When do you give out Merit Badges?

[fl_mom_of_2]

When does everyone give out their MB patches? Do you wait until your court of honor or does the SM give them out at the troop meetings? Thank you.

[Cubmaster Randy]

We give them at the Court of Honor.

[John-in-KC]

Rank quickly, MBs at COH, unless it's Eagle Required and the young man is just about ready for his Eagle SM conference and BOR. Then we speed things up a bit.

[Stosh]

MB patch immediately, card with public recognition at COH.

 

Rank at COH.

[insanescouter]

We do it at the court of honor.

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

[Mrw1]

We give out all rank and MB patches, with the cards, as soon as they can be picked up at the scout shop, so really about monthly.

 

We have 2-3 COH per years and recognize the boys again for anything they have earned since the last one.

[Trevorum]

We do the same as Mrw1 (by the way, welcome!). ALL advancements are recognized as soon as possible. Our advancement chair makes several trips to the scout shop every month so awards (rank and MBs) are generally delayed by no more than about 2-3 weeks. Except when we are within a month of a CoH, when the SM will delay recogniion of advancements until the CoH. At the CoHs, all advancements since the last CoH are again formally recognized in front of parents as the cards are handed out.

[scoutldr]

COH only.

[SR540Beaver]

We do all MB and rank advancments at the COH only. That being said, we do immediate recognition of rank thru a nameplate system at the front of the scout room. Each boy coming into the troop is given a uniform wooden blank of wood to decorate any way they choose with their name. The nameplates hang beneath a large symbol of each rank. When they finish their BOR and achieve their rank, they move their nameplate in recognition of their accomplishment. They do not receive their rank patch until the COH. If I were the SM, I would change this. I'd like to give the boy his rank patch immediately so it can be sewn on his shirt and follow it up formally with the card at the COH. This is what I'm familiar with from other troops I've been associated with. I will say that our boys only know our process and I've never heard a complaint. I just don't like the idea of a scout having to wait three months before he can wear his rank on his shirt. I am in charge of our new scout program and this year we have taken an organized approach and the boys are advancing at a good clip. It is possible that some could go from Scout to 2nd Class without ever getting to wear Tenderfoot. In fact, We have a couple who are only one or two requirements away from 1st Class.

 

I like to give the rank immediately followed up with formal recognition at the COH with MB's at the COH.

[Oak Tree]

We do the merit badges and rank patches immediately at troop meetings, and give out the cards at the COH.

[msnowman]

Nephew's troop gives them out at CoH, unless (as happenes occassionally) one was overlooked at the CoH. In that case the SM acknowledges the badge earned and then hands it out at the next Troop meeting.

[EagleInKY]

We do patches ASAP, and do formal recognition (w/cards) at COH. Patches for activities are usually held until the COH.

[Aquila]

COH only. Every three months. This way, they get the public recognition of the whole troop, all the Scoutmasters, and the families. It's a very special time.

[Trevorum]

Similar to SR540Beaver's troop, our meeting room also has an "advancement wall". Below the large images (about 12" in size) of each rank are name plates of the Scouts. Each name plate has a velcro backing and immediately after the SM recognizes a rank advancement, the fellow moves his name plate to the roster under the next rank. It's part of the ceremony and the big display serves as part of the feedback loop to encourage scouts to work on their next advancement requirements. It also helps us identify at a glance fellows whose advancement has stagnated and who might need some encouragement.

[AvidSM]

At COH's only. We have one every 3 months. Can't give them out immediately, because we don't have them. We have to submit advancment paperwork in order to get badges at Council.

 

Also, if a MB is needed for advancement, we let the boy advance once the MB is earned (signed blue card in hand), without him recieving the physical badge.