Oak Creek Scout Makes Rare Achievement Earning Every Merit Badge

OAK CREEK, WI — Joshua Rich, an Oak Creek resident and member of Boy Scouts of America Troop 218, earned the rare achievement of attaining all 137 Merit Badges available in the Boy Scouts.

The achievement puts Rich in the ranks with only about 500 other people who have done the same, according to a proclamation read by the Oak Creek Common Council Tuesday. Rich earned the rank of Eagle Scout in March of 2021.

For that rank, he had to achieve 21 merit badges, take on various responsibilities and see a community service project through to completion. For his project, Rich helped to create an outdoor LED sign at the Salvation Army, the Council proclamation said.

Since attaining Eagle Scout status, Rich has picked up every single other badge he could— All 137 of them.

"A rare feat unmatched by millions of other scouts," the Common Council proclamation read about Rich's merit badges.

The feat did not happen overnight, though.

It took Rich 5 years and 11 months to gain every badge. The most recent was the Bugling Merit Badge, earned this past summer. Of all 137 activities, Rich said he found small boat sailing one of the most enjoyable.

"I just like doing all the merit badges," Rich told Spectrum New 1, "I know a lot of people haven't done the accomplishment but that's not what's important to me. I just really like doing all the merit badges."

Since its founding in 1912, fewer than 500 people have achieved the same as Rich. The badges he earned ranged from topics of photography, boating, woodwork and more.

"Rich had several unforgettable and unique experiences such as backpacking in the mountains of New Mexico, scuba diving in the Bahamas, mountain biking and white-water rafting in West Virginia, and working with an archaeologist at Koshkonong Creek Village Site in Jefferson County," the Common Council proclamation read.