WestCoastScouter Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 My DE told me today that a scout must have earned his 1st Class Rank before he can earn any MB's. This cant be correct... can it? I thought a scout can get a Blue Card, and start right away... correct? Any official reference would be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dg98adams Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 A Scout can work on a merit badge anytime during his tenure as a Boy Scout (before 18). Although, most are encouraged to get started on Advancement as it leads naturally to some of the requirements in Merit Badge work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortridge Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Your DE is either an old-timer or has been getting training from the old-timers. That used to be the way it worked, but it is no longer. The BS Handbook outlines the process for earning MBs from a Scout's perspective, and you can see there's nothing in there that states you have to be *any* rank to do a badge. Ask your DE to show you where that alleged rule is written. He or she won't be able to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisabob Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Send your DE to merit badge counselor training. That hasn't been the rule for at least a decade and I think, longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbandit Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Wasn't there a topic recently on myths? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John-in-KC Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Yep, fact. Back in 1970!!! These days, the Scouts' interest and maturity should drive the MB process. Now, there are some Merit Badges (the forthcoming SCUBA may be one of them) where there's a floor age. Where I got my dive certificate, you had to be 15, or the licensing agency wouldn't grant. Period. I agree with Lisa, shortridge, and kbandit. Let's let the young man explore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwd-scouter Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 No, a scout may work on a merit badge at any time up until he is 18 years old. However, some merit badges state that a scout must have knowledge gained from Tenderfoot through 1st class. For instance, first requirement on first aid merit badge is showing the counselor that the scout has knowledge of first aid from Tenderfoot through First Class. Pioneering is another example of requirements that a scout know knots, lashings, and first aid from Tenderfoot through 1st Class. Probably many other examples, but those are the three I know without looking it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evmori Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Your DE is wrong. A Scout can work on a merit badge regardless of rank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherminator505 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 WOW! How old is your DE? There was once a rule that Scouts needed to be Second Class to work on some merit badges and First Class for the rest, but that rule was dropped in the 1960's, I think. There is no such restriction now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestCoastScouter Posted October 13, 2009 Author Share Posted October 13, 2009 UPDATE FROM POSTING MEMBER: TO: EVERYONE THAT REPLIED Thanks for your help, and to answer questions. He is probably in his early 60s, so not that old. Issues was whether Webelos who bridge over to a troop can almost immediately attend a MB Pow Wow. His opinion was that they could not... they needed to be 1st Class first. (Because only at 1st class could a scout earn a MB) Our MB Pow Wow Organizer who is a District Committee member disagrees and says any scout can attend, so long he is official. (registered, in troop, ect ect.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoPenn Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 gwd - hope you don't mind but I thought it might be appropriate to clarify something in your post. Most of us probably understand what it means, but there will be some, I'm sure, who will interpret it in a different way. Thr First Aid Merit Badge and the Pioneering Merit Badge speak of the knowledge of certain requirements from Tenderfoot through First class, as gwd has pointed out. But, they only need to demonstrate the knowledge of what's there, they don't have to be First Class before earning these badges. A Scout can certainly learn all the knots, whippings and lashings needed for those ranks long before he earns the rank - he has the knowledge, if he can demonstrate it successfully to the Merit Badge Counselor, he can earn the Merit Badge. Same with the first aid requirements. He can learn all those things before he earns the rank. If Bobby Tenderfoot wants to earn the First Aid Merit Badge, and can demonstrate all the knowledge of first aid required for the T-FC ranks to his Merit Badge Counselor, there is nothing to prevent him from doing so. I recall earning my first Merit Badge (Dog Care) while I was a Tenderfoot - that was in the early 70's so it's been quite a while since the FC before Merit Badge rule was in place. I've known some Scoutmasters who will ask a new Scout within the first couple of meetings if the Scout has looked through the list and requirements of the merit badges and if he saw any that interested him, then give the lad a blue card and list of merit badge counselors for the badge on the spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutldr Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 "Our MB Pow Wow Organizer who is a District Committee member disagrees and says any scout can attend, so long he is official. (registered, in troop, ect ect.)" This is correct. In addition, they must have SM approval to work on the badge (e.g., signed blue card if your council uses those). Just ignore the DE. He doesn't "approve" anything when it comes to advancement work. It's between the SM, the MBC and the Scout. Now about those MB Pow Wows... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eisely Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 It is hard to believe that a DE could be so misinformed. The other posters are correct. It used to be that way, but the change was made so many decades back it is surprising that someone at that level still has not gotten the memo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 You asked for an official reference - Boy Scout Requirements book (from 2009 at least as far back as 2000) - Introduction to Merit Badges - "Any Boy Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. You don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible." This can also be found in the online version of the 2009 printing of that book - http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx Hope this is "official" enough for your DE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eghiglie Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 The rules now state that a boy can earn a MB as soon as he joins. Its a great rule. In the 60's though you could not get a MB until 1st class, you earned skill awards, that were by scout belt loops. I have 12 of them. That said though the first troop my son joined also said now MB till 1st class. This was an unwritten rule. We then un-wrote our self from the troop. The old troop still has this rule because it they say it controls things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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