Missouri Boy Scout Earns 140 Merit Badges

Austin Van Black, from Troop 374 in Liberty, Missouri, has earned 140 merit badges.

That’s one busy Boy Scout.

His final badge was Backpacking, which he completed by camping out overnight in a city park.

“To my peers, I don’t think they fully understand,” Austin told The Kansas City Star newspaper. “Some feel embarrassed to be in Scouting. I’ve never done that. I promote the movement. I believe everybody should be in Scouting because it teaches values and builds character.”

The BSA doesn’t keep a list of boys who earn every merit badge available, nor does it keep a list of boys who’ve earned the most merit badges.

Read more about Austin here.