The Boy Scout advancement program is subtle. It places a series of challenges in front of a Scout in a manner that is fun and educational. As Scouts meet these challenges, they achieve the aims of Boy Scouting.
The Scout advances and grows in the Boy Scout phase of the program in the same way a plant grows by receiving nourishment in the right environment. The job of adults concerned with advancement is to provide the right environment.
One of the greatest needs of young men is confidence. There are three kinds of confidence that young men need: in themselves, in peers, and in leaders.
Educators and counselors agree that the best way to build confidence is through measurement. Self confidence is developed by measuring up to a challenge or a standard. Peer confidence develops when the same measuring system is used for everyone — when all must meet the same challenge to receive equal recognition. Confidence in leaders comes about when there is consistency in measuring — when leaders use a single standard of fairness.
No council, district, unit, or individual has the authority to add to or subtract from any advancement requirement. A Boy Scout badge recognizes what a young man is able to do; it is not a reward for what he has done.
Standards for joining a Boy Scout troop and for advancement are listed in the latest printing of the Boy Scout Handbook and in the current Boy Scout Requirements book.
Advancement accommodates the three aims of Scouting: citizenship, growth in moral strength and character, and mental and physical development.
The advancement program is designed to provide the Boy Scout with a chance to achieve the aims of Scouting. As a Scout advances he is measured and grows in confidence and self-reliance.
When a badge and certificate are awarded to a Boy Scout to recognize that he has achieved a rank, they represent that a young man has:
* Been an active participant in his troop and patrol.
* Demonstrated living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Law in his daily life.
* Met the other requirements and/or earned the merit badges for the rank.
* Participated in a Scoutmaster conference.
* Satisfactorily appeared before a board of review.
In the advanced ranks (Star, Life, and Eagle), the badge represents that the young man has also:
* Served in a position of responsibility in the troop.
* Performed service to others.
(Quoted from: Advancement Policies #33088, pages 23-26)
2. Complete a Boy Scout application and health history signed by your parent or guardian.
3. Find a Scout troop near your home. (To find a troop, contact your local Boy Scout Council.)
4. Repeat the Pledge of Allegiance.
5. Demonstrate the Scout sign, salute, and handshake.
6. Demonstrate tying the square knot (a joining knot).
7. Understand and agree to live by the Scout Oath or Promise, Scout Law, motto, and slogan, and the Outdoor Code.
8. Describe the Scout badge.
9. Complete the Pamphlet Exercises. With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet “How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide”.
10. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference. Turn in your Boy Scout application and health history form signed by your parent or guardian, then participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
1. Present yourself to your leader, properly dressed, before going on an overnight camping trip. Show the camping gear you will use. Show the right way to pack and carry it.
2. Spend at least one night on a patrol or troop campout. Sleep in a tent you have helped pitch.
3. On the campout, assist in preparing and cooking one of your patrol’s meals. Tell why it is important for each patrol member to share in meal preparation and cleanup, and explain the importance of eating together.
4. a. Demonstrate how to whip and fuse the ends of a rope.
b. Demonstrate you know how to tie the following knots and tell what their uses are: two half hitches and the taut-line hitch.
5. Explain the rules of safe hiking, both on the highway and cross-country, during the day and at night. Explain what to do if you are lost.
6. Demonstrate how to display, raise, lower, and fold the American flag.
7. Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan.
8. Know your patrol name, give the patrol yell, and describe your patrol flag.
9. Explain the importance of the buddy system as it relates to your personal safety on outings and in your neighborhood. Describe what a bully is and how you should respond to one.
10. a. Record your best in the following tests:
* Push-ups
* Pull-ups
* Sit-ups
* Standing long jump
* 1/4 mile walk/run
b. Show improvement in the activities listed in requirement 10a after practicing for 30 days.
11. Identify local poisonous plants; tell how to treat for exposure to them.
12. a. Demonstrate how to care for someone who is choking.
b. Show first aid for the following:
* Simple cuts and scratches
* Blisters on the hand and foot
* Minor burns or scalds (first degree)
* Bites and stings of insects and ticks
* Poisonous snakebite
* Nosebleed
* Frostbite and sunburn
13. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath ( or Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
14. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
15. Complete your board of review.
1. a. Demonstrate how a compass works and how to orient a map. Explain what map symbols mean.
b. Using a compass and a map together, take a 5-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian.*
2. a. Since joining, have participated in five separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), two of which included camping overnight.
b. On one of these campouts, select your patrol site and sleep in a tent that you pitched.
c. On one campout, demonstrate proper care, sharpening, and use of the knife, saw, and ax, and describe when they should be used.
d. Use the tools listed in requirement 2c to prepare tinder, kindling, and fuel for a cooking fire.
e. Discuss when it is appropriate to use a cooking fire and a lightweight stove. Discuss the safety procedures for using both..
f. Demonstrate how to light a fire and a lightweight stove.
g. On one campout, plan and cook over an open fire one hot breakfast or lunch for yourself, selecting foods from the food pyramid. Explain the importance of good nutrition. Tell how to transport, store, and prepare the foods you selected.
3. Participate in a flag ceremony for your school, religious institution, chartered organization, community, or troop activity.
4. Participate in an approved (minimum of one hour) service project.
5. Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.
6. a. Show what to do for “hurry” cases of stopped breathing, serious bleeding, and internal poisoning.
b. Prepare a personal first aid kit to take with you on a hike.
c. Demonstrate first aid for the following:
* Object in the eye
* Bite of a suspected rabid animal
* Puncture wounds from a splinter, nail, and fishhook
* Serious burns (second degree)
* Heat exhaustion
* Shock
* Heatstroke, dehydration, hypothermia, and hyperventilation
7. a. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim.
b. Demonstrate your ability to jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth, level off and swim 25 feet on the surface, stop, turn sharply, resume swimming, then return to your starting place.
c. Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and objects. Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible, and explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
8. Participate in a school, community, or troop program on the dangers of using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, and other practices that could be harmful to your health. Discuss your participation in the program with your family.
9. Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath ( or Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
10. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
11. Complete your board of review.
* If you use a wheelchair or crutches, or if it is difficult for you to get around, you may substitute “trip” for “hike” in requirement 1b.
NOTE: Alternate Requirements for the Second Class rank are available for Scouts with physical or mental disabilities if they meet the criteria listed in the Boy Scout Requirements book. (No. 33215F).
1. Demonstrate how to find directions during the day and at night without using a compass.
2. Using a compass, complete an orienteering course that covers at least one mile and requires measuring the height and/or width of designated items (tree, tower, canyon, ditch, etc.)
3. Since joining, have participated in ten separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), three of which included camping overnight.
4. a. Help plan a patrol menu for one campout that includes at least one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner and that requires cooking at least two meals. Tell how the menu includes the foods from the food pyramid and meets nutritional needs.
b. Using the menu planned in requirement 4a, make a list showing the cost and food amounts needed to feed three or more boys and secure the ingredients.
c. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals.
d. Explain the procedures to follow in the safe handling and storage of fresh meats, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and other perishable food products. Tell how to properly dispose of camp garbage, cans, plastic containers, and other rubbish.
e. On one campout, serve as your patrol’s cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in requirement 4a. Lead your patrol in saying grace at the meals and supervise cleanup.
5. Visit and discuss with a selected individual approved by your leader (elected official, judge, attorney, civil servant, principal, teacher) your constitutional rights and obligations as a U.S. citizen.
6. Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of native plants found in your community.
7. a. Discuss when you should and should not use lashings
b. Demonstrate tying the timber hitch and clove hitch and their use in square, shear, and diagonal lashings by joining two or more poles or staves together.
c. Use lashing to make a useful camp gadget.
8. a. Demonstrate tying the bowline knot and describe several ways it can be used.
b. Demonstrate bandages for a sprained ankle. and for injuries on the head, the upper arm, and the collarbone.
c. Show how to transport by yourself, and with one other person, a person:
* from a smoke-filled room
* with a sprained ankle, for at least 25 yards.
d. Tell the five most common signs of a heart attack. Explain the steps (procedures) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
9. a. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe trip afloat.
b. Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
c. With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and rescuer. (The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.)
10. Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath ( or Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
11. Tell someone who is eligible to join Boy Scouts, or an inactive Boy Scout, about your troop’s activities. Invite him to a troop outing, activity, service project or meeting. Tell him how to join, or encourage the inactive Boy Scout to become active.
12. Describe the three things you should avoid doing related to use of the Internet. Describe a cyberbully and how you should respond to one.
13. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
14. Complete your board of review.
NOTE: Alternate Requirements for the First Class rank are available for Scouts with physical or mental disabilities if they meet the criteria listed in the Boy Scout Requirements book. (No. 33216)
2. Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
3. Earn 6 merit badges, including 4 from the required list for Eagle.*
4. While a First Class Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
5. While a First Class Scout, serve actively 4 months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop): Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Order of the Arrow Troop Representative, Den Chief, Scribe, Librarian, Historian, Quartermaster, Bugler, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Chaplain Aide, or Instructor.
6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
7. Complete your board of review.
* A Scout may choose any of the 15 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill requirement 3.
2. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
3. Earn 5 more merit badges (so that you have 11 in all), including any 3 more from the required list for Eagle.
4. While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
5. While a Star Scout, serve actively 6 months in one or more of the positions of responsibility listed in requirement 5 for Star Scout (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop).
6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
7. Complete your board of review.
* A Scout may choose any of the 15 required Merit Badges in the 12 categories to fulfill requirement 3.
Requirements include earning a number of merit badges and demonstrating Scout spirit, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout. Additional recognition can be earned through Eagle Palms, awarded for completing additional tenure, leadership, and merit badge requirements.
1. Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.
2. Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf, including parents/guardians, religious, educational, and employer references.
3. Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than you already have), including the following:
a. First Aid
b. Citizenship in the Community
c. Citizenship in the Nation
d. Citizenship in the World
e. Communications
f. Personal Fitness
g. Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving*
h. Environmental Science
i. Personal Management
j. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling*
k. Camping, and
l. Family Life
* You must choose only one merit badge listed in items g and j. If you have earned more than one of the badges listed in items g and j, choose one and list the remaining badges to make your total of 21.
4. While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of 6 months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility: Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Order of the Arrow Troop Representative, Den Chief, Scribe, Librarian, Historian, Quartermaster, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Chaplain Aide, or Instructor. (Also, Venture Patrol Leader, as it can be found on the 2008 (and previous) Eagle Scout Rank Application.)
5. While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) The project plan must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee and the council or district before you start.
6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
7. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review.
Official Notes (part of the rank requirements)
* AGE REQUIREMENT ELIGIBILITY. Merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms may be earned by a registered Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturer. He may earn these awards until his 18th birthday. Any Venturer who achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue working for the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks and Eagle Palms while registered as a Venturer up to his 18th birthday. Scouts and Venturers who have completed all requirements prior to their 18th birthday may be reviewed within three months after that date with no explanation. Boards of Review conducted between three and six months after the candidate’s 18th birthday must be preapproved by the local council. A statement by an adult explaining the reason for the delay must be attached to the Eagle Scout Rank Application when it is submitted to the Eagle Scout Service. The Boy Scout Division at the national office must be contacted for procedures to follow if a board of review is to be conducted more than six months after a candidate’s 18th birthday.
* If you have a permanent physical or mental disability, you may become an Eagle Scout by qualifying for as many required merit badges as you can and qualifying for alternative merit badges for the rest. If you seek to become an Eagle Scout under this procedure, you must submit a special application to your local council service center. Your application must be approved by your council advancement committee before you can work on alternative merit badges.
* A Scout or Venturer with a disability may work toward rank advancement after he is 18 years of age. See Advancement Policies #33088 for details.
The Eagle Scout Rank requires that you earn 21 of the 121 Merit Badges. After earning the Eagle Scout Rank, you can continue to earn Merit badges and Eagle Palms until your 18th birthday. Currently the maximum number of Eagle Palms you can earn is 20, worn as six silver palms and one gold palm. You would need at least 3 months for each palm for a total of 60 months, or five years after earning Eagle. To earn all 20 palms you would need to earn Eagle by your 13th birthday.
1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 3 months after becoming an Eagle Scout or after the award of your last Palm.
2. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
3. Make a satisfactory effort to develop and demonstrate leadership ability.
4. Earn five additional merit badges beyond those required for Eagle or last Palm.*
5. Take Part in a Scoutmaster conference.
6. Complete your board of review.
You may wear only the proper combination of Palms for the number of merit badges you earned beyond the rank of Eagle. The Bronze Palm represents 5 merit badges, the Gold Palm 10, and the Silver Palm 15.
* Merit Badges earned any time since becoming a Boy Scout may be used to meet this requirement.
