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| NJ SPORTS TRAINING |
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Introduction
Scouts move forward through their career with Troop through a series of advancements. These advancements are most often the most perplexing thing for a new Scout to learn. Between hearing about Scoutmaster Conferences, Blue Cards, and Merit Badges, it's easy for the uninitiated to become lost. Hopefully this primer will help both Scouts and Parents better understand the overall process.
Remember, when it comes to advancements, the only dumb question is the one that you fail to ask. If you ever need help understanding this process, make sure you talk to the Scoutmaster or other adult leader.
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Scout Ranks
For a Scout to progress, he needs to be familiar with the steps involved. For every advancement, there are various requirements that must be met. The first step in rank advancement is reading the Scout Handbook for the requirements necessary for each rank. As a Scout moves forward, he'll be faced with increasing challenging tasks. At earlier stages, he'll have to demonstrate skills tying knots or what to do in certain emergencies. As he moves further along, he'll have to hold leadership positions and demonstrate his expanding knowledge by earning merit badges.
So who can sign off on a requirement that a Scout has demonstrated successfully? Currently, we are asking that all achievements be signed off by the Scoutmaster. Other arrangements can be made, but they should be done prior to working on the achievement and with the Scoutmaster's knowledge. In the case of Merit Badges, which will examined in full in the next section, it is the duty of the Merit Badge Counselor to sign off on the achievements.
Assuming a Scout has completed all requirements for a particular rank, there are two steps remaining (except in the case of Eagle Rank, which is a bit more detailed and something we'll not discuss here). Those two steps are a Scoutmaster Conference and a Troop Committee Conference. Both conferences should be treated with the utmost respect. Scouts are expected to phone the Scoutmaster or Troop Committee member in charge of advancements (currently Mr. Beckman and Mrs. Cliver, respectively) to arrange for the conference needed. (The Scoutmaster Conference should always be completed before calling for the Troop Committee Conference). When the Scout shows up for the Conference, he should be in full Class 'A' uniform, no exceptions. Failure to be in full uniform will result in an immediate cancelation of the conference, and the Scout will have to reschedule. Furthermore, it is the duty of the Scout to inform the Scoutmaster or Committee that he is present and ready to participate in the Conference. All of these steps and requirements are meant to place the responsibility on the Scout's shoulders to make arrangements - parents should have no involvement in any of these steps. In fact, it is the right of the Scoutmaster or Troop Committee to deny a conference request if made by parents!
Depending on the conference type, different questions will be asked. At both conferences, the Scout's Handbook will be reviewed for errors or omissions. While attending the Scoutmaster Conference, Scouts will be asked questions about individual requirements they have completed. Other questions can and will be asked about the Scout's involvement in Troop, especially if the Scout holds a leadership position. If a Scout has any concerns, he should raise them at this time. It is very important to the health of the Troop that Scouts feel comfortable expressing their opinions with the Scoutmaster. A Scout should leave the Scoutmaster Conference feeling he is prepared to move forward in rank. When it comes time for the Troop Committee Conference, a Scout should be prepared to answer questions about his place in the Troop and about his experiences. Little or no emphasis will be placed on rank requirements, rather the focus will be on gauging how the Scout is doing within the Troop and whether or not he is ready for advancement.
Assuming the Scout passes both conferences, he'll then be considered to have advanced to the next rank. Official recognition will occur with the next Court of Honor (a semi-annual event). If a rank badge is available at the time of the Committee Conference, it can be bestowed upon the Scout. But what happens when a Scout doesn't advance?
A Scout can fail to advance for any number of reasons. While this rarely happens, it is important to remember that Scouting is more than just completing requirements. Attendance at meetings and events, Scout spirit, living the Scout Oath and Law, and fulfilling requirments of leadership positions held all carry significant weight when evaluating a Scout for advancement. Whatever the reason may be, a Scout will be given a clear explanation and a course of action he may take to rectify the shortcoming.
In particular, how a Scout executes a Leadership position is of greatest importance. Scouts are expected to know the duties of their position, and more importantly they are expected to demonstrate their abilities. From Senior Patrol Leader on down, a Scout needs to work hard within their Leadership position. Excuses, at a Scoutmaster Conference, are a poor time to say, "I didn't have time." or, "I didn't understand what I had to do." If you have problems with time management, put down the video game for an hour and focus on your responsibilities. If you don't understand, ask while there is still time to work out a solution. In short, a Scout shouldn't expect a pass simply because they held a position for six months. They need to demonstrate their understanding by accepting the responsibilities of the position and excelling in their execution.
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Merit Badges & Blue Cards
Merit Badges are a great way for Scouts to tailor the BSA program to their own particular interests. With over 120 different fields of study, Scouts can learn everything from Camping to Cooking, from Archery to Engineering. But how does the process work? For new Scouts, earning a Merit Badge can seem a daunting - and worse, confusing - task. Let's see if we can shed some light on this process, so that parents and Scouts can learn to make it work for them.
In order for a Scout to earn a Merit Badge, he must follow these steps:
1. Obtain a blue card from the Scoutmaster for the topic of interest.
2. Find a Merit Badge Counselor. A list is maintained by the Troop Committee member in charge of advancements. A second list is now maintained here on the Website under 'MB Counselors'.
3. Contact the Merit Badge Counselor and set up an initial meeting.
4. After meeting with the Merit Badge Counselor, begin work on the Merit Badge. At this point, the Merit Badge Counselor is in charge of the program, and all questions should be referred to him or her.
5. Upon completing all requirements as outlined in the MB Pamphlet and with the directions of the Counselor, meet with the Merit Badge Counselor a final time, to review all requirements for the Merit Badge and to get the Counselor to sign off on the blue card.
6. Turn in the blue card to the Troop Committee member in charge of advancements.
7. Assuming everything has been completed satisfactorily, the Scout's achievement will be recognized at the next Court of Honor.
Sometimes however, situations arise that prevent the completion of a Merit Badge. When this happens, the incomplete blue card should be turned into the Troop Committee member in charge of Advancements for safe keeping, until the missing requirement(s) can be completed.
Let's address some important questions...
Q: So how many Merit Badges can a Scout work on at one time?
A: The answer is there is no limit. Scouts can work on as many or as few as they feel they can manage. During a week of summer camp, a Scout could be working on as many as six badges simultaneously. Multiply that by taking several weeks of summer camp, plus other badges started in their free time, and it's easy to see that a Scout could have 10-15 Merit Badges in the works (or more!) at any given moment.
Q: What if a Scout can't contact his Merit Badge Counselor for final approval?
A: In some cases, the Scoutmaster may do the final review, but only after all other avenues have been pursued. Sometimes it is best to try to find an alternative Counselor who is willing to work with you.
Q: What Merit Badges are earned during a Scout's first summer camp?
A: Most first year campers enroll in a special first year program that focuses more on rank advancement than on Merit Badges. As such, most first year campers will only earn a couple of Merit Badges, such as Leatherworking and Art. That's fine, and Scouts should not feel pressured or let down at the lack of Merit Badges. There will be plenty of time later, and many more opportunities to earn Badges. Scouts in their first year of life in the Troop should worry more about reaching Second and First Class ranks and understanding their place in the Troop.
Q: My son missed a day of summer camp, or for some other reason was unable to complete the requirements while at camp. How can he complete the work he missed?
A: Some summer camps will offer a 'make-up day', often a Saturday and/or Sunday during September. The Scout should contact the Camp for more information. Please note, that any prerequisite still not completed can not be done so during the 'make-up day', this is only in regards to achievements that should have been completed during the regular Merit Badge class.
Q: What's a prerequisite?
A: Prerequisites are requirements for Merit Badges that should be completed before attending certain Merit Badge classes, often at Summer Camp. For example, there is no way for a Scout to complete the 20 nights overnight camping required during one week of summer camp (no matter how you figure it, 6 nights does not equal 20...). Prerequisites could range from visiting a city council meeting to writing a 500 word report on your favorite amphibian. In at least two cases, the Prequisite may even be other Merit Badge! Prior to summer camp, information will be made available about prerequisites that must be completed. While you can go to camp without the prerequisites, you can't leave camp with a completed blue card!
Q: Another summer camp question...do you have to decide before summer camp which Merit Badges your going to work on?
A: Absolutely. Aside from having time to work on prerequisites, you also need to inform the Troop Committee member in charge of Advancements so blue cards can be made for you. At an average summer camp, over 100 blue cards are needed, and it takes time to fill out each one. The Scoutmaster REALLY doesn't like to do them all at once, and the fewer corrections he has to do, the better. One other reason...you need to make sure that you sign up in advance, as popular classes fill quickly.
Q: Where do I find the requirements for a particular Merit Badge?
A: Merit Badge books are the first and best resource, provided you have the most up-to-date copy. As Merit Badges are periodically reviewed and changed, it is important to remember that borrowing a book that is over a year old carries a certain amount of risk that you may have incorrect information. You can buy books directly from a number of Scout sources or borrow a book from the Troop Librarian. For an overview of requirements however, there are two options. First, check the Internet. A number of good resources keep reasonably current information available for you. The second option is BSA publishes a book once a year that has a listing of all Merit Badges and their requirements. Again, make sure that the book is current. No matter what your source for information, make sure to review it with your Merit Badge Counselor.
Q: How many Merit Badges are required for...?
A: This is one of those questions where the answer depends on the askee. For starters, Scouts don't even have to complete a Merit Badge before their Star Rank. Here's the break down:
For Star Rank: 6 Merit Badges (4 must be 'Eagle Required')
For Life Rank: 5 more Merit Badges (3 must be 'Eagle Required')
For Eagle Rank : 10 more Merit Badges (5 must be 'Eagle Required')
This brings us to a total of 21 badges must be earned in a Scout's career if they are to progress to Eagle Rank. Although many Scouts will earn many more badges before attaining Eagle.
Q: What's with this 'Eagle Required' stuff?
A: See below for the list of Merit Badges that are required of all Scouts who wish to make the Eagle Rank.
Q: Has anyone ever earned all of the Merit Badges?
A: Yes. If I come across the information again, I'll post the first person to do it. As I remember, it was a young man who lived in Florida (making certain badges like Skiing particularly impressive achievements).
Q: How can I display my Merit Badges?
A: The Scout Handbook mentions two ways. The first, is on a long-sleeve style class 'A' uniform a Scout is allowed to display 3 rows of 2 on the right sleeve, starting 3 inches from the cuff. However, the standard way to display them (and the only way to display more than 6) is to wear them on a Merit Badge sash.
Q: What if I have a question not answered here?
A: This document is only meant to help clarify some common misconceptions. If you have a question, the first place to look is your Scout Handbook. If you can't find it there, bring your question to a Scout Leader.
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Eagle Required Merit Badges
Here is the list of Merit Badges that may be completed to fulfill the requirements for Life/Star/Eagle. Remember, you only have to complete 11 out of 12 of the lines below:
Camping
Citizenship in the Community
Citizenship in the Nation
Citizenship in the World
Communications
Environmental Science
Family Life
First Aid
Personal Fitness
Personal Management
Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving
Cycling or Hiking or Swimming
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Troop 94, Egg Harbor Twp, NJ
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