Summer Camp Merit Badges Without Blue Cards

[DonM]

What is the proper way to handle merit badges earned at summer camp (all requirements completed at camp) but with a advancement sheet returned by the camp instead of a signed blue card?

 

This is an issue only for non-Eagle MB's for which our troop does not have MB counsellors. The sheet returned from the camp lists all requirements completed and is signed by the councellor (who is registerred acording to the camp) and a camp administrator. We have also spoken with the scouts to insure they completed the requirements.

 

Currently, as SM, I am issueing a blue card, writing the camp name in as councellor, initialiling for the councellor and signing it. Then I'm advising the scout to keep a copy of the camp form for their records (we also retain one).

 

Now, though, I'm worried that some scouts may have trouble at their Eagle BOR in the future.

 

I have not been able to obtain MB councellors for these badges through either recruiting in the troop or from the council. Do I have to try to track down all the councellors from the camp to send them cards or is what I'm doing sufficient?

 

Suggestions?

 

Don

[Trevorum]

The blue cards are a commonly used form of documentation, but are not required in and of themselves to prove MB completion. The camp should provide some form of written documentation of completion/partials to the SM. Keep that original in the troop advancement files and just make a photocopy for the scouts files.

[AwHeck]

I've sat on quite a few Eagle BORs and I can honestly say that we've never asked to see blue cards or questioned the Merit Badges earned by the Eagle candidate. I suspose that if the application showed a lot of badges being earned in a very short period of time, I might question it but so far that hasn't come up.

 

We will ask questions like "what was your favorite MB?" "what was the most challenging?" "which one are you most proud of?" etc but we haven't qeustioned the legitimacy of the MBs.

[nldscout]

Even the National Scout Jamboree does not use Blue Cards. They use a mulitple part form with one copy going to the scout. There is no hard and fast rule that says you must have the blue card. Once its recorded in SCOUTNET thats all thats required. Out of 100 scouts I bet 99 don't have all of the Blue Cards for the MB's they have earned.

 

 

[scouter-mom]

Don M, I appreciate your concern!

 

Interestingly enough, I heard a presentation this summer from the individual who is the BSA professional for advancement at National. Now perhaps I don't have his title correctly stated, nor do I have his name at my fingertips, but his office is where "the buck stops" for advancements and appeals. He strongly emphasized that one should keep and preserve the documentation of merit badge (or other advancement) completion.

 

Many of us in the audience were concerned with the new trend at summer camps, etc of "no blue cards" but a computer print out instead. It was especially a concern for those who attended out of council summer camps.

 

The merit badge completions are recorded on the advancement form just as they would be usually. You don't need to make out blue cards. (But doing it the way you are creates another piece of documentation, which is a good thing.)

 

The most important thing of all, besides getting the advancement report off to your council office, is that the youth keep and protect his documentation of merit badge completion.

 

If there is ever a question, especially when processing the application for Eagle, it is important to have the documentation (of rank advancement dates and merit badge completion dates) available. You never know what could put a speed bump in the process, but it does happen. The documentation is a form of insurance.

 

Hope this helps.

Scouter-Mom

[Proud Eagle]

It should also be noted some councils prefer a form other than the blue card for all merit badges.

 

I know Greater St. Louis Area Council uses the "White Card" and the Tall Pines Council uses some sort of green sheet.

 

What you need to make sure of is that you have documentation of what requirements were completed, when they were completed, and who signed off on them. A record of that sort should be kept by the unit and the Scout. It doesn't really matter if it is a computer print out, a carbon copy form, or a blue card. As long as it has essentially the same information as a blue card it should be fine.

 

After all, unless you council works very differently than most, you probably just report the MB as being earned on an Advancement Report and that takes care of the thing.

 

However, back up documentation is critical. Never can tell when there will be a paper work glitch at your council office...

[DonM]

Thanks everyone.

 

I didn't know that other paperwork than the blue card counted for records. We'll be careful to keep them on file.

 

I also have never seen this come up at a Eagle BOR, but I just wanted to be safe.

 

Don

[EagleInKY]

Interestingly, our camp has moved from a local system to blue cards because so many out-of-council troops requested them. I agree with the point that the important factor is having some sort of documentation. It's not for the BOR, but for the paperwork leading up to it. If there are any discrepencies with council advancement records, the documentation can be used to straighten it out.

[packsaddle]

This unit uses the blue cards when possible. But the camp doesn't, usually just a photocopied page with the MB requirements, etc. No problem, here's why.

 

From painful (but not catastrophic) experience:

Prior to all Eagle BOR's, I or someone from the unit will acquire a current printout of the council advancement report. The boy's application and other records (usually the troop's copy) are compared to the council record for inconsistencies (inconsistencies are common). I or someone from the unit then work with the council prior to the Eagle BOR to reconcile the records. Because our council recognizes this problem and because we have been very objective about it in the past, the council is very receptive to our corrections when needed (fairly common).

There are two ways to avoid a problem. Periodically compare the troop advancement records to those of the council. Or...accomplish the same thing by having an Eagle BOR periodically. (bragging time now) This unit is about to have three of them in the next couple of months...really great guys, every one of them.

But blue cards or not, as long as the requirements are satisfied and the application matches the council records, no problem.

[alki]

Some of our boys went to Tom Hale Scout Reservation in Oklahoma this summer. I was pleasantly surprised to get a packet with hard-copies of an obviously electronic "blue card." I even received "partials" with the appropriate boxes dated and initialed. The counselor's name was printed on there, all signatures were present, and they even used blue paper!

 

Even though it was a single sheet, I cut them immediately into thirds and gave the boys their copies.

 

I don't know how to get this e-version of the blue card, but if you run a scout camp, you'll make a lot of friends by using it.