SM assign MBC

[Eagledad]

>>I'm sure there are cases that could be argued to disaprove allowing the scout to do the badge, though for the life of me I really can't identify one.

[fred8033]

Eagledad wrote: "Do you have any mentally retarded scouts in your troop that want to earn BSA Life Guard before earning the swimming MB?"

 

Actually, we have three such scouts out of our troop of 35 to 40 scouts. One of them earned his swimming merit badge this summer. I am so impressed with that young man.

 

As far as Swimming or Lifesaving MB first? It's the same decision as for any scout. It's a non-issue. BSA did not make swimming MB a pre-requisite or a requirement for the Lifesaving MB. In fact, I've yet to see a true "pre-requisite" and the SM does not enforce individual MB requirements.

 

The closest I've seen is the Emergency Preparedness requirement #1 "Earn the first class MB". But if the scout wants to do Emergency Preparedness, fine. I'd let him know about the requirement, but I'd still sign the card. He just can't finish it until he finishes First Aid.

[rismith]

In agreement about emergency prep. There is no rule on order of completion and it seems to me that the first aid requirement has more to do with "we don't want to repeat all of the requirements again so just show you've already done those."