Merit Badge and Application (Blue Card) procedure

front back
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4
  1. The Scout goes to his ScoutMaster to get a Blue Card and suggested Merit Badge Councilor.
  2. The Scout fills out his parts.
    Sections 1 & 4 (except signature and dates).
    Also, everywhere it says Merit Badge and Name.
  3. Scout gets the ScoutMaster signature on Section 1 indicating it is ok to start the Merit Badge.
  4. The Scout works with the Merit Badge Councilor.
  5. When complete, the Merit Badge Councilor fills in and signs his/her information on Sections 2 & 3.
    (retaining the Counselor's Record Section 4).
  6. The Scout takes the Blue Card back to the ScoutMaster to get a signature on Section 3 (letting the ScoutMaster know the Merit Badge has been completed complete by the Scout).
  7. The Scout takes the Blue Card to the Advancement Chair for processing.
  8. The Advancement Chair;
    1. Enters the Merit Badge Completion in TroopMaster.
    2. Scans the "Applicant's Record" portion for retention.
    3. Picks up the badge and turns in Section 1 to the Council.
    4. Returns the Applicant's Record portion with a Pocket Certificate and the badge at the next Court of Honor.
Note: In order to receive awards at a Court of Honor, the awards have to be turned in to the Advancement Chair
2 meetings prior to the Court of Honor so paperwork and signatures can be completed to pick up the awards.

What to keep and an idea of how...

Advancement Pages

Scan or photograph the advancement pages in the back of the Scout Handbook

Blue Cards

Keep all of these!
One way to keep them is to put them in Trading Card Pages (9 pockets per page).

Get a plastic pencil envelope for the partial Blue Cards, don't fold them! It weakens the perf and parts can get lost, then you may need to start over...

Pocket Certificates

This is your backup for Merit Badge Blue Cards. I keep them in the same Trading Card Pages.