[FAQ] Frequently Asked Questions About Boy Scouting

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Q: Where do I find information about Boy Scout advancement (ranks, merit badges, awards, rules, counseling, hints and tips, etc)?

A: On the web: MeritBadge.com. In print: "Boy Scout Requirements" (updated annually).

Q: When can I start earning merit badges?

A: As soon as you join a Boy Scout troop. Go here for more information.

Q: How do I find a merit badge counselor? Do you have a list of counselors for my area?

A: There are no lists of counselors here. There are literally hundreds of thousands of lists out there and it would be impossible for one person to track them all. Depending upon the operation of Scouting in your area, there should be up to three merit badge counselor lists available to you: one from your troop committee, one from the district advancement chairman, and one from your council Advancement Committee. A few advancement chairman and/or councils do provide their lists over the internet. You will need to contact your district leaders or visit your district or council web site for more information.

Q: Can someone on the internet serve as my merit badge counselor?

A: That Depends -- Currently, there is no BSA policy strictly forbidding this practice but you and your counselor would be treading new territory. You both would have to follow the rules very closely. See Counseling Merit Badges Over Long Distances for more information. (Note: Please do not ask members of these forums to be your merit badge counselor.)

Q: How do I do requirement such-and-such or merit badge so-and-so?

A: Your primary contact for ALL merit badge questions should be your assigned merit badge counselor. If you haven't been assigned a merit badge counselor yet, please click here for more information. If you've already discussed the requirement with your counselor and you need more information, a good place to ask your questions would be in our Merit Badge forums.

Q: I'm going to summer camp this year. Can you tell me what the prerequisites are for the merit badges I plan on taking or what I need to do to be prepared?

A: No -- Each summer camp runs their program a little differently. Only they can fully explain what you need to do before you go. Most summer camps have a list of prerequisites for each merit badge they teach. In most cases, if you do these requirements in advance, you can complete the merit badge in full before you leave camp. Please contact the council office of the summer camp you plan on attending for more information.

Q: New requirements have been released. What is the effective date? Should I follow the new requirements or the old ones?

A: The effective date of all new requirements is immediately upon release but that doesn't automatically mean you should use them. Please read the following carefully:

No previous work started -- In all cases where you haven't already started working on a rank, merit badge, or award, you should definitely use the newest requirements.

Work on requirements already started -- If you've already begun work on a rank, merit badge, or award, then you should use the old requirements unless the BSA specifically states otherwise. For instance, when the Eagle rank requirements were changed at the beginning of 1999, the BSA issued a set of rules regarding who should use the old requirements and who should use the new ones. The following is from a letter written in 1997 by John P. Dalrymple, Advancement/NESA Director of the Boy Scouts of America. It only specifically addresses merit badge requirements, however, it is a common sense way of handling changes in requirements.

"If a Scout started on a merit badge and then the requirements change he should continue working on those requirements that he originally started on." (more info)

Note -- The BSA has made specific exceptions to the above in the past. However, in cases where there are specific exceptions, they generally do a good job of making everyone aware of the rules in those cases.

Q: Is there any time limit for the completion of merit badges?

A: Yes, but it may not be what you think -- BSA policy states "There is no time limit for completion of merit badges other than age 18." They even use bold print in their Policies and Procedures pamphlet. See National BSA Policies Related To Merit Badges for more information.

Q: Can you tell me how to put patches on the uniform and the merit badge sash?

A: Yes -- There are uniform inspection sheets available in the MeritBadge.com Files and Forms section. These forms provide excellent descriptions of where to place various patches. However, if you have more specific questions, here's a good place to find more information. Michael "Blackeagle" Walton runs an excellent Scouting site called The Tree! On his site you will find The Badge and Uniform Site (formerely The Unofficial BSA Uniform and Insignia Online Guide). It is the most comprehensive uniforming guide on the net.
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