Scuba Merit Badge Counselor

[Wheatondiver]

Will there be any special requirements to be a counselor for the scuba merit badge other than be a registered scouter and have knowledge of diving? Will the counselor need to be certified diver? DM? Instructor?

 

[mmmeenehan]

Will there be any special requirements to be a counselor for the scuba merit badge other than be a registered scouter and have knowledge of diving? Will the counselor need to be certified diver? DM? Instructor?

The merit badge book does not mention any special requirements for being a scuba merit badge counselor. Since one of the requirements is to have OWC from a BSA-recognized agency, there is no need for the MBC to be an instructor to teach that.

From the scuba merit badge pamphlet:

Counselors for the Scuba Diving merit badge must be registered with the Boy Scouts of America and be approved by the district/council advancement committee.

In NCAC, the MBC approval is done at the district level. So if your district merit badge dean approves you, you are approved. He was much more interested in my BSA registration status than my scuba background.

I turned my scuba merit badge (along with the other aquatics merit badges) counselor application in at Roundtable last month. Our district MB dean was vaguely aware of the new MB, but I told him it probably wouldn't be official until after the first of the year.

 

[T23]

I would agree with that. Like any other MB there are stipulated requirements that have to be met, one of which (#4) is to earn an Open Water diver cert from a recognized agency. Clearly there must be a qualified instructor involved to complete req #4, but the MBC does not have to be the instructor. As for the remaining five other requirements a registered MB counselor could easily work with a Scout to complete.

There is also an explanatory note for scouts who have already earned Open Water that they can still earn the scuba merit badge by earning the swimming merit badge and completing all of the other requirements which again would require a registered MB counselor but not an scuba instructor.

 

[mmmeenehan]

btw - BSA revised their scuba policy last month. Among other things it clarifies that scouts can earn JOWC according to the certifying agency's age guidelines. That allows younger scouts to earn the scuba merit badge.

 

[Dustinh]

I'm super excited about this. I always wished there was a SCUBA badge when I was a scout. I've been away from scouting for a little while, but this badge has prompted me to get back into things. I am now a merit badge counselor once again.

Good stuff.

 

[rligon]

I wonder when BSA is going to bring the Guide to Safe Scouting into line with the JOWC provisions. The Aquatics section still (2009) says that boys must be 14 or older to participate in troop scuba activities. Hopefully they will align all of this so we have some clear guidelines. It doesn't seem to be logical that a scout can earn the merit badge at any BSA age but not be able to participate with the troop. Less I be misunderstood, I'm just nitpicking here, I am REALLY glad to see PADI and BSA work together to put this into place.

 

[KJackson60]

I wonder when BSA is going to bring the Guide to Safe Scouting into line with the JOWC provisions. The Aquatics section still (2009) says that boys must be 14 or older to participate in troop scuba activities. Hopefully they will align all of this so we have some clear guidelines. It doesn't seem to be logical that a scout can earn the merit badge at any BSA age but not be able to participate with the troop. Less I be misunderstood, I'm just nitpicking here, I am REALLY glad to see PADI and BSA work together to put this into place.

I believe the age to change over from JOW to OW is 15 years old, at least as far as PADI is concerned. The 14 year old age limit in the Guide To Safe Scouting applies to SCUBA as it is seen as a "High Adventure" type outing. As such a higher level of maturity, self reliance and dependability are expected from the youth participants.
Our Troop ran into the "14 year old" catch while preparing for a trip to Sea Base. We wanted all of the attendees OW Certified before they got there so they could dive rather than learn to dive. We had one youth who was not going to be 14 until a month before we were scheduled to go to Sea Base. Fortunately his dad wanted to go as well so dad and youth got certified at the same time and place as the other participants. They camped with us and participated in all of the Troop activities but were excluded from coverage on the Tour Permit for the SCUBA training.
Dad was OK with this arrangement and everyone had a blast, not only at the training outing but a year later at Sea Base.

 

[mmmeenehan]

I wonder when BSA is going to bring the Guide to Safe Scouting into line with the JOWC provisions.

The GSS just restates various BSA policies. It might take a while for updated BSA policy (like the scuba policy revision that includes JOWC) to be incorporated into various editions of the GSS. (the Safe Swim Defense guidelines were updated with the publishing of Aquatics Supervision in February & the GSS & online training hasn't been updated yet).

 

[Dustinh]

BSA seems busy updating a bunch of rules and merit badge books. I think it's a great thing. The oceanography merit badge book is getting a refresh too apparently.

 

[The Kraken]

Scouting doesn't seem to be getting much behind this.

I called the area council office and gave them my credentials, Eagle Scout, God and Country, Order of the Arrow, Scout Master, National Camping School - Aquatics Director, Council Aquatics Director, PADI OWSI, PADI Specialty Instructor, et al and asked if they would consider me as an instructor for the upcoming merit badge program.

The person with whom I spoke at the area council office was "Oh, so enthralled!!!" and would have someone get back in touch with me.

That was 4 months ago.

the K