Can merit badge progress begin before a Scout gets his blue card?

posted May 1, 2013, 3:46 AM by Rowan District BSA [ updated Oct 4, 2014, 7:39 PM ]

Brian on Scouting
http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org

If a Scout camps several nights with his troop before getting a signed blue card from his Scoutmaster, do those nights count toward his earning Camping merit badge?

That’s what a Scouter, who I’ll call James, wondered last week in an email. James wrote:

I have a question concerning when a Scout must have a blue card. Our troop has a merit badge counselor that told boys that none of their camping nights count prior to them getting a signed blue card from the Scoutmaster.

It seems that I have read that this is contrary to BSA policy. Could you point me to a specific BSA reference for this?

To find your answer, finish reading the article found here: http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2013/04/30/ask-expert-mbs/