The new Boy Scout Requirements book is now available, and we've posted our annual report on the changes at http://usscouts.org/advance/changes/advchanges12.asp The new book contains changes to 2 ranks, 14 merit badges, and the requirements for one new merit badge - Welding (plus Chess and Robotics, which were released during 2011).

Here are the details:

These are the items that have changed from last year's edition (Items in RED are not noted on the inside front cover):

Second Class— Requirement 5.
Eagle -- Requirement 5

Revised merit badge requirements for
Woodwork (1, 6b, 7)

Minor merit badge requirement updates for
Archery (5, option B[f]2)
Astronomy (1 & 9)
Athletics (1)
Bugling (2b)
Camping (1, 9)
Climbing (1, 3)
Fly-Fishing (1)
Graphic Arts (2)
Hiking (1)
Motorboating (1)
Music (3b, 3c, 4b, 4d)
Personal Fitness (8)
Scouting Heritage (2, 8 & footnote to 4b revised last year, but not noted either then or now)

New merit badges:
Chess
Robotics
and Welding

Note that the new WELDING MB is listed above, and the requirements for the badge appear in the book, even though the official announcement of the new merit badge has not been made yet, and the badge and pamphlet are not yet available for purchase. At BSA's request, we've held off posting the Welding requirements until next week, after the official release by BSA (They're waiting for the pamphlets to be printed and available, due to the safety issues in the subject).

The changes to Requirement 1 in the various merit badges are in line with this statement from BSA:

The seven (sic) merit badge pamphlets bearing the new risk-related requirement 1 have an outdoor focus with a greater level of risk. As our pamphlets get updated by our Merit Badge Maintenance Task Force, more will have this new requirement.

Actually there are 9 merit badges with the new requirement, including Woodwork and Welding.

The new requirement is in this format (Insert the appropriate term where I show a blank.), which is then followed by the old requirement as b, c, etc, as appropriate.:

Quote:

1. Do the following:
a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in ___________ activities, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.

I've updated and uploaded all the appropriate files on the USSSP website, including these files:

a. Revised requirements pages for the ranks and merit badges that changed

b. Pages showing what exactly changed for each rank and merit badge

c. Pages showing the previous requirements for those still working on them.

d. The requirements and worksheets for Welding MB will be at: http://usscouts.org/mb/mb148.asp next week.

e. My annual summary of all changes I've identified in the book. That summary can be found at:
http://usscouts.org/advance/changes.advchanges12.asp

f. Worksheets for the revised merit badges, (in both DOC and PDF formats).

g. Miscellaneous files in support of these changes (images, zip files, index pages, links, etc.)

If you find any typos, omissions, or other errors or problems, please let me know.