Membership

Boy Scout Troop 396 program year runs from February 1st to January 31st every year.  Your membership automatically expires on these dates if you do not recharter.

Youth joining requirements:

Your son can be a Scout in our Troop if he has completed the fifth grade and is at least 10 years old OR is age 11 OR has earned the Arrow of Light Award and is at least 10 years old, AND has not yet reached age 18.

1. Complete the BSA Youth Application.

2. Complete Parts A & B of the BSA Medical Form (note that these sections do not require physician signature -- that is only required prior to participation in events longer than 72 hours - you may want to go ahead and do Part C as well if your child is planning to go to Summer Camp or a High Adventure trip > 72 hours).  These forms are good for one year.  We keep them on file in our travel binder until it expires then we shred it!

3. Check in at a Troop meeting for the current membership fees.  In 2022 - 2023 it is $7.25/month remaining in our recharter year plus an optional $1.25/month remaining in our recharter year if you want a Scout Life Magazine subscription.

4. Give the completed application and fees made payable to "Troop 396" to the Scoutmaster or Registrar at a Troop meeting.

5. Secure a copy of the Boy Scout Handbook and complete the joining requirements as listed.

Adult joining requirements:

1. Complete the Boy Scouts of America Adult Application (code: 524-501) be sure not to miss the background check page!

2. Complete Youth Protection Training online and print (or save to PDF) your Certificate of Completion

3. Complete Parts A & B of the BSA Medical Form (note that these sections do not require physician signature -- that is only required prior to participation in events longer than 72 hours - you may want to do Part C if you're planning to go to Summer Camp or a High Adventure trip > 72 hours)

4. Check in at a Troop meeting for the current membership fees for Adult leaders.  In 2022 - 2023 it is $4.75/month remaining in our recharter year plus an optional $1/month remaining in our recharter year if you want Boys Life Magazine.

5. Give the completed application and rate sheet with fees made payable to "Troop 396" to the Scoutmaster or Registrar.

How to be a Merit Badge Counselor!

Parents and adult members of the community are encouraged to serve as Merit Badge counselors.  There are 137 merit badges and we hope to have coverage for each one for youth in our area.  This is a separate position from "Adult leader" that involves mentoring youth through specific Merit Badges that the counselor has special knowledge or interest.  Here's the  complete list of merit badges. 

1. Training Requirements: you must have done Youth Protection Training done within the past 2 years AND complete the Merit Badge Counselor Training.  Both can be found on the My.Scouting training portal.

   1. After you log in, click on the red "BSA Learn Center" on the Right Hand side.

   2. Youth Protection Training should be automatically loaded if you haven't already done it.

   3. Click on Course Catalog and search "Merit Badge" ... the first one to come up should be the "Scouts BSA Merit Badge Counselor Training"

      1. There are 2 mini-classes in the learning plan.  They don't take long.

      2. If you have your BSA ID associated with your My.Scouting login, you're all set.  If not, please print your completion certificate for both the Merit Badge and YPT trainings.

2. Forms

   1. Merit Badge Counselor application

   2. BSA Adult Member application (note you need to fill this out even if you're already a registered member of Scouting.  There is no fee for MB counselors, they just need the form.

You can turn in the forms and proof of training to the Scoutmaster or Troop Registrar.  Or send directly to our Council office via this form. 

As of 2/3/2021 we have local counselors for only 51 of the 137 merit badges.  Take a look to see if you can fill in some of the gaps on the 86 badges without a local counselor.