Rank Advancement

Boy Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Boy Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he meets each challenge. The Boy Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps him gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Boy Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.

For Troop 737, all scouts that are not yet First Class should be focusing on Trail to First Class at advancement meetings and at Summer Camps. Trail to First Class is a program that helps new scouts work on and complete rank advancement requirements toward First Class rank. That includes all requirements for the ranks of Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class. We urge all scouts to achieve the rank of First Class within the first year of scouting. Our Trail to First Class Coordinator is Mr. McLean, but any First Class or higher rank scout can sign off on these requirements.

For more information on rank advancement, alternative requirements, and other awards, click here.

Scout Rank (and Joining Requirements)

  1. Meet the age requirements. Be a boy who is 11 years old, or one who has completed the fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light Award and is at least 10 years old, but is not yet 18 years old.
  2. Find a Scout troop near your home.
  3. Complete a Boy Scout application and health history signed by your parent or guardian.
  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

Online Resources

  • The application form to join Boy Scouting is available online for download here .
  • The troop locator on the Scout Zone web site www.thescoutzone.org will show you a list of some of the Boy Scout troops in your area.
  • Your local council service center can put you in touch with your future troop. Contact information for your council can be retrieved here.
  • The pamphlet How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent's Guide is available online for download here.

Tenderfoot Rank Requirements

New 2010 requirements:

16. A Scout must teach another person how to tie a square knot using the EDGE model (explain, demonstrate,

guide, and enable).

17. He must be able to discuss four specific examples of how he lived the points of the Scout Law in his daily life.

Notes

  • Alternate requirements for the Tenderfoot rank are available for Scouts with physical or mental disabilities - click here .
  • The requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks may be worked on simultaneously; however, these ranks must be earned in sequence.

Online Resources

  • A series of videos that demonstrate how to meet all of the requirements for the Tenderfoot rank is available on the BSA Web site here.

Second Class Rank Requirements

New 2010 requirements:

14. A Scout must discuss the principles of Leave No Trace and explain the factors to consider when choosing a patrol

site and where to pitch a tent.

15. He must explain what respect is due the flag of the United States.

16. He must again discuss four examples of how he lived four different points of the Scout Law in his daily life.

17. He must earn an amount of money agreed upon by the Scout and his parents and save at least 50 percent of it.

Notes

  • Alternate requirements for the Second Class rank are available for Scouts with physical or mental disabilities - click here to learn more.
  • The requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks may be worked on simultaneously; however, these ranks must be earned in sequence.

Online Resources

  • A series of videos that demonstrate how to meet all of the requirements for the Second Class rank is available on the BSA Web site here.

First Class Rank Requirements

New 2010 requirements:

15. An additional requirement to the 10 separate troop/patrol activities states he must demonstrate the principles

of Leave No Trace on these outings.

16. He must discuss four more examples of how he lived the remaining four points of the Scout Law in his daily life.

Notes

  • Alternate requirements for the First Class rank are available for Scouts with physical or mental disabilities - click here to learn more.
  • The requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks may be worked on simultaneously; however, these ranks must be earned in sequence.

Online Resources

  • A series of videos that demonstrate how to meet all of the requirements for the First Class rank is available on the BSA Web site here.

*See the Swimming merit badge requirements later in this publication for details about the BSA swimmer test.

Star Rank Requirements

  1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least four 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 six merit badges, including any four from the required list for Eagle.
      • Name of Merit Badge
      • ____________________________________ (required for Eagle)*
      • ____________________________________ (required for Eagle)*
      • ____________________________________ (required for Eagle)*
      • ____________________________________ (required for Eagle)*
      • _______________________________________________________
      • _______________________________________________________
  1. While a First Class Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
  2. While a First Class Scout, serve actively for four months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop):
      1. Boy Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, Venture patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, bugler, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, troop Webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer.
      3. Varsity Scout team. Captain, cocaptain, program manager, squad leader, team secretary, Order of the Arrow troop representative, librarian, historian, quartermaster, chaplain aide, instructor, den chief, team Webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer.
      5. Venturing crew/ship. President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, den chief, quartermaster, historian, guide, boatswain, boatswain’s mate, yeoman, purser, storekeeper, crew/ship Webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer.
  3. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
  4. Complete your board of review.

Life Rank Requirements

  1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least six months as a Star Scout.
  2. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
  3. Earn five more merit badges (so that you have 11 in all), including any three more from the required list for Eagle. (See the Eagle Rank Requirements, number 3, for this list.) A Scout may choose any of the 15 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill this requirement.
  4. While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
  5. While a Star Scout, serve actively for six months in one or more of the troop positions of responsibility listed in requirement 5 for Star Scout (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop).
  6. While a Star Scout, use the EDGE method to teach a younger Scout the skills from ONE of the following six choices, so that he is prepared to pass those requirements to his unit leader’s satisfaction.
    1. a. Second Class—7a and 7c (first aid)
      1. b. Second Class—1a (outdoor skills)
      2. c. Second Class—3c, 3d, 3e, and 3f (cooking/camping)
      3. d. First Class—8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d (first aid)
      4. e. First Class—1, 7a, and 7b (outdoor skills)
      5. f. First Class—4a, 4b, and 4d (cooking/camping)
  7. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
  8. Complete your board of review.

New 2010 requirements:

9. A Scout must use the EDGE model to teach a younger Scout a specified skill.

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

Eagle Rank 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:
    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
    12. 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.

While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:

  • Boy Scout troop. 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.
  • Varsity Scout team. Captain, cocaptain, program manager, squad leader, team secretary, Order of the Arrow team representative, librarian, quartermaster, chaplain aide, instructor, or den chief.
  • Venturing crew/ship. President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, or storekeeper.

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. You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, BSA publication No. 512-927

, in meeting this requirement.

Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.

Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review.

Notes

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 Eagle Scout Service 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 if he meets the guidelines outlined in the Advancement and Recognition Policies and Procedures.

Online Resources

The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) provides a number of online resources to assist Scouts in earning the Eagle rank — including an electronic version of the Eagle Scout Rank Application and the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook — via their Web site at www.nesa.org

.