Advancement Library

Advancement

For any questions on advancement, please reach out using our #advancements channel on Discord or to the Advancement Chair or any scoutmaster. See our Leaders page for more information on current leaders.

Board of Reviews

Scouts should reach out to the current Advancement Chair via the #advancements channel on Discord to request a Board of Review. Usually boards are given in the last 30 minutes of a normal weekly meeting (8:00-8:30pm). Please come prepared for the review in as much of your uniform as possible. We ask scouts to wear their class A uniform with merit badge sash. Boards typically last about 15 minutes, but should not last more than 30 minutes.

Boards consist of three adults within the unit who are not scoutmasters. The advancement chair in our unit is responsible for organizing and typically leading the review. They should ensure that adults performing the reviews understand the goals of the review.

Boards of Review are designed around some key goals. More details about reviews can be found in the Guide to Advancement, linked below.

• Determine the quality of the Scout's experience
  The board is a conversation. They ask questions to understand what the Scout learned from the requirements, what they enjoyed, what challenges they faced, and how they are applying the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their daily life.

• Decide whether the requirements for the rank have been fulfilled
  The board is not a retest of the requirements. Instead, it's a conversation to ensure the Scout has genuinely completed the requirements and to understand what they learned from the process. It's an opportunity for the Scout to reflect on their journey and to talk about their accomplishments and challenges.

• Encourage the Scout to progress further
  A board of review should be a positive and encouraging experience. Board members should praise the Scout for their hard work and accomplishments and motivate them to continue their journey in Scouting, including working toward the next rank.

• Provide quality control for the unit's program
  The board of review is a vital feedback loop for the troop. By talking with Scouts about their experiences, the board members (who are typically from the troop's committee) can gain insight into how the program is operating. They can identify strengths, weaknesses, or areas where the troop's program could be improved to better serve the Scouts.

• Promote "adult association"
  The board of review provides a safe and structured environment for Scouts to practice communication and interview skills with adults outside of their immediate Scout leaders or parents. This helps them build confidence and develop valuable social skills for the future.

Guide to Advancement

Find out more information on advancement rules at Scouting America's Guide to Advancement.

Merit Badges

 ℹ️  Before starting a merit badge on your own, be sure to reach out to a merit badge counselor. You can find our unit's merit badge counselors on our Leaders page; a scoutmaster or the unit advancement chair can help you if you are having issues finding a counselor.

The following spreadsheet contain links for Eagle-required and other popular merit badges. The merit badge name links to the requirements from Scouting America. Also on the scouting site is a link to download the pamphlet, which contains detailed information about the merit badge topic. The workbook links are handy printable workbooks for helping you document your progress and notes.

For all other merit badges see the following sites.

• Scouting America Merit Badge Library for all official merit badge information, including both requirements and pamphlets

• US Scouts Service Project Merit Badge Library for handy printable workbooks to help you document your progress and notes

All Merit Badges

See Scouts BSA Merit Badges for additional information on other merit badges.

A full list of convenient workbooks for completing badges can be found at USScouts Merit Badge Workbooks.