MB counclors and Blue Cards

[CNYScouter]

I looked back thru the postings but couldn't find my question answered.

 

Does the back of the applicants portion of the blue card need to be filled out?

This is the part that lists each of the requirements and has the councilors initials and date.

 

Over the weekend my son attended a Merit Badge Day.

At this you could only sign up for one MB.

He did all the prerequisites and finished a MB at this.

 

When he went to turn in the MB blue card at Troop meeting last night, the SM and Advancement Chair of the Troop wouldnt accept the blue card because the councilor hadnt filled out the back for each MB requirement and initialed that my son had done each one. The SM also wouldnt sign the applicants portion of this.

 

The SM told my son to go back to the councilor and have him fill out the card.

The card was signed by the councilor.

 

This councilor lives on the other side of the county from us but luckily, he has to come over to the council office today, which we live nearby, but it does require my wife to make a special trip so my son can meet him to have him fill out the card so he can receive the MB.

 

 

 

[John-in-KC]

I counsel a few merit badges.

 

When I work a Scouts' card, I put down the "hard" requirements (do this, do all these). I also leave space for the "soft" requirements (do two from this list of seven, or do one of these).

 

Is there a requirement to annotate passage of each requirement? Not sure. Someone out there has the advancement procedures guide and will state. Is it certainly "settled custom" to initial each requirement or set of requirements? Heck, yes.

 

Now, when I'm counseling (as Lisa'Bob is going to) 20-50 Scouts in a merit badge college environment, I may link the top and bottom requirements with initials and a "line-through." I do not want to steal time from being with the youth for administration!!!

[LongHaul]

First as a MB Counselor I ask that the portion of the Blue Card which we are discussing be filled out by the scout listing each requirement by number in the proper column. If the boy receives a partial then I sign each appropriate line and date each appropriate line. If the boy completes the entire badge I sign COMPLETED and put the date under that with my initials in that spot. I sign my full name in the two other spots required. The questions I have here are; 1. Did the Scoutmaster make it clear that the Blue Card needed to be signed in this manner when he issued it? 2. Whos responsibility is it to see that the Blue Card is properly filled out before it is presented to the MB Counselor? Should the SM require that all necessary info is put on the card by the Scout before he, the SM, will sign the front of it? 3. Should the SM take into consideration the difference between a group session and a buddy session? Difference being when a MBC has 70 cards to deal with he/she may sign a card that should have been a partial but in a buddy session with just two scouts I would accept a signed blue card as evidence of completion.

LongHaul (This message has been edited by LongHaul)

[Kaji]

Of all the 37 merit badges I did, I think that maybe 2 of them had the backs filled out in detail. The rest of them the counselor just scrawled something, usually to the effect of "Completed" across the back, and that was that, and it never proved to be a problem when they went in for review for things like my Eagle application.

[firecrafter]

I have three sons in scouting (one eagle) and every MB card they completed was filled out front & back.

As a counselor myself, I typically list the requirements on the back side, including any where the scout must "choose one". Upon completion, I sign the card & write "complete", initial & date the back.

Also, I will not start a MB with a scout unless his card is filled out. I have had scouts hand me a blue card with just the SM's signature on the front. I make it a practice to never put my initials or signature on a blank card. I will, however, sit patiently and wait for him to fill it out before we begin. Maybe that seems hard to some, but I am under the impression that the scout is supposed to be learning responsibility along with the skills the MB teaches.

It stinks that you had to make a special trip, but I'll bet the next time a counselor hands your son a blue card he will look it over pretty well before he pockets it! No offence meant.

In our troop we show the new guys completed blue cards every time we talk MB's. That way they get used to seeing what they need.

By the way, when I've sat on Eagle BOR's those cards were pretty well scrutinized. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere, but that has been my experience.

firecrafter

[Lynda J]

When I counsel a badge I mark and date the requirements as we go along. But if we do the badge as a group and finish it in one of two sessions I make across the back COMPLETE and the date. Then sign the front of the card.

 

Most badges done at merit badge workshops or at camp are done this way in our council.