Merit Badge Counselor Renewal.

[Lynda J]

Don't know about other Councils. But our renews MBC each April.
So for all you counselors out there. Be sure to renew your registration.

The boys need us.

[optimist]

Our council is reconsidering our MBC renewal process. Currently, we renew at the same time recharting occurs but they require us to resubmit our applications, both the adult leader application and the merit badge counselor application.

I have a feeling they'll stick with recharter time for renewal time but it is my understanding they are going to assume you wish to remain a counselor in the badges you were already approved in.

[West]

Our council varies according to your district. Out district has kept everyone on until they ask to be removed. The problem with this is that about half the people on the list are in some way no longer avaiable (out of scouting, dead, moved away etc.)

[commish3]

I am always befuddled as to why so many councils veer from the procedures of the Advancement Policies manual when re-registering counselors.

No application is required unless they request to do additional merit badges. The council's advancement committee is instructed that each year they are to send a letter to each registered counselor saying "here are the badges we have you registered for, if you wish to continue for another year please sign this letter and return it to_______________. If you wish to add a meritbadge(s) please complete the counselor application with your qualifications for the new badge(s).

A new adult application is not required, nor is another counselor application if no new badges are being added. The policies and procedures manual specifically states so.

Only new counselors must complete both a new adult application and a MB counselor application.

It seems whenever we stray from the program we end up making more work for ourselves. We went through this in this council a couple years ago and even after we showed the procedure in the manual to our advancement chair he said "No they want us to do it differently" When asked who "they" were ...no one knew.

[riverwalk]

Our Council hasn't sent MBC's a letter. But we did have to do a new one recently (in Unit) due to the addition of the SS#.

[Lynda J]

One of the reasons our Council requires the renewal each year is that so many move, change phone numbers or decide they don't want to counsel any longer. Last year we had several boys contact the counselor listed for Surveying to discover he had passed away 6 months before. This way we keep a good current list with good contact numbers.

BTW Last night our troop commmittee met. I did a presentation of MBC and our need. Got 8 new counselors. One mom said she was going to talk to the Dr. she works for and see if he would do Medicine. Had a customer in this morning that say my paper work on the desk and ask what it was. I was telling him. He filled out a form for Aviation. He is a pilot and own a small airport. It is also an FAA instructor. And has a simulator in the hanger. I was thrilled. Maybe I'll give him a free oil change.

[optimist]

I agree that the information needs to be kept up-to-date but that doesn't require renewal, only an active district advancement committee. Just call and ask once a year.

[Lynda J]

I wish we didn't have to do it either. It drives me crazy that every time you turn around we are having to fill out a new adult registration form.
But this is our councils policy and I will honor it. Our district counselor list has over 300 names on it. Some don't have e-mail addresses. So what we do is each unit is responsible for having counselors within their units fill out a new form. Then it comes in to the advancement committee
then we go over them and break them down. It also helps with the CO knowing what is going on, since they have to sign the forms each year.