Scouts

Merit Badge Requirements

Prior to Beginning Merit Badge
The blue merit badge card needs to be filled out properly, printed neatly in ink, and signed and dated by a Scoutmaster before beginning the merit badge.  Any Scoutmaster can sign a card for a merit badge taught within the troop; however, only Mr. Cain can sign for a merit badge to be taught outside of our troop.  
Upon Completion of Merit Badge
The merit badge form has three parts.  One part is retained by your counselor (Counselor’s Record), one part is retained by you (Applicant’s Record), and one part is given to Andrew Hooper (Application for Merit Badge).  If you do not provide the Application for Merit Badge, the merit badge will not be awarded at the next Court of Honor.
The Scout is responsible for filling out and turning in the merit badge card.  Merit badge cards will not be accepted from anyone other than the Scout earning the merit badge.
Merit badge cards must be turned in no later than the Wednesday before the Court of Honor.  Merit badge cards turned in after that day will be taken and we will make reasonable efforts to award them at the upcoming Court of Honor.  If we are unable to do so, the merit badge will be presented at a subsequent Court of Honor
If for some reason we do not award a merit badge and you have given us the blue card, please let or Mr. Schmidt know immediately.  You should show us the blue card you have kept.
If you were unable to attend a Court of Honor, you may pick up any merit badges, rank advancements, or awards which were to be awarded, at subsequent meetings.  Please contact Andrew Hooper and the merit badges and/or rank advancement will be given to you.
Record keeping: The scout is responsible for keeping his personal records for his merit badges and rank advancements.  For merit badges, the Scout will have the Applicant’s copy of the blue merit badge card to keep as evidence that the badge was completed.  At the time the merit badge or rank advancement is awarded, the Scout is given a card with this badge or rank advancement stapled to it.  This card should be kept in the Scout’s personal records as evidence that the badge or rank was awarded. Also, an email needs to be sent to advancement642@gmail.com with the following format:
Email Subject:      Advancement: <Level Achieved>  <Scout Name> <Date>
Email Body:          Advancement: <Level Achieved>  <Scout Name> <Date>
CC:                        Parent Email  
attach blue card screenshots etc when available
Email Subject:      Merit Badge: <Merit Badge Name>  <Scout Name> <Date>
Email Body:          Merit Badge: <Merit Badge Name>  <Scout Name> <Date>
CC:                        Parent Email
attach blue card screenshots etc when available

For emails with bulk updates: ie Multiple Scouts achieving the Same Rank or Merit Badge as a group
update the Subject and Body as follows
Email Subject:      Advancement: <Level Achieved>   <Date>
Email Body:          Advancement: <Level Achieved>  <Scout Name 1>  <Date>   
Email Body:          Advancement: <Level Achieved>  <Scout Name 2>  <Date> 
Email Body:          Advancement: <Level Achieved>  <Scout Name 3>  <Date>
CC:                        Parents Email  
attach blue card screenshots etc when available

Email Subject:      Merit Badge: <Merit Badge Name>   <Date>
Email Body:          Merit Badge: <Merit Badge Name>  <Scout Name 1> <Date>   
Email Body:          Merit Badge: <Merit Badge Name>  <Scout Name 2> <Date> 
Email Body:          Merit Badge: <Merit Badge Name>  <Scout Name 3> <Date>
CC:                        Parent Email
attach blue card screenshots etc when available

Scout Uniform

Troop 642 Proper Uniform Dress

• Short Sleeved Scout Shirt with Patches sewn on Properly (See Diagram)
  • Current Patrol Patch (Right Sleeve)
  • Current Year’s Quality Unit Patch (Right Sleeve)
  • Musician Patch (if applicable, Right Sleeve)
  • Current Officer Patch (if applicable, Left Sleeve)
  • OA Patch (if a member, Right Pocket Flap)
  • Temporary Camp Patch (Right Pocket)
  • Interpreter Strip (above Right Pocket)
  • Jamboree Patch (if attended, above Right Pocket)
  • Current Rank Patch (Left Pocket)
  • Religious Award Knot (if earned, above Left Pocket)
  • Troop 642 Name Tag (Above Left Pocket) – Not Jamboree Nametag!
    • This is different than BSA guidelines on the above diagram. The name tag interferes with the merit badge sash so we wear it over the Left pocket.
  • Proper Year Pen With Green Circle (Above Name Tag)
  • World Brotherhood of Scouting Emblem (Above Year Pen)
  • Arrow of Light Patch (below Left Pocket)
  • Red Shoulder Epaulets
• Scout Long Pants (October – March) or Scout Shorts (April – September)
  • Proper Length, Hemmed, & Proper Fit
• Scout Belt (Either Green Web or Scout Leather with Scout Buckle).
• Scout Socks (Either Knee Length or Crew Length – Not Ankle or Short).
• Leather Dress Shoes – Polished (No Boat Shoes, Tennis Shoes, Moccasins or Hiking Boots).
• Merit Badge Sash (If You Have Five Merit Badges or More).

If you wear an undershirt it must be a white v-neck (Not Colored and Not Crew Neck).
You should check your Uniform each week before you attend a meeting.

Make Sure Your Uniform Properly Fits and is Clean!

Scoutmaster Conference

The Scoutmaster conference is the opportunity for the adult leadership in the Troop to gauge the advancement of the Scout and ensure he is participating in and benefiting from his experience.  In Troop 642, we have a tradition of checking that certain Scout-ology is learned and retained. Listed here are the things that our Troop puts value in for the scout to learn.  So, use this as a study guide for your next Scoutmaster conference but, remember, use your Scout Book as the ultimate source of information.  You should remember all the requirments for you rankandall previous ranks.
Know these things... (All Ranks) Click the links for more information
Fundamentals

• Scout Sign
• Scout Salute
• Scout Oath
• Scout Law
  • What does each point of the scout law mean?
• Scout Motto
• Scout Slogan

Describe the Scout badge (All Ranks)

• Describe the shape of the badge
• It points where?
• What are the three parts of the Scout Oath?
• What do the two stars stand for?
• What about the eagle and shield?
• Describe the scroll.
• Describe the knot.

Know your Knots
(Check your rank in the Scout Book for which ones you need to know)
 Square Knot

• Two Half Hitches
• Taut-line Hitch
• Sheet Bend
• Bowline
• Timber Hitch
• Clove Hitch

First Aid (Check your rank in the Scout Book for what is required.)

• Know the “Hurry Cases” and how to treat. The information is hidden in clear text on pages 292-302 of your scout manual.
• What are the five common signs of a heart attack?
• How do you perform the Heimlich maneuver? When the victim is lying down?
• What is the first thing you want to do when you are the first one to recognize a “Hurry Case?”
• What is CPR?
  • How do you perform CPR?
  • When should you and should you not perform CPR?
  • Once started, when do you stop CPR?
• What is and how do you treat Shock?
• How do you treat Hypothermia?
• What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke?
• How do you treat heat exhaustion?
• How do you treat heat stroke?
• How do you treat a snake bite?
• How do you treat a small cut or abrasion?
• How do you get a splinter out of a finger?
• How do you remove something from your eye?
• How do you treat a blister?
• How do you remove a fish hook?
• What do you do to treat poison ivy?

U.S. Flag Trivia (All Ranks)

• How do you raise a flag?
• How do you lower a flag?
• When is it OK to fly a flag at half mast?
• How do you raise a flag to half mast?
• How do you lower a flag from half mast?
• When is it OK to fly a flag upside down?
• When is it OK to fly a flag at night?
• When is it OK to fly a flag in bad weather?
• What is the proper way to address a flag?
• Where does a US flag sit on a stage or in front of a room?
• What side of a color guard is a US flag carried?
• What state flag is OK to fly at the same height as a US Flag? (trick question)
• How many stars?
• What do the stars represent?
• How many stripes?
• What do the stripes represent?
• What is the area of the flag that contain the stars called?
• What is the name of the ornament on the top of a flag pole?
• What is the rope called?
• What is the name of the thing that you tie the rope too on the pole?

One last thing. Don’t rely on this to be the complete and only list. Each Scout Master has his own personal favorite thing to check your knowledge and preparedness.
Review all the things you did to reach this advancement. You might be asked what method you would use to judge the width of a river…

A Scout keeps his body and mind fit.  He chooses friends who also live by high standards.  He avoids profanity and p0rn0graphy.  He helps keep his home and community clean.

A Scout is clean.  ​