiving a signed blue card may you begin working on the merit badge requirements.
Scout Buddy System. You must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. This person can be your parent or legal guardian, or another registered adult.
Contact the Merit Badge Counselor. Talk with the merit badge counselor and explain that you want to earn the badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected and to start helping you meet the requirements. You should also discuss work you have already started or possibly completed. At the first meeting, you and your merit badge counselor will review and may start working on the requirements.
Unless otherwise specified, work on a requirement can be started at any time. Ask your counselor to help you learn the things you need to know or do. You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. Troop 279 has an extensive library of merit badge pamphlets for you to check-out and use. However, please make sure the merit badge pamphlet is the most up-to-date version, containing the current requirements.
Requirements. You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You must do exactly what is stated in the requirements. If it says “show or demonstrate,” that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn’t enough. The same thing holds true for such words as “make,” “list,” “in the field,” and “collect,” “identify,” and “label.”
Show Your Stuff. When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment. When you go, take along the things you have made to meet the requirements. If they are too big to move, take pictures or have an adult tell in writing what you have done. The counselor will test you on each requirement to make sure you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required.
Get the Badge. When the counselor is satisfied you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application. Give the signed application to the Scoutmaster so your merit badge emblem can be secured for you and presented at the next Court of Honor. 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.
Merit Badges at Summer Camp & Colleges
Be sure to read and understand all the pre-requisites for each merit badge you wish to take. For example, a couple pre-requisites that are often over-looked, include:
- you need to complete the first aid rank requirements up through First Class to take the First Aid merit badge.
- Another one is the First Aid merit badge is required for the Emergency Prep merit badge.
Remember, even though some merit badge counselors may track your progress online, using Scoutbook, you must still discuss your intent to take a merit badge with the Scoutmaster and obtain a blue-card first.
Recommendations for “first-year” and younger scouts: Focus on completing rank requirements up through First Class rank. After earning, at least the first couple ranks (i.e. Scout & Tenderfoot) the younger scouts will have a pretty good idea of the program and can start working on merit badges that interest them. …but the push is to earn First Class as the priority. After earning First Class, a whole new world opens up to a scout! …with that said, if you are really energetic to earn merit badges, please start with the fun, easy merit badges to get acquainted with the process. For example: Fingerprinting; Art; Music; Coin Collecting; and Leatherworking are all fun, easy merit badges for younger scouts. For your first time, DON’T take more then one or two merit badges to start.
Recommendations for older and veteran scouters: DO NOT to just focus on earning Eagle Rank required merit badges. By focusing solely on Eagle-required merit badges, you have a high probability of “burn-out” and your summer camp MBC may start to feel just like an extension of school. Use merit badges to further your hobbies and interests or as an opportunity to explore new topics or activities. Take some merit badges purely for fun. The key is to find a good balance between Eagle-required and fun/exploratory merit badges to maximize your merit badge experience.
Displaying Your Merit Badges
Take pride in the merit badges you’ve earned! Merit badges are affixed (sewn or badge-magic) to a merit badge sash and worn over the right shoulder or neatly folded and tucked into the right waistline.
Useful Merit Badge Links
- Troop Library (Merit Badge Books) – Though a work in progress, any online MB books will be available here.
- BSA Advancement, Merit Badges – Provides current MB requirements and highlights any recent updates
- Scoutbook, Merit Badge Reference – Lists all MBs and their requirements
- USscouts.org – A great online site for merit badge requirements and worksheets
- Patrol Leader Merit Badge Planning Guide – Great guide for the PLC to help decide which MBs to run.
- Counselor List – A sheet listing all the Troop 279 counselors and the merit badges they teach.
- Pioneer MB Counselor List – A listing of all the Merit Badge Counselors registered within the Pioneer District of the New Birth of Freedom Council
- Merit Badge Counselor Application – The application needed to register as a merit badge
