The merit badge counselor is a key player in the Boy Scout advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications)—as a merit badge counselor, you can play a vital role in stirring a young man’s curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a merit badge counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.
To register to be a new merit badge counselor, the following must be completed and sent to your district executive or to the council:
- Adult BSA application, with position code = 42. This is a no-fee registration.
- Proof that Youth Protection Training has been taken within the last 2 years. This training can be done through The BSA’s Online Learning Center .
- Merit badge counselor information form Merit Badge Counselor, No. 34405 (indicates which merit badges will be taught).
Each year, registered merit badge counselors are invited to renew or modify their registration by going to the Merit Badge Counselor Online Renewal for Existing Counselors.
Merit badge counselor registration is automatically terminated if more than 2 years have expired since the last Youth Protection Training. If this occurs, the three items listed above must be sent into the council to become registered as a merit badge counselor again.
For more information, consult the Guide for Merit Badge Counseling, No. 512-065 or Merit Badge Counselor Information, No. 34405 . To learn more about the merit badge program, see section 7 of the Guide to Advancement, “The Merit Badge Program.”