A Blue Card is a stepping stone on the way to earning a merit badge. As the name implies it is a blue card. The card is made of three parts separated by perforation. When starting a merit badge the scout, or sometimes the [[Merit Badge Counselor|counselor]], will fill out the card with preliminary information like name, troop, council, etc. The counselor will then use the card to mark the scout's progress in completing the requirements of the badge. This could be done by a camp staff instructor at Camp Horseshoe or at any other time of the year by the Troop's merit badge counselor at a conference.
If the counselor believes that the scout has satisfactory completed the requirements then he will mark the card and tear off the "counselor's copy" section for his own records and give the remaining two thirds of the card to the scout or directly to Scoutmaster. The scout can now use that blue card at a Board of Review and attempt to finish earning the badge there. If the scout does not complete all the requirements (due to time restraints at camp, lack of knowledge/preparation, or prerequisites that have not been completed) then he will be given the entire blue card back and only partially marked off by the counselor. This is referred to as a "partial". A partial case be finished by the scout at a later date with a new counselor signing off on the remaining requirements.
At the Board of Review, the blue card will be used to finalize the acquisition of the badge. If the scout passes the board the blue card will be kept by the examiners. It will be filled out completely and the final tear will be made. One part will remain for the Troop's records while the other will be given to the scout along with his new badge at the next Troop Meeting.