Month: August 2024

Requirement satisfied (can be found in Scout rank):

You’ve probably heard of them or seen them for their cool designs as patches. However they are not there just for the aesthetic, they also represent the skills you’ve learned from both in and out of scouting as awards. For example, you can earn one for cooking, first aid, or even things like being a collector (the collection merit badge)! You can only earn one merit badge of each, meaning you cannot earn the same merit badge twice. As of August 10, 2024, you can earn up to 138 merit badges. 21 of them are needed to earn Eagle and 14 of them are required (I will explain further later in this post).

You earn merit badges at any time! I recommend doing them once you at least earned Scout rank.

To earn them, you must do the following!

1. Pick a merit badge that you want to earn. I suggest looking at the official merit badge list to choose one https://www.scouting.org/skills/merit-badges/all/! Read through the requirements as well!
2. Once you’ve chosen the merit badge that you want to earn, talk to your scoutmaster and ask for their approval. They’ll give you a list of merit badge counselors that’ll help you earn this badge as well a merit badge blue card. With a parent/guardian’s approval, organize a series of meetings with this person in order to earn it.
3. Some requirements require you to do it with the counselor such as “discuss requirement 2a with your counselor about..” meaning you’d have to complete them when you meet with the merit badge counselor. However, you can meet most requirements before you meet with them!
4. Meet up with your merit badge counselor, your parent/guardian, or another scout to discuss the merit badge and the work you’ve completed for it. If you’ve completed all the requirements and they are satisfied with your work, you’ll give the merit badge blue card to the merit badge counselor will sign it as complete!
5. At your next troop meeting, return this blue card to your scoutmaster so the patch of the merit badge can be given to you at your troop court of honor!

Your merit badge counselor can also sign off your blue card electronically via on Scoutbook.

Another way to earn a merit badge is to find local merit badge clinics in your community or do them at summer camps! Ask your scoutmaster or another adult leader for more information about them.

HOW TO FILL OUT A PHYSICAL MERIT BADGE BLUE CARD

Before you meet with your merit badge counselor, you must fill out the ‘Application for merit badge section’. You’ll need to fill out the following sections:

• Name
• Address
• City
• Email (If you do not have one, use your parent/guardian’s)
• Troop number
• District
• Council

Then your Scoutmaster will fill out these sections:

• Signature of unit leader + date
• Leader’s email

On the other side, your counselor will fill out the left section and the right section, Counselor’s Record (They’ll then tear off the Counselor’s record for their own record that you earned the merit badge and give you the remaining card). You’ll then fill out the middle section, Applicant’s Record, and rip it off, and hand your advancement chair to the left section who’ll record it down and then you’ll get it at your troop’s Court of Honor when you receive the merit badge. (You’ll keep the middle section for your own record)

EAGLE-REQUIRED MERIT BADGES

To earn Eagle, you must earn these 14 merit badges listed below + 7 more merit badges of your choice that are not listed, equaling 21 total merit badges.

Eagle-required merit badges

1. Camping
2. Citizenship in the Community
3. Citizenship in the Nation
4. Citizenship in the Society
5. Citizenship in the World
6. Communication
7. Cooking
8. Cycling OR Hiking OR Swimming
9. Emergency Preparedness OR Life-Saving
10. Environmental Science OR Sustainability
11. Family Life
12. First Aid
13. Personal Management
14. Personal Fitness

Please note that Family Life, Personal Fitness, and Personal management take time! Do not put off these merit badges! I recommend doing these as soon as possible so you can earn Eagle as soon as possible!

• Family Life Req 3:
  • Prepare a list of your regular home duties or chores (at least five) and do them for 90 days. Keep a record of how often you do each of them. Discuss with your counselor the effect your chores had on your family.
• Personal Fitness Req 7:
  • Outline a comprehensive 12-week physical fitness program using the results of your physical fitness tests. Be sure your program incorporates the endurance, intensity, and warm-up guidelines discussed in the Personal Fitness merit badge pamphlet. Before beginning your exercises, have the program approved by your counselor and parents.
• Personal Management Req 2:
  • Prepare a budget reflecting your expected income (allowance, gifts, wages), expenses, and savings for a period of 13 consecutive weeks

This is the Introduction to Merit Badges! If you have any questions or concerns, please comment them or email me at maggi.lim@att.net. I’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible :).

Peace out!