Merit Badge Program

After scout rank, merit badges are the second main area of the Boy Scout advancement program. Unlike ranks, there is a degree of choice in the merit badge program. A sub-group of merit badges are known as Eagle required merit badges. To earn Eagle Scout, most of these badges must be earned although some are "either/or" badges. The remainder of the badges help with earning ranks as well as Eagle Palms after the Eagle Scout award has been earned.

Boy Scouts may work on merit badges from they time they join a Scout troop until they turn 18 years old. There is no time limit for completion of merit badges other than age 18 {source}.

• Cycling 2014

• Directory of Merit Badge Resource Links
• MeritBadge.com — A great Merit Badge reference
• MeritBadge.org — A SUPER Merit Badge reference and quite possibly the best example of a Scouting wiki I've seen so far.
• US Scouting Service Project Site — another good reference site for merit badges with links to resources, ideas, etc
• Merit Badge Counseling — See what the US Scouting Service Project Site has to say about the critical importance of Merit Badge Councelors.