The Merit Badge Process

Stage 1 of 15 Can start now

• 7.0.0.0. Registered in Scouts BSA, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout Sets the finishing date

  Where the clock starts. Requirements must be met while registered; work done before joining, or as a Cub Scout, does not count.

  Milestone

• 7.0.0.3. Go through the requirements with the counselor before starting Recommended Sets the finishing date

  Not required, but it is the cheapest way to find out that a requirement means something other than what you assumed.

  Task

• 7.0.3.3. A partial: the requirements you passed, initialled and dated Optional Sets the finishing date

  Recorded in the centre section on the reverse of the card. The counselor does not sign for completion and does not keep their portion.

  Milestone

Stage 2 of 15

• 7.0.0.3. Choose a merit badge Sets the finishing date

  Any badge, at any time, whatever your rank or age and however many others you already have in progress. Units must not impose rank or age requirements for merit badge work.

  Decision

  Waiting for 7.0.0.0. Registered in Scouts BSA, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout.

• 7.0.3.3. Finish the rest, with this counselor or another Optional Sets the finishing date

  You need not pass every requirement with the same counselor. A later counselor may decline to accept partial work, but that should be rare.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.3.3. A partial: the requirements you passed, initialled and dated.

Stage 3 of 15

• 7.0.4.3. Get the current requirements for that badge Sets the finishing date Often forgotten

  From the Merit Badges page at scouting.org. Which version applies to you is decided by the date you begin work, so fetch them at the start rather than relying on an old pamphlet.

  Document

  Waiting for 7.0.0.3. Choose a merit badge.

  Once new or revised requirements appear on the Merit Badges page, a Scout beginning work must use them. A Scout who has already started under the old ones may finish under the old ones. Where a change arrives first in a pamphlet or handbook, there is until 31 December of that year to choose which to use, unless the announcement says otherwise.

Stage 4 of 15

• 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor Sets the finishing date Often forgotten

  A required part of the process, not a courtesy. The leader advises on the badge, gives you the name and contact details of one or more approved counselors, and documents the meeting.

  Approval

  Waiting for 7.0.4.3. Get the current requirements for that badge.

  This is a required part of the merit badge process. A Scout who completes a badge without it should be counselled on the right way to start one; if the process continues to be ignored, badges will not be recorded as earned until the requirements have been met to the satisfaction of a counselor the unit leader accepts.

• 7.0.3.2. Do the work — actually and personally, exactly as written Sets the finishing date

  Where a requirement says show, demonstrate or discuss, you have to do that. Sitting in a classroom watching a demonstration does not meet it.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.0.0. Registered in Scouts BSA, or a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout and 7.0.4.3. Get the current requirements for that badge.

Stage 5 of 15

• 7.0.0.2. Unit leader signs the blue card and gives you all three parts Sets the finishing date

  The first of the four signatures, on the front of the Application for Merit Badge portion. The whole card then goes to the Scout.

  Document

  Waiting for 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor.

• 7.0.0.3. Agree on a registered and approved counselor Sets the finishing date

  The unit leader must identify at least one; you may have one in mind. Failing agreement, you must be allowed to work with the registered and approved counselor of your choice.

  Approval

  Waiting for 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor.

• 7.0.3.2. Group instruction: camp, fair, clinic or webinar Optional Sets the finishing date

  Acceptable and sometimes desirable, but discuss it with your unit leader well before the event, and expect a partial rather than a finished badge.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.0.3. Meet your unit leader before working with a counselor.

• 7.0.3.1. Bring the projects, or evidence that you did them Sets the finishing date

  If a project cannot be transported, bring photographs or an adult who can verify it. A unit leader stating that the meals were cooked is evidence.

  Document

Stage 6 of 15

• 7.0.0.2. Contact the counselor and make an appointment Sets the finishing date

  Using appropriate Youth Protection measures — which for email means copying one or more authorised adults on every message.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.0.2. Unit leader signs the blue card and gives you all three parts and 7.0.0.3. Agree on a registered and approved counselor.

Stage 7 of 15

• 7.0.3.1. Arrange for a buddy or another adult at every session Sets the finishing date Often forgotten

  A youth member must never meet one-on-one with an adult. Sessions follow the Guide to Safe Scouting, and age-appropriate supervision applies whatever the minimum leader count is.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.0.2. Contact the counselor and make an appointment.

  A youth member must never meet one-on-one with an adult. For web-based counseling, follow the social media guidelines: always copy one or more authorised adults on email between counselor and Scout.

Stage 8 of 15

• 7.0.3.1. The counselor goes through what you did, and how Sets the finishing date

  The counselor may confirm with the adults involved where there is a question. This is the testing; nobody repeats it later.

  Approval

  Waiting for 7.0.3.1. Arrange for a buddy or another adult at every session and 7.0.3.1. Bring the projects, or evidence that you did them.

Stage 9 of 15

• 7.0.3.1. Every requirement met Sets the finishing date

  The date recorded is the date you completed the requirements, not the date of the meeting where that was confirmed.

  Milestone

  Waiting for 7.0.3.3. Finish the rest, with this counselor or another and 7.0.3.1. The counselor goes through what you did, and how.

Stage 10 of 15

• 7.0.0.2. The counselor signs the blue card in two places Sets the finishing date

  On the reverse of the Application for Merit Badge, and on the Applicant's Record. Those two parts come back to you.

  Approval

  Waiting for 7.0.3.1. Every requirement met.

Stage 11 of 15

• 7.0.0.2. The counselor keeps the Counselor's Record for at least a year Sets the finishing date

  Their part of the card, retained in case questions are raised later.

  Document

• 7.0.0.2. Meet the unit leader to talk about the experience Sets the finishing date Often forgotten

  A conversation and a celebration, not a retest: the counselor has already done the testing.

  Approval

  Waiting for 7.0.0.2. The counselor signs the blue card in two places.

  This is not a retest. If the unit leader believes the badge was not earned, there is a defined review process at 7.0.4.7; if they believe the counselor did not uphold BSA standards, that is reported under 11.1.0.0. Neither is a reason to make the Scout do the requirements again on the spot.

Stage 12 of 15

• 7.0.0.2. The unit leader signs the Applicant's Record and returns it Sets the finishing date

  The fourth signature, and the last one on the card.

  Approval

  Waiting for 7.0.0.2. Meet the unit leader to talk about the experience.

Stage 13 of 15

• 7.0.0.2. Keep the Applicant's Record permanently Sets the finishing date Often forgotten

  It is your evidence that the badge was earned. Nothing replaces it if the unit's records are lost.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.0.2. The unit leader signs the Applicant's Record and returns it.

• 6.0.0.2. The unit records the badge and reports it to the council Sets the finishing date

  Promptly, and in a form the Scout, the counselor and the volunteers can all read. This is what makes the badge count towards a rank.

  Task

  Waiting for 7.0.0.2. The unit leader signs the Applicant's Record and returns it.

Stage 14 of 15

• 4.2.1.4. Recognised at the next unit meeting, and again at a court of honor Sets the finishing date

  As soon as possible after it is earned, then again at a formal ceremony later.

  Milestone

  Waiting for 6.0.0.2. The unit records the badge and reports it to the council.

Stage 15 of 15

• 7.0.4.6. Earned — and it stays earned Sets the finishing date

  A badge earned from a registered and approved counselor by actually and personally meeting the requirements is yours to keep and to count towards rank.

  Milestone

  Waiting for 4.2.1.4. Recognised at the next unit meeting, and again at a court of honor.