Merit Badges

Welcome to the Chain Bridge District Merit Badge Webpage for Adult Leaders. Scouts BSA has developed more than 135 merit badges that cover a wide variety of subjects from American Business to Woodworking. To review the current list of merit badges CLICK HERE.

Merit badge counselors play a vital role in helping Scouts advance through the ranks of Scouts BSA and Chain Bridge District maintains a list of approved merit badge counselors along with the badges they administer. Scoutmasters and unit merit badge coordinators have access to the list and it is available on Basecamp. The list also is available here, but a password is required CLICK HERE. (Updated August 21, 2023)

To help our Scouts advance, more merit badge counselors (MBCs) are needed. If you are willing to become a merit badge counselor, the application process is easy and requires just five steps as explained below. Sue Neilson, the CBD Merit Badge Dean, will provide assistance and may be contacted at: sneilsn@american.edu.

  • #1. Complete the Online Youth Protection Training (YPT) course. If you have already taken YPT, you will need to submit documentation showing that your YPT is still active.
  • #2. Complete the BSA adult member application. If you are not currently registered, please submit your application on-line (position code 42). If you are currently registered in an adult BSA position, you will complete a special registration form for merit badge counselors. Please contact Sue Neilson (sneilsn@american.edu) to obtain the form.
  • #3. Complete the Merit Badge Counselor Information Form. The form lists the merit badges you want to administer and documents that you are qualified to counsel these badges. To download the Merit Badge Counselor Information form CLICK HERE.
  • #4. Complete the Scouts BSA – Merit Badge Counselor Position Specific Training, either online (My.Scouting.org) or at an in-person course. You will need to provide documentation that MBC training was completed.
  • #5. Turn in your paperwork. If your unit has a merit badge coordinator, submit documentation for steps 1-4 to them, and they will forward to Sue Neilson. If you do not have a unit coordinator, you can submit the documentation via email or USPS directly to Sue (8434 Sparger Street, McLean, VA 22102). Please DO NOT take a completed merit badge counselor application package directly to the NCAC council office.

Counselor Registration Considerations

  • There is no fee for registering as a merit badge counselor even if you are only registered with Scouts BSA as a merit badge counselor.
  • You must be current with Youth Protection Training (YPT) to work with scouts and this training must be completed every two (2) years. The Council and District may track this requirement but it is your responsibility to remain current. Failure to keep up to date on YPT will result in your being dropped from the list of approved MBCs.
  • Several merit badges involve activities for which Scouts BSA has implemented strategies to enhance safety, improve the Scouts’ experience, and manage risk. These activities often require supervision by persons with specialized qualifications and/or certifications. Merit badge counselors who do not meet certain requirements may use the services of others who do. See the Guide to Advancement (section 7.0.1.1) for these merit badges and their requirements. To download the Guide to Advancement CLICK HERE.
  • Please do not limit yourself to only scouts in your home unit. Many scouts in small troops depend on having counselors outside their unit so they can advance.
  • For general BSA Merit Badge Information CLICK HERE.

 Please contact Merit Badge Dean Susan Neilson with questions or for additional information.