Merit badges give Scouts the opportunity to investigate over 100 different areas of knowledge and skills. You can earn as many as you want according to your interest and ambition. You can begin earning merit badges as soon as you join a troop, but they are only required for the upper ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle.
First-Year Scouts
The first 3 months in the troop are full of exciting new activities such as learning the patrol method, going on your first campout with the troop, and working on many skill requirements for Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks. With so much to do, we encourage you to focus on these activities now before starting a merit badge. When you go to Summer Camp you will likely earn your first couple of merit badges during the week - typically First Aid and Swimming, both of which are required for Eagle rank!
Initiative and Responsibility
It is the Scout's responsibility to identify a merit badge he wishes to pursue, and to contact the merit badge counselor. Scouts are responsible for their blue cards, completing requirements and keeping appointments with his counselor. It is up to you to read the material for a badge and to request your counselor for sign-off when you finish a requirement.
Scouts are expected to do the requirements on their own. Parents can be a resource if asked by their Scout but cannot lead the Scout through the steps or help him do the requirements.
Counselors
These are registered adults who help guide the Scout through a merit badge. They are knowledgeable in the topic and provide expertise, advice, and will work with you as needed. In some cases, the only thing a counselor will do is sign off the badge after reviewing your skill with the requirements. Ask your counselor to help you learn the things you need to know or do.
Requirements
You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated - no more and no less. If it says "show or demonstrate", that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn't enough. The same holds true for such words as "make", "list", "in the field", and "collect", "identify", and "label".
You have until age 18 to complete any merit badge. There are no other restrictions. You do not have to finish a merit badge within a year, or re-do requirements if it has been "too long" since starting the badge, or even have to finish one before starting another. Feel free to explore new subjects and earn as many or as few as you want.
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