How to wear it
- 1Sew merit badges onto the sash in rows of up to three (order is your choice — usually as earned).
- 2Wear it over the right shoulder (over or under the shoulder loop) for courts of honor and ceremonies.
- 3Don't wear it on the belt, and don't wear it with the OA sash or as a second criss-crossed sash.
- 4Put any camp or event patches on the back of the sash, not the front.
- 5Check the Guide to Awards and Insignia for anything you're unsure about.
The rules
- Over the right shoulder — the one correct position; never around the waist or belt.
- One sash at a time — the merit badge sash and OA sash may not be worn together, and two criss-crossed sashes are not permitted.
- Rows of up to three, no limit on the number of rows, and no required badge order.
- Non-merit-badge patches may go on the sash, but only on the back.
Notes
- The sash has clear rules (right shoulder, not the belt, not with the OA sash) — follow them and the Guide.
- One sash at a time — never criss-cross two.
- Front for merit badges, back for the rest — event patches don't belong on the front.
Going deeper
- Right shoulder, never the belt. The two rules scouts most often get wrong.
- One sash, not two. You can't wear the merit badge sash and the OA sash together, and you can't criss-cross two.
- Events go on the back. Camp and camporee patches can ride on the sash, but only on the back — the front is merit badges.
Official source
Scouts BSA Uniform → Guide to Awards and Insignia — Scouting America →The sash rules are paraphrased. Verify them against the current Guide to Awards and Insignia; when the sash is worn is largely troop/occasion practice.