Merit badges give scouts the opportunity to develop life skills and examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or hobby. There are 130 merit badges offered. Complete List of Merit Badges
The merit badge program plays a major role in scout advancement and participation can begin as soon as a scout registers with a troop.
To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, 21 merit badges must be earned. The 14 required merits badges are:
- First Aid
- Citizenship in the Community
- Citizenship in the Nation
- Citizenship in Society
- Citizenship in the World
- Communications
- Cooking
- Personal Fitness
- Personal Management
- Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving*
- Environmental Science or Sustainability
- Swimming or Hiking or Cycling
- Camping
- Family Life
Start Early on Requirements:
Physical Fitness (8) – Scout must keep a 12 week physical fitness log. Sports, marching band and ROTC can count.
Personal Management (2a&b) – Scout must track spending and income for 13 weeks. Scouts struggle completing this requirement if they do not have an allowance or steady income.
Family Life (3) – Scout must keep a chore chart for 90 days.
Cooking (6c & 6d & 6e) – Requires cooking outdoors using a Dutch oven or foil pack, lightweight stove, and a desert. An aware scout can complete during monthly campout.
Camping (6a-c) – Scout needs to camp 20 days and night at a scout camp, hike a mountain 1000 feet high or backpack 4 miles or bike 15 miles or canoe 4 hours or rappel 30 feet, and do a service project (Clean the Creek).
Citizenship in the Community (3a) – Scout must attend a city council or school board meeting.
Citizenship in the Nation (2a-c) – Scout must visit a national historical landmark, state capitol, or federal facility.
