Rank Advancement and Merit Badge Information

If you are a Troop 506 parent, to view Scout Advancement and register for events please log into TroopTrack via the private portal

2025 Guide to Advancement
This document is the primary source for all BSA policies regarding rank advancement and merit badges. It is very detailed and a great resource.
2025 Guide to Advancement (online version)

Opening, Working On, and Completing a Merit Badge
There are two primary ways that scouts open, work on, and earn merit badges: at the troop level (usually on an individual basis) and at large-scale environments such as summer camp. Please click on the following link for a detailed explanation.
Opening, working on, completing MBs.pdf

List of Merit Badges
This is an Alphabetical list of all merit badges. Click on the badge and the link will take you to the BSA requirements for each badge.
http://www.scouting.org/meritbadges.aspx

Troop 506 Merit Badge Counselors
The troop has at least one counselor for ALL Eagle-required badges. Contact the Troop Advancement Chair for a current list of all merit badges and counselors associated with Troop 506.

List of Eagle Required Merit Badges
Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cooking, Cycling³, Emergency Prep¹, Environmental Sci², Family Life, First Aid, Hiking³, Lifesaving¹, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, Sustainability², Swimming3,

¹ Emer Prep OR Lifesaving required
² Environmental Science OR Sustainability required
³Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling required

The Essentials of Being a Merit Badge Counselor
Refer to this outstanding BSA-created presentation for a detailed discussion of merit badge counselor requirements, as well as an excellent description of the entire merit badge/blue card system.
The_Essentials

The Essentials Presenters Notes
This is a detailed discussion of each slide in the Essentials presentation.
The Essentials Notes

NE Georgia Council MB Counselor Application Procedures
The BSA and Troop 506 always have need for more merit badge counselors. If you have a favorite hobby, interest or skill set please consider becoming a Merit Badge counselor. You will make a positive difference in the lives of boy scouts.

All merit badge counselors must attend a counselor training session, either in-person or online. It is important that they have a full understanding of their responsibilities and also of the recommended practices for quality counseling. All merit badge counselors should take part in Merit Badge Counselor Position Specific Training found in their my.scouting account under Scouts BSA.

Refer to the following guidance to become a new MB counselor or, if already qualified and current, to add/subtract a MB.

ADULT LEADER APPLICATION: Required for all first-time MB counselors--even if already a current adult leader. Not required if you are an existing MB counselor and wish to add or subtract MB subjects, or you no longer wish to serve as a MB counselor.

*This form is not available as a "fillable" pdf file. It must be completed by hand.

* Ensure that you have signed twice! Sign both the Disclosure/Authorization form and the Adult Application itself.