Merit Badges

Typically labelled MBs

What are they?

Scouts can earn merit badges in many many areas of interest and will be awared their merit badges in the Court of Honor awards dinner following completion of the badge requirements.

Link to our “Scout Uniform” page showing merit badges worn on a merit badge sash

Link to the list of all possible merit badges

Link to the list of merit badges that are required for the prestigious rank of Eagle

NOTE: There are four different “Citizenship” Merit Badges: Citizenship in the Community; Citizenship in Society; Citizenship in the Nation; Citizenship in the World.

How do I earn a merit badge?

A common place to earn a merit badge is at an Atlanta Area Council sponsored merit badge event such as: Summer Camp at Camp Bert Adams or Camp Woodruff; Conservation Weekend at Camp Woodruff; Aquatics Day at Camp Allatoona; or other merit badge events. Please contact the Scoutmaster (Amber Ackerman) for informal approval of the proposed merit badges BEFORE attending any of these events, in case we are about to work on the merit badges of interest during our Monday evening meetings!! Or in case we know the merit badges are offered in a more fun/interactive way elsewhere.

If Merit Badges are completed as part of a Council event, your merit badge will appear as complete in the online database known as Tentraoo. If the Scoutmaster (Amber Ackerman) signed you up for the Council Merit badge event as part of a major troop outing then there is no further action for you. If you signed up as an individual attendee, the Scoutmaster will not recieve notice of completion of the badge. Please send the tentaroo report that you receive at the conclusion of the event to the Scoutmaster, then please check in with the Advancement Chair that this merit badge is showing as complete in Scoutbook.

The troop will also organize opportunities to earn merit badges during the weekly Monday meetings or during the weekend camping trips, or very occasionally during an afternoon activity on a weekend. Please talk to the Scoutmaster (Amber Ackerman) if you want to request that a merit badge be added to the troop curriculum for this year.

Sometimes a merit badge can be earned in one day, sometimes scouts spend a couple of years chipping away at completing the many different requirements for a merit badge. Often they have multiple unfinished merit badges on the go, and these unfinished merit badges are commonly known as “partials”.

Can I earn a merit badge from the list even if it is not being offered at a specific merit badge event / outing?

The short answer is YES!!!!

Contact the Scoutmaster for informal approval BEFORE finding and working with an approved/certified adult Merit Badge counselor. The Scoutmaster will provide you with the name of one or more possible Merit Badge counselors, and will discuss any concerns about doing the badge at that time.

It is a good idea (but not necessary) to obtain the appropriate Merit Badge Pamphlet. The Merit Badge counselor should also have one of these for you to view. Pamphlets can be borrowed from the scoutmaster (Amber Ackerman) or purchased from the online Scout Shop (or the physical scout shop, which is near the Atlanta Braves Stadium).

Contact a “Registered” Merit Badge Counselor. (We have a list of counselors, and will provide suggestions, but Scouts can also work with other certified Merit Badge Counselors.). Take a buddy (a scout interested in the same merit badge) or a parent when meeting the Merit Badge Counselor as no one-on-one contact between a single youth and an adult is permitted, for the protection of the scout and the counselor.

Review the requirements with the Merit Badge Counselor. Complete the requirements, and discuss with or demonstrate for the Merit Badge counselor. Have the Merit Badge Counselor electronically sign-off your merit badge in Scoutbook.They will know about Scoutbook!

Have a unit leader (Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster) electronically sign-off in Scoutbook. They will know about Scoutbook! Check in with the Advancement Chair to make sure that the merit badge is appearing as complete in Scoutbook. The Merit Badge is complete when all signatures are received, and the badge will be awarded at the Troop’s next Court of Honor.

I am an adult, can I become a merit badge counselor?

Yes please, we need more adults to merit badge counselors for multiple merit badges. Contact Troop Committee Chair (Lewis Cartee) for more details.

Link to information about becoming a merit badge counselor.