Boy Scout Rank Requirements

Boy Scout Rank Requirements

Scout Badge (Boy Scout Joining Requirements)

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.
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.

Tenderfoot

The requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks may be worked on simultaneously; 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 a 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.  
   1. Demonstrate how to whip and fuse the ends of a rope.
   2. Demonstrate that 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 why we use the buddy system in Scouting.
10.  
    1. Record your best in the following tests:

Current results

30 days later

1.  
   1. 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.  
   1. Demonstrate the Heimlich maneuver and tell when it is used.
   2. Show first aid for the following:

1. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
2. Complete your board of review.

Second Class

The requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks may be worked on simultaneously; however, these ranks must be earned in sequence.

1.  
   1. Demonstrate how a compass works and how to orient a map. Explain what map symbols mean.
   2. Using a compass and map together, take a 5-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian.

1.  
   1. Since joining, have participated in five separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), two of which included camping overnight.
   2. On one of these campouts, select your patrol site and sleep in a tent that you pitched.
   3. On one campout, demonstrate proper care, sharpening, and use of the knife, saw, and ax, and describe when they should be used.
   4. Use the tools listed in requirement 2c to prepare tinder, kindling, and fuel for a cooking fire.
   5. Discuss when it is appropriate to use a cooking fire and a light-weight stove. Discuss the safety procedures for using both.
   6. Demonstrate how to light a fire and a lightweight stove.
   7. 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.
2. Participate in a flag ceremony for your school, religious institution, chartered organization, community, or troop activity.
3. Participate in an approved (minimum of one hour) service project.
4. Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community.
5.  
   1. Show what to do for “hurry” cases of stopped breathing, serious bleeding, and internal poisoning.
   2. Prepare a personal first-aid kit to take with you on a hike.
   3. Demonstrate first aid for the following:

1.  
   1. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim.
   2. Demonstrate your ability to jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth, level off and swim 25 feet on the surfasce, stop, turn sharply, resume swimming, then return to your starting place.
   3. 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.
2. 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.
3. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
4. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
5. Complete your board of review.

First Class

The requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks 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.  
   1. Help plan a patrol menu for one campout — including one breakfast, lunch, and dinner — that requires cooking. Tell how the menu includes the foods from the food pyramid and meets nutritional needs.
   2. 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.
   3. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals.
   4. 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.
   5. 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.  
   1. Discuss when you should and should not use lashings.
   2. 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.
   3. Use lashing to make a useful camp gadget.
8.  
   1. Demonstrate tying the bowline knot and describe several ways it can be used.
   2. Demonstrate bandages for a sprained ankle and for injuries on the head, the upper arm, and the collarbone.
   3. Show how to transport by yourself, and with one other person, a person:

1.  
   1. Tell the five most common signs of a heart attack. Explain the steps (procedures) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
2.  
   1. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe trip afloat.
   2. Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
   3. With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. (The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water.)
3. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life.
4. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
5. Complete your board of review.

Star Scout

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 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 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
2. While a First Class Scout, serve actively for 4 months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop):

1. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
2. Complete your board of review.

Life Scout

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.
   Name of Merit Badge
   ________________________________ (required for Eagle)
   ________________________________ (required for Eagle)
   ________________________________ (required for Eagle)
   ________________________________
   ________________________________

1. While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.
2. While a Star Scout, serve actively for 6 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).
3. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
4. Complete your board of review.

Eagle Scout

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,

1.  
   1. Environmental Science,
   2. Personal Management,
   3. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling,

1.  
   1. Camping, and
   2. Family Life.
      Name of Merit Badge
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
      ________________________________
2. While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:

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 Scouting.) The project idea must be approved by the organization benefiting from your 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. 18-927B, in meeting this requirement.
2. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
3. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review.

________
NOTE: All requirements for Eagle Scout 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 the article National BSA Policies Related To Rank Advancement posted on this system.

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 alternate merit badges for the rest. If you seek to become an Eagle under this procedure, you must submit a special application to your council service center. Your application must be approved by your council committee on advancement before you can work on alternative merit badges.

See the article entitled Eagle Scout Rank Alternative Requirements posted on this system.

Eagle Palms

After becoming an Eagle Scout, you may earn Palms by completing the following requirements:

1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 3 months after becoming an Eagle Scout or after award of 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.

1. Take Part in a Scoutmaster conference.
2. 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.