Even if there is already a name listed under a particular badge, it would help us to have alternates listed in case a particular Counselor is not available.  You do not need to be an expert in the field in order to serve as an MB Counselor - if you did, we would probably never have a Bugle Merit Badge Counselor available (in fact, we don’t have one listed now)!  Whether it's your profession or your hobby, or if you just feel that you can help out by guiding a Scout interested in a particular badge, your volunteering will be greatly appreciated by the Troop.

Here is a link to a great site that describes the Merit Badges:

http://www.usscouts.org/meritbadges.asp.

There are three requirements in order for an adult to serve as an MB Counselor:
 
1)  Fill out and print a copy of the form on this link: http://scoutmaster.org/usscouts/advance/docs/33405.doc, indicating which Merit Badges you would like to serve as MB Counselor for.  Please include your email address on the form in the name/address section.  You can give the form to me at the COH on Monday or at an upcoming Troop meeting.
 
2)  Get a carbon copy "Adult Application" form at the Court of Honor, or print and fill out FOUR copies of the form at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/28-501.pdf (you can fill out the form and then make three xerox copies).  When asked on the form, the “position code” for an MB Counselor is “42.”  Note that there is no fee to be an MB Counselor.  Please give the form to me at the COH or at an upcoming Troop meeting.
 
3)  Take the on-line Youth Protection course.  You will need to create an account in order to access the training at http://www.scouting.org/myscouting/elearning.aspx.  The course takes less than an hour.  Print up the completion certificate and give it to me or a Troop 80 leader once you have taken the course.
 
Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you very much for your support of the Troop 80 Boy Scouts!
 
Yours in Scouting,
 
Hale VanKoughnett
Troop 80 Committee Member – Merit Badge Counselor