who keeps the "blue cards"?

[FrankJ]

Our council never sees the blue cards. All the get is the advancement report with the appropriate signatures. (None of them the merit badge counselor's.)

Blue cards although convenient are not actually required to earn a merit badge.

I suggest to our scouts that they keep the blue cards as a back up in case the records are messed upped. The actual primary record these days is scoutnet.

[Chief J]

In our Council, you are required to turn in the Application for Merit Badge (That contains all the merit badge counselor information) with the advancement report. Council then keeps that portion of the blue card, and date stamps the unit copy of the advancement report and returns that to you.

The counselor record goes with the counselor, and the middle section is returned to the youth with the merit badge wallet card and merit badge, therefore the unit does not have a blue card.

We also use the internet advancement system and Troopmaster for recording all awards and my Advancement Chair is diligent about ensuring these records are up to snuff. I do not anticipate that we would have any problems, but you never know until you have Council's blessing.

I tell the kids to keep the wallet cards and blue cards in a binder until after they make Eagle, but like I said earlier, I know we have some scouts who will not have them.

As a side note, our District Advancement Committee has started asking us to have the Scouts bring all blue cards, along with their scout book, and completed Eagle Project workbooks to their Boards of Review.

Chief J