From: Anthony Mako (ajmako@NLS.NET)
Date: Tue Nov 09 1999 - 10:15:13 CST
<Michelle Johnson wrote in part>
Here's my question......I had a Mom in our troop ask me about the new Eagle
requirements. It seems her son completed the Safety merit badge before the
April changes. Now, Safety is not a required badge. She's wondering how
this would be handled. Can this badge still be used toward Eagle, or is it
now just an extra merit badge.
</Michelle>
Michelle,
Since her son didn't complete all of his Eagle requirements before April
1st, Safety MB can no longer be considered a required merit badge for Eagle.
If he earned Safety as a required MB for Life, it still counts as required
there, but won't count as required toward Eagle.
<Michelle continued>
Another way of asking this is, her son is a First Class rank now, he
completed Safety because it was an Eagle requirement. Can he continue
working from the old requirement book, or does he need to start working from
the new one. At what point does the Scout switch from the old to new.
</Michelle>
No, he can't keep working off the old requirements. The transition period
has already passed. He may have worked on Safety as a required MB, but now
it only counts as a regular MB. That shouldn't be a big deal because he's
only First Class. He has a long way to go.
<Michelle continued>
Apparently, he completed this merit badge because it was an Eagle
requirement. If this Safety merit badge no longer counts toward his Eagle,
how do I explain to his Mom.
</Michelle>
While concentrating on required merit badges is commendable, it shouldn't
make much difference one way or another. If he earns all of the required MB
he needs before earning any other merit badges, he'll be spending a lot of
time as a First Class Scout.
The important thing to stress is that even though Safety is no longer a
required merit badge, the Scout is still one step closer to Eagle. He hasn't
"wasted" any time or effort.
YIS
A. J. Mako, ajmako@nls.net, SM Troop 381 http://www.Scouts381.org/
Old Portage District, Great Trail Council, BSA
Home of the Win95 & Win98 Boy Scout Desktop Themes
"I used to be an Eagle (C-7-97), but I'll always be an Eagle (1981)"
Any advice would be greatly appreciated....
Michelle Johnson
