Scouts BSA Eagle Scout Rank Helps and Documents
Eagle Scout is the highest advancement rank in Scouts BSA. Eagle is earned after the rank of Life. ”Once an Eagle, always an Eagle”. A young woman or man who finishes his or her Scouting career at 18 years of age as a Life Scout will say “I WAS a Life Scout.” But a young woman or man who attains the rank of Eagle Scout can proudly declare “I AM an Eagle Scout” even after he or she reaches the age of 18.
Find helps for specific Eagle Scout requirements below.
Answers and Helps
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Help with Answers for Eagle Scout Rank Requirements
Find specific helps for some of the Eagle Scout rank requirements listed below. Some of these resources will just give the answers. Others will link to useful resources.
Requirement 1: Activity
Be active in your troop for at least six months as a Life Scout.
Requirement 1 Helps and Answers
What Is Active Participation?
According to the Guide to Advancement, a Scout must be
- Registered
- In good standing
- Meeting the unit’s reasonable expectations
See section 4.2.3.1 of the Guide to Advancement for details of each of these points.
Attendance Expectations for Scouts BSA
You might notice that these troop leadership position descriptions have attendance expectations on them. These are not meant to be demands or requirements in the troop to deny advancement. But they can be used to indicate to the youth what sort of time requirements are typical for a position.
Requirement 2: Oath and Law
As a Life Scout, demonstrate Scout Spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God, how you have lived the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your everyday life, and how your understanding of the Scout Oath and Scout Law will guide your life in the future. List on your Eagle Scout Rank Application the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf, including parents/guardians, religious (if not affiliated with an organized religion, then the parent or guardian provides this reference), educational, employer (if employed), and two other references.
Requirement 2 Helps and Answers
Requirement 3: Merit Badges
Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than required for the Life rank), including these 14 merit badges: (a) First Aid, (b) Citizenship in the Community, (c) Citizenship in the Nation, (d) Citizenship in Society, (e) Citizenship in the World, (f) Communication, (g) Cooking, (h) Personal Fitness, (i) Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, (j) Environmental Science OR Sustainability, (k) Personal Management, (l) Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, (m) Camping, and (n) Family Life.
You must choose only one of the merit badges listed in categories i, j, and l. Any additional merit badge(s) earned in those categories may be counted as one of your seven optional merit badges used to make your total of 21.
Requirement 3 Helps and Answers
All Scouts BSA Merit Badges
There are more than 130 merit badges. Any Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. You don’t need to have had rank advancement to be eligible. See a list of all of the merit badges available and find some of interest to use as the electives.
Earn All Merit Badges – A Question
Heather’s son wants to earn all merit badges. She is looking for a list of similar badges to help him along. I know it is difficult, but I recommend that you as a parent try to stay out of this process as much as possible.
Requirement 4: Leadership
While a Life Scout, serve actively in your troop for six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:
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, instructor, webmaster, or outdoor ethics guide.
Venturing crew/Sea Scout ship. President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, quartermaster, historian, den chief, guide, boatswain, boatswain’s mate, yeoman, purser, storekeeper, chaplain aide, outdoor ethics guide, crew leader, media specialist, specialist or webmaster.
Lone Scout. Leadership responsibility in your school, religious organization, club, or elsewhere in your community
Requirement 4 Helps and Answers
Scouts BSA Youth Leadership Positions
A Scouts BSA Troop is run by its youth leaders. See the list of Scouts BSA youth leadership positions.
National Youth Leadership Training
National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is an intense week long leadership training class for youth.
Assistant Patrol Leader and Rank Advancement
If you look at the list of positions which can be used to meet the position of responsibility requirement, you will see that assistant patrol leader is not listed there.
Bugler is also not an approved position of responsibility for Eagle Scout rank.
Requirement 5: Leadership Service Project
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 must benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America.) A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and unit committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, BSA publication No. 512-927, in meeting this requirement. (To learn more about the Eagle Scout service project, see the Guide to Advancement, topics 9.0.2.0 through 9.0.2.16.)
Requirement 5 Helps and Answers
Requirement 6: Scoutmaster Conference
While a Life Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference.
Requirement 6 Helps and Answers
Scoutmaster Conference – Adding Requirements
A Scoutmaster may not add or take away requirements for advancement.
Requirement 7: Board of Review
In preparation for your board of review, prepare and attach to your Eagle Scout Rank Application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service.
Successfully complete your board of review for the Eagle Scout rank. (This requirement may be met after age 18, in accordance with Guide to Advancement topic 8.0.3.1.)
Requirement 7 Helps and Answers
Parent Interviews at Eagle Board of Review?
An unusual question from a reader: “Hi, my son is up for an eagle BOR very soon, and I was wondering what type of questions they ask parents. I was informed the scout steps out of meeting while the reviewers ask parents questions. “ See the replies from Scouters and add your own.
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