the Blue Card

When a Scout wants to earn a Merit Badge, he first fills out the Application, otherwise known as the "Blue Card."  The Scout fills in his name, address, Troop, District (Hiawatha) and Council (Gamehaven) and the name of the Merit Badge.  The Scoutmaster signs off on the front, granting permission to begin.

The Scout contacts a merit badge counselor, and arranges to meet the Merit Badge requirements.  He should acquire the Merit Badge Pamphlet, either from the trading post and the council office, or on-line.  (Amazon.com has recently started carrying some Merit Badge books as E-Books.)  The Scout may have to complete prerequisites before meeting with the Merit Badge counselor.  It is often very helpful to print out and use the workbooks available at http://meritbadge.com/

Scouts often earn Merit Badges in groups, as a patrol, sometimes as a Troop, or at the annual Merit Badge Fair. 

When the requirements are completed, the counselor signs off on the merit badge card.  If the Scout does not complete all the requirements, he is given a "partial" merit badge listing the requirements that he has completed, and it is up to the Scout to complete the remaining requirements.  Scouts sometimes cannot complete all the requirements at the Merit Badge fair or at summer camp.

The blue card is divided into three parts.  The Merit Badge counselor keeps one part as his or her record, and the Scout keeps one part as his record.  The third part of the blue card is turned in to the Troop Advancement Chair for recording in the computer.  The Merit Badge will be awarded at the next Court of Honor.