stacking badges
Warning: Do NOT try to stack badges without the permission of your second merit badge counselor. While most will accept work done for other badges, not all will. Remember, it is THEIR decision that counts.
Also known as Double-Dipping, stacking is the process of using work done for one badge for the requirements of another. There are some badges that specifically prohibit this (Sports/Athletics, Dog Care/Pet Care, a few others). Most, however, remain silent on the subject, leaving it up to the discretion of the merit badge counselor. Don’t try to use them retroactively, since the badges assume that you’re learning, then doing. IOW, your photography photos require using the skills you’ve learned by working on that badge. Pictures from three years ago won’t (or shouldn’t!) cut it.
A lot of merit badges are similar in nature, and many have identical or near identical requirements. It seems a waste to do the same things over again when it could be spent working on something new. So, at the request of some Scouts who work diligently, but don’t want to repeat things, listed below are some ways to stack. This is not meant as a way to circumvent requirements. On the contrary, if you can use an activity more than once, it’s reasonable for a MBC to expect it to be done with even greater excellence. Knowing beforehand what will stack helps to use the most of your time. Check out both requirements before you go. For instance, both Journalism and Graphics Arts require a visit to a newspaper, but their focus is different. You want to make sure you’re completely fulfilling the requirements of each. More will be added as we have time to come up with them.
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Stacking Eagle-required Badges
While you definitely don’t want to skimp on any of the Citizenship requirements, there are ways to do more than one badge at the same time while still maintaining the integrity of each.
Citizenship in the Community Req 5 requires watching a movie. If you’re careful in choosing, the same movie could count for one of American Heritage’s req 5a. If you choose a community organization that works with the disabled in your community for Req 7, those 8 hours of volunteering can count for your Disabilities Awareness Req 5b. Scouts who are working on their Photography badges can use Req 4b (a photo display) as their photo display for Cit Comm Req 8.
Citizenship in the Nation Req 4 is essentially the same as American Heritage Req 1. Req 3 is close enough to Journalism 2b1 that a little extra effort will fulfill both.
Communications – The interview for Req 4 is vague enough that you could choose someone who will fit American Cultures 1c, or the upcoming Scouting Heritage badge. The meeting in Req 5 can also be used for Cit Comm Req 3. Req 7b is very similar to Computers Req 7d.
Depending upon the choices you make for Environmental Science, Soil & Water or Fish & Wildlife become almost subsets to ES.
First Aid – Earn this badge as soon as you can. Many counselors will simply accept that you’ve done the requirements for other badges because you’ve satisfied the First Aid requirements (and can prove it). Otherwise, you’ll get to demonstrate over and over again (which may not be a bad thing, after all). Badges that require First Aid components include: Athletics, Camping, Canoeing, Climbing, Cycling, Emergency Preparedness, Hiking, Orienteering, Pioneering, Skating, Small-Boat Sailing, Snow Sports, Sports, Swimming, Waterskiing, Whitewater, and Wilderness Surivival.
Lifesaving and Swimming both require CPR. Swimming only requires 100 yards, while Lifesaving needs 400. But they are the same strokes.
I’m sure there are others for the Eagle-requireds. How have you stacked these?
Click here for information on stacking elective badges.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:51 am
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November 7th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
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