Silver Comet District

AAC Merit Badge Counselor Registration and Approval Process Effective March 2021

In March of this year the Atlanta Area Council (AAC) Advancement Committee published new procedures for registering as a Merit Badge Counselor or for adding badges if already a Counselor.

Existing Counselors Adding Merit Badges

For an existing merit badge counselor to add badges, fill out BSA form 34405 and send it to our Silver Comet Merit Badge Counselor Designee for review, approval, and processing. Forms turned in at the Volunteer Service Center will be routed to the Silver Comet Merit Badge Counselor. You will be notified of approval, or if additional information is required.

Registering New Merit Badge Counselors that are already registered in AAC as Adult Leaders

A new merit badge counselor applicant that is already registered in our Council as an adult leader in any capacity can apply to become a merit badge counselor by filling out the BSA Form 34405, and sending the completed form along with evidence of current Youth Protection Training (YPT) and any credentials required by specific badges to our Silver Comet Merit Badge Counselor Designee for review, approval, and processing. Forms turned in at the Volunteer Service Center will be routed to the Silver Comet Merit Badge Counselor Designee for the same processing, so save a step, and a possible hiccup, and send them directly to our Merit Badge Counselor Designee at mbcdesignee@silvercometdistrictbsa.org. You will be notified of approval, or if additional information is required.  An additional Adult Application is NOT required for a currently registered adult leader.

 Registering New Merit Badge Counselors NOT already registered in AAC as Adult Leaders

A new merit badge counselor applicant that is NOT already registered in our Council as an adult leader in any capacity can apply to become a merit badge counselor by filling out a BSA Adult application (with position code 42) and background check authorization, BSA Form 34405, completing Youth Protection Training (YPT) training, and completing online or in person “Merit Badge Counselor Training”.  Because of the sensitive information on the BSA Adult application (the volunteer’s SSN), the above documents should be turned in to the Volunteer Service Center in person or via electronic upload using the Atlanta Area Council’s Send Safely upload program.   The Council will remove any sensitive information and then send them to the our Silver Comet Merit Badge Counselor Designee for review, approval, and processing.  You will be notified of approval, or if additional information is required such as credentials required by specific badges.

If an applicant is not already registered as an adult leader they will have to create a my.scouting.org online account in order to complete their Youth Protection Training (YPT), and the “Merit Badge Counselor Training”. To create an account go to https://my.scouting.org, click on “Create Account”,  fill in the form and follow the instructions provided to  create an account.

BSA National Merit Badge Counselor Database Moved February 2021

At the beginning of February 2021  National BSA moved the merit badge counselor database from Scoutnet (the older BSA member registration program) to the latest Scoutbook program. Designed to be a seamless move, there were nevertheless some glitches possibly resulting in some merit badge counselors not making the move, and some merit badge counselors not having all of their approved badges moved with them. Counselors and Units should check their Scoutbook MB Counselor listings to be sure that all of their known Counselor records were moved, along with all of the badges they believe they should be approved to counsel. A Counselor can log onto their Scoutbook account with their my.scouting.org username and password, click “My Dashboard”, click “Edit Merit Badges….” to see a listing of a their approved Merit Badges.

If  you or any of your Unit’s merit badge counselors see that there are formerly approved merit badge counselors missing, or that do not have all of their approved badges listed, please have the merit badge counselors fill out a Merit Badge Counselor Information Form 34405 including all of the required information.  Forms turned in at the Volunteer Service Center will be routed to the Silver Comet Merit Badge Counselor Designee for the same processing, so save a step, and a possible hiccup, and send them directly to our Merit Badge Counselor Designee. You will be notified of approval, or if additional information is required.

MERIT BADGE COUNSELOR SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING AND EDUCATION

BSA Publication –  “A Guide for Merit Badge Counseling”

Merit Badge Counselor’s BSA ID # to Accompany the Completion Signature on Blue Cards

BSA Position on Unofficial MB Worksheets

REPORTING MERIT BADGE COUNSELOR CONCERNS FORM

MERIT BADGE INFORMATION AND UPDATES

BSA listing of current Merit Badges and requirements

BSA FAQs and answers on Merit Badges

When can Merit Badge work begin, does work before the Blue Card issuance count?

What Camping nights count for the Camping Merit Badge?

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