different troops different way and how do I ? MB

[IM_Kathy]

I'll to explain this best I can and not too drawn out...

 

my son and 3 other boys started with troop X where they were given the requirements for "Family Life" and told to work on them at home. These 4 boys started to work on them and had completed a few of the requirements, but were told not to turn it in for blue card until completed.

 

Now they are in troop Z and troop Z does it correctly where there are MBC for a lot of the badges. I'm even one of them for "Family Life" and these boys are almost completed with the requirements.

 

BUT, they never had a blue card started so if they now get blue card signed by troop Z SM and dated do I then put in date when they completed each part in which case some will be dated before the SM's date or do I date it when they then come to me to get actual card signed. On some of our outtings and meetings the boys have told me they did 1,2, etc for badge and they dated completion on their worksheets. Or do they have to completely redo all the requirements once they get their blue card from SM?

[Frank17]

In our Troop, the initial SM approval signature is a formality only. It is intended to keep the scout from getting overloaded by working on too many MBs simultaneously. Some of our scouts complete MB classes at local museums, conservancies, etc., and the card is supplied and signed by the MB counselor before the SM even sees it.

 

I would date the front of the card for the date the MB was started and date the back of the card the date it was completed and turned in to me for approval. Others may feel differently, but this is accepted practice in our Troop.

[SMT224]

I was in a very similar situation with the Family Life MB just last week. The MBC had started the class back in May, and had filled out the blue cards, but I had not signed the front for one Scout. I signed the card and dated it the day in May when the class had started. Since the class was done and the Scouts had completed all the requirements and the MBC had signed off on the blue card, I signed the back of the cards as well.

 

My understanding is the by signing the front of the blue card as SM, I am not only giving the Scout permission to do the MB, but also letting the MBC know that I believe this Scout can do this particular MB.

 

 

[asm 411]

It is my understanding that it is up to the MBC if they want to accept work done previous to getting the merit badge application, blue card. The classic example is the 20 nights camping for camping merit badge. Typically a Scout does not ask for a blue card until after he has the 20 nights completed, at least in our troop.

 

That being said it seems to me that the sign offs for the requirements on the card should be when the MBC acknowledges the requirement is complete not necessarily when the work was done. Hence the Scoutmaster's initial signature should be the oldest on the blue card. When the MBC signs off a requirement it should be the date when the signature is applied not when the work was done by the Scout.

 

In the end the last time the card is signed, when the card is turned back into the Scoutmaster, is the one the matters most right?

 

[Bob White]

Have their current SM sign the blue card. The purpose is for the Scoutmaster to know what the scouts are working on and to insure they are working with a registered counselor.

 

As the approved and registered counselor you are the sole authority on what requirements have been completed correctly.

[John-in-KC]

Agree with BW.

 

Scoutmaster is a gatekeeper on MBs ... he is supposed to get to know the folk in his District, so that he can determine that a Counselor is both proficient and a "fit" to the Scouts in question.

 

I know a Family Life MBC who is great with special needs kids, but doesn't do so well with children of a divorced family. He doesn't get every Scout who wants FL.

 

A lot of MBs is about the information, but a lot is also about people-people relationships