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Scout Rank Advancement

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Boy Scout Joining Requirements

(Scout Badge)

These requirements were revised effective on April 1, 1999.

  1. Meet age requirements: Be a boy who has completed the fifth grade, or is 11 years old, or has earned the Arrow of Light Award, but is under 18 years old.
  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.  The Council name, address and phone number can be found on BSA's Council Locator Page.)
  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, 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.

 

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Tenderfoot Rank Requirements

NOTE: These requirements may be worked on simultaneously with those for Second Class and First Class; however these ranks must be earned in sequence.

  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.
  5. b. Demonstrate you know how to tie the following knots and tell what their uses are: two half hitches and the tautline hitch.
  6. 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.
  7. Demonstrate how to display, raise, lower, and fold the American flag.
  8. Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan.
  9. Know your patrol name, give the patrol yell, and describe your patrol flag.
  10. Explain why we use the buddy system in Scouting.
  11. a. Record your best in the following tests:
  • Push-ups
  • Pull-ups
  • Sit-ups
  • Standing long jump
  • 1/4 mile walk/run
  1. b. Show improvement in the activities listed in requirement 10a after practicing for 30 days.
  2. Identify local poisonous plants; tell how to treat for exposure to them.
  3. a. Demonstrate the Heimlich maneuver and tell when it is used.
  4. 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
  1. Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
  2. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
  3. Complete your board of review

 

  Second ClassTOP

Second Class Rank Requirements

These requirements were revised effective on January 1, 2001.

NOTE: These requirements may be worked on simultaneously with those for the Tenderfoot and First Class ranks; however these ranks must be earned in sequence.

  1. a. Demonstrate how a compass works and how to orient a map. Explain what map symbols mean.
  2. 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.*
  3. a. Since joining, have participated in five separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), two of which included camping overnight.
  4. b. On one of these campouts, select your patrol site and sleep in a tent that you pitched.
  5. c. On one campout, demonstrate proper care, sharpening, and use of the knife, saw, and ax, and describe when they should be used.
  6. d. Use the tools listed in requirement 2c to prepare tinder, kindling, and fuel for a cooking fire.
  7. e. Discuss when it is appropriate to use a cooking fire and a lightweight stove.  Discuss the safety procedures for using both..
  8. f. Demonstrate how to light a fire and a lightweight stove.
  9. g. On one campout, plan and cook over an open fire one hot breakfast or lunch for yourself, selecting foods from the four basic food groups.  Explain the importance of good nutrition.  Tell how to transport, store, and prepare the foods you selected.
  10. Participate in a flag ceremony for your school, religious institution, chartered organization, community, or troop activity.
  11. Participate in an approved (minimum of one hour) service project.
  12. Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.
  13. a. Show what to do for "hurry" cases of stopped breathing, serious bleeding, and internal poisoning.
  14. b. Prepare a personal first aid kit to take with you on a hike.
  15. 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
  1. a. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
  6. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
  7. Complete your board of review.

 

First ClassTOP

First Class Rank Requirements

These requirements became effective on January 1, 2002.

NOTE: These requirements, and those for Tenderfoot and Second Class may be worked on simultaneously; however these ranks must be earned in sequence.

  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 -- including one breakfast, lunch, and dinner - that requires cooking.  Tell how the menu includes the four basic food groups and meets nutritional needs.
  5. 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.
  6. c. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of native plants found in your community.
  11. a. Discuss when you should and should not use lashings
  12. 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.
  13. c. Use lashing to make a useful camp gadget.
  14. a. Demonstrate tying the bowline knot and describe several ways it can be used.
  15. b. Demonstrate bandages for a sprained ankle. and for injuries on the head, the upper arm, and the collarbone.
  16. 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.
  17. d. Tell the five most common signs of a heart attack. Explain the steps (procedures) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
  18. a. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe trip afloat.
  19. b. Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
  20. 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.)
  21. Demonstrate scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
  22. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
  23. Complete your board of review.

 

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Star Rank Requirements

These requirements were revised effective on January 1, 2000.

  1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 4 months as a First Class Scout. 
  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.*
    ___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
    ___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
    ___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
    ___________________________________(required 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):  Such positions may include: Patrol leader, assistant patrol leader, senior patrol leader, troop guide, OA troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, bugler, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, or instructor.
  1. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference 
  2. Complete your board of review.

* A Scout may choose  any of the 15 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill requirement 3. Click here for a complete list of required badges for Eagle.

NOTE: The footnote to Requirement 3 means that, for example, a Scout can use both Lifesaving AND Emergency Preparedness and/or Swimming, Hiking AND  Cycling toward the requirement of 4 from the required list for Eagle when working toward Star Scout.)  Also note that the asterisks are specifically placed on the lines marked "(required for Eagle)" signifying that the note applies to these badges.

 

LifeTOP

Life Rank Requirements

These requirements were revised effective on April 1, 1999.

  1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 6 months as a Star Scout. 
  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.
    ___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
    ___________________________________(required for Eagle)*
    ___________________________________(required 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. Click here for a complete list of required badges for Eagle.

NOTE: The footnote to Requirement 3 means that, for example, a Scout can use both Lifesaving AND Emergency Preparedness and/or Swimming, Hiking AND  Cycling toward the requirement of 3 more (7 total) from the required list for Eagle when working toward Life Scout.)  Also note that the asterisks are specifically placed on the lines marked "(required for Eagle)" signifying that the note applies to these badges.

If a Scout used Safety and/or Sports Merit Badge as one or two of the four merit badges from the required list for Eagle for advancement to Star Scout before April 1, 1999, he must earn additional merit badges from the current required list for Eagle, so that he has at least seven from the current list in order to advance to Life Scout.

Please note that Requirement 7 - (Complete your Board of Review) MAY be done AFTER the Scout' has reached age 18.  All other requirements must be completed BEFORE the Scout's 18th Birthday.

 

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Eagle Rank Requirements

These requirements were revised effective on January 1, 2000.

  1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 6 months as a Life Scout.

  2. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.

  3. Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than you already have), including the following: 

  1. First Aid 

  2. Citizenship in the Community 

  3. Citizenship in the Nation 

  4. Citizenship in the World 

  5. Communications 

  6. Personal Fitness

  7. Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving

  8. Environmental Science 

  9. Personal Management 

  10. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling

  11. Camping, and 

  12. Family Life *

  1. While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of 6 months in one or
    more of the following positions of responsibility:
    (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop):
     Such positions may include: Patrol leader, assistant patrol leader,
    senior patrol leader, troop guide, OA troop representative, den chief,
    scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, bugler, junior assistant Scoutmaster,
    chaplain aide, or instructor.
     

  1. 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.)

  2. The project idea must be approved by the organization benefiting from
    the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee and   the council or district before
    you start.You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook,
    BSA publication No. 18-927A, in meeting this requirement.

  3. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference. 
     

  4. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review.



     

* 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.

Note: All requirements must be completed before a candidate's 18th birthday.

The eagle Scout board of review can be held after the candidate's 18th birthday.

For more information, see Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures,

publication No. 33088B. Also see the note below.

The Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook

(#18-927A) is now available for download from the
BSA website in both PDF and RTF versions
which can be used by Scouts in lieu of the printed form.
 Click here to go to the BSA web site.

Click Here.

Eagle Scout Rank Application (#55-728 - 1999 printing) using your computer

printer. To use them, download each of these files:

BSA has a PDF version of the Eagle Scout Rank Application (No 58-728 - 2000 edition)

on their site.  It can be used as the form submitted to BSA for an Eagle Scout candidate. 

Eagle Scout Rank Application (No 58-728 - 2000 edition)

To view the pdf file, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

If you do not have the free Acrobat Reader, click here to obtain it,