Merit Badge Completion Process

Update: It has come to our attention that some Council merit badge counselors are only marking the Scouts’ merit badges complete in Scoutbook in lieu of sending the Troop a Blue Card. This is not sufficient for our Troop and your badges may not be presented when earned. Not only because we do not utilize Scoutbook as our primary means of tracking our Troop’s advancement but also because relying on this approach does not teach Scouts personal responsibility in turning in thier work. Troop 22 Scouts should continue to use the blue card system indicated below when undertaking merit badges.

Initial Merit Badge Completion Steps

1. The Scout gets a Scoutmaster signed Application for Merit Badge (Blue Card) with the name of the counselor, date badge started and merit badge on it from the Scoutmaster before the badge is started.  The Blue Card is valid for 18 months from Scoutmaster signature date.
   
2. The Merit Badge Counselor keeps record of requirement completions on the Blue Card until all counselor meetings with the Scout are complete.  Once all meetings are complete, the card is given back to the Scout either as a completion or a partial.  If it is a completion, the counselor keeps the counselor portion of the merit badge record, otherwise the entire card is given back to the Scout with completed requirements initialed by the Counselor.
   
3. The Scout gives the Blue Card to the Advancement Chair, Assistant or Scoutmaster at a meeting for entry of a partial or a completion. Merit Badges should be turned in immediately to prevent issues arising from loss of a Blue Card.

Partial Completion Steps

1. If the Merit Badge is a partial completion, the entire Blue Card is given back to the Scout after entry for having another Merit Badge Counselor (or an approved leader at a meeting) sign off on any outstanding requirements and the badge. 
   
2. After competing a partial, the Scout is to turn the Unit portion of the signed merit badge card back in, keeping his Applicant record.
   
3. Once the merit badge is a completion, the signed Unit portion of the card should be turned in, the Counselor record kept by the counselor approving the badge and the Applicant portion kept by the Scout.

Note: It is the Scout’s responsibility to turn in the blue card completion or partial.  If the Scout has a partial and loses the blue card before it can be recorded, the Scout will need to get a new application from us, take it to the counselor for all the approvals previously received and the bring it back for recording. Note that some Counselors assisting a Scout to complete a partial may not accept a Troopmaster record of the partial since the Blue Card is the official record.