Requirement

6. Expedition planning: the eight steps everything else runs on

Required Often forgotten

Discussed with your counselor, each step explained AND justified. These same eight items are what requirement 7 prepares against, what 7(c) checks against, and what requirement 8 is conducted against.

Warning. Do not treat this as a discussion to be got through. These eight steps are what requirement 7 prepares against, what requirement 7(c) checks against, and what requirement 8 is conducted against. The same list, used four times. Careless work here has to be redone under pressure later.

What this is made of

6(a). Identify the objectives
6(b). Plan the mission: agenda, and the paperwork
6(c). Budget it
6(d). Work out equipment and supplies
6(e). Communications and transport
6(f). Safety, first aid, and getting someone out
6(g). Choose the team
6(h). Recordkeeping, and what happens to the records

Where this step comes from

Exploration Merit Badge Requirements (Merit Badge Hub, last modified 2026-08-05), Requirement 6 · Requires each of the eight steps to be discussed AND the need for each explained. Requirements 7 and 8 both name it.

Notes and warnings

What this is made of

Where this step comes from