An Introduction to Merit Badges from the BSA National Council

You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 120 merit badges. Any Boy Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. You don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible.

FOR 2010 ONLY: BSA has brought back four historical merit badges! Carpentry, Pathfinding, Signaller and Tracking can only be earned during 2010 as part of the Centennial Celebration. (Get the requirements here)

Pick a Subject.

Talk to your Scoutmaster about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you. Pick one to earn. Your Scoutmaster will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors. These counselors have special knowledge in their merit badge subjects and are interested in helping you.

Scout Buddy System.

You must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. This person can be another Scout, your parents or guardian, a brother or sister, a relative, or a friend.

Call the Counselor.

Get a signed merit badge application from your Scoutmaster. Get in touch with the merit badge counselor and tell him or her that you want to earn the merit badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected of you and to start helping you meet the requirements.

When you know what is expected, start to learn and do the things required. 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. Many troops and school or public libraries have them.

Show Your Stuff.

When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment to meet the requirements. 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 ask you to do each requirement to make sure that you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required.

Get the Badge.

When the counselor is satisfied that you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application. Give the signed application to your Scoutmaster so that your merit badge emblem can be secured for you.

Requirements.

You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You are expected to 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."

Merit Bagde Requirements

Visit the BSA National Council website for a complete list of merit badges and current requirements.

Merit Bagde Counselors

Merit Badge Counselors can choose to work with a single troop or to make themselves available to all of the troops in the community. Download a list of merit badge counselors from the Buffalo Trace Council.

By serving as a merit badge counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest. If you are interested in becoming a merit badge counselor, you should contact the Troop Advancement Chair at a Troop meeting. You will need to complete the Application For Merit Badge Counselors and a BSA Adult Application.

For more information, download the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors (PDF).