bnelon44 Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 A new version of the Application for Merit Badge, No. 34124, commonly referred to as the blue card, is being released later in January 2013. The availability of the new card will vary locally, and the old cards are still acceptable as councils exhaust their inventories. The new version will remain the old familiar blue and the change is a small one, but as it takes effect it will make a significant difference in the process. On the front side (first tri-fold portion) above the unit leaders signature line, the statement with the word qualified is being changed to: I have discussed this merit badge with this Scout and recommended at least one merit badge counselor. The wording change has been made due to confusion over the interpretations of qualified, approved, and approval, as applied to when a Scout could begin work on a merit badge. With the new statement, the unit leaders signature indicates that he or she and the Scout have talked about the Scouts desire to work on the merit badge and that a merit badge counselor has been recommended. The intent of the modification is to give the unit leader the chance to offer counseling as to whether or not the merit badge is a good choice for the Scout, based on his abilities and any prerequisites. The terms qualified or approved were never meant to indicate that the Scout needed to pass some sort of prequalifying test before pursuing a merit badge, or that the unit leader had pass/fail authority to allowor to not allowthe Scout to undertake work on a badge. Other than this single change, the good old blue card is the same as before. Unit leaders are requested to use this new approach now. With release of the revised Guide to Advancement 2013 during the first half of the New Year, the practice will become mandated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewmeister Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 From where is this quoted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocubdad Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Good thing leaders are being "requested" to use this approach as it will be ignored in our unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beavah Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 In 2013, we're re-issuing a silly cardboard 3-part form? I reckon da old one was just fine. The time they spent on this should have been spent on fixing ScoutNet so that cardboard multi-part forms can be dispensed with. There would be much rejoicing. Beavah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 Its from the "ADVANCEMENT NEWSLETTER December 2012JANUARY 2013" I have a copy, but I can't find it on line Why would this be an issue, I thought this was the direction most units wanted to go or were doing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocubdad Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 We chewed this pretty well before. While the high-speed/low-drag folks are in charge of advancement at national not everyone agrees that is the best approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGreyEagle Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 "While the high-speed/low-drag folks are in charge of advancement at national not everyone agrees that is the best approach." My understanding is no one in charge of advancement at National has ever signed off on a First Class POR, they have not conducted a Life Scout Board of Review and have never signed off any T-First Class requirements. They are not responsible for Programs that do not allow socuts to use Scout Skills once they are learned National does not have a list of Merit badge counsleors who are know "soft" and while some units do not allow their youth to use them, they do not do what it takes to have those counselors removed form the rolls. National has its share of pimples, that is clear but many of the issues in advancement are rooted in the Units, not in National Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nike Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Real Question: how could we make virtual blue cards that wouldn't turn into a bloated and buggy database? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 That would require every MB to be approved in the vicinity of internet service. What a dull world it will be when that happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewmeister Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I don't see how changing the verbiage on this form impacts program standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnelon44 Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Sorry as was pointed out it comes from the BSA Jan 2013 Advancement Newsletter which will go online at scouting.org eventually. The current link to it is here: http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1109945141041-7/01-2013+Advancement+News.pdf There is nothing new to the process with this verbiage change. It is meant to clarify the existing (and has been existing for decades) process. And I think we have discussed this before. The national Advancement Team (who make these sorts of changes) consist of a lot of very experienced volunteer Scouters who have definitely been merit badge counselors, and have also signed of on many, many rank advancement requirements. (This message has been edited by bnelon44) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koolaidman Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 bnelon44, thank you for the link. I know this "development" may deflate some SM egos in my area. On the digital/paper debate. I think having a card to give to the scout gives him some control over his destiny when all other controls fail. Adults lose paperwork, adults forget to enter items into database. Accidents happen. A signed card/handbook is very good evidence that requirements were met. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Eagle92 has said that his troop never used blue cards...... If a SM has an ego issue over blue cards, well, wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koolaidman Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 BD: Yep. When a SM decides he doesn't want a boy to earn a MB, that's ego in my book. SM would only hand out blank blue cards. After boys take class, signs all but "X". He didn't want that boy to have it. (Now that troop doesn't have the boy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred8033 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 koolaidman wrote: "I know this "development" may deflate some SM egos in my area." Alot of scoutmasters need their egos deflated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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