Did you know that Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America or BSA) offers a Merit Badge in Surveying? It is one of the 57 original Merit Badges. It is also one of relatively few career-oriented Merit Badges. Additionally, it is the third rarest of the currently offered badges. On two Saturdays in August 2025, Professional Land Surveyors Theo Martinez and Frank Rosenblum coached nine Scouts to achieve their Surveying Merit Badges. We also had help from Roger Bindt, Anthony Black, Shareen Murray, Jessie Quilatan, Mark Sorenson, and a local Merit Badge Counselor. Over the course of two half days, our class included the following:
- Classroom instruction on Principles of Surveying
- Measuring points and features using a Total Station instrument, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, and an Electronic Level
- AutoCAD drafting of the measured points
- Visiting ten neighborhood monument wells, including the opening of two of them and tape measuring between their actual punched monuments
- Discussion of worker safety, including protection from dehydration, insects, and sunburn
We had a good mix of ages among the Scouts, as well as a good mix of boys and girls. We plan to
offer this class again in future years. If you know of any Scouts who might be interested in achieving
this rare and interesting badge, please encourage them to contact us.
Teodoro E. “Theo” Martinez, PLS
