Advancement, Instruction, and Resources

T582 Advancement and Activity Policies

To provide clarity on advancement, T582 has developed the following policies:

For all ranks: Advancement Policy for Sign-Offs

For Star, Life, and Eagle rank requirements:
- Activity Policy: Developed by the scouts on the PLC, this defines what it means to be an active scout, for Star, Life, and Eagle rank requirements
- Advancement Policy for Leadership

To advance, scouts must also be in good standing, as defined by the following policies:

Advancement's Role in Scouting

The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The Vision of Scouting America is to prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.

Advancement is one of the 8 methods of scouting. Through the advancement method, scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them. The Scout plans their advancement and progresses at their own pace as they meet each challenge. The Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps them gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.

Ranks

Scouting has a total of 7 ranks, which must be earned consecutively, by completing a number of requirements for each. Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class are the first 4, and are commonly known as Trail To First Class, which focuses mainly on learning basic outdoor skills and gaining experience (see page TTFC). The next 3 are Star, Life, and Eagle, which focus more on leadership and organizational skills (see page).

Instructors

Here in Troop 582, we encourage advancement among scouts, and one of the leadership roles a Scout can take is an Instructor. (see more on the PLC page). Instructors organize and hold sessions before all our troop meetings and on outings and separate events so that scouts can learn and improve their skills, and eventually achieve the next rank in their advancement journey.

Boards of Review

You do not need a Board of Review (BoR) for Scout Rank! For all other ranks:

Prerequisites

Checklist before your BoR will be approved and scheduled:

Complete all requirements for the desired rank. (Look at your physical scoutbook for the list of requirements and ensure they are signed off.)
Make sure your uniform is in good condition, with all badges sewn on, as you will need to wear it for the BoR.
After all requirements for the rank are complete, then complete a scoutmaster conference with any ASM for ranks up to Second Class. If trying to obtain rank First Class or above, complete a scoutmaster conference with the Scoutmaster.

Your BoR request will not be approved if you have any incomplete requirement(s) for the rank, and/or if you are submitting this request before completing your scoutmaster conference.

Scheduling

Request a BoR by submitting a request using the BOR Request Form, below, AND emailing the troop Advancement Chair for BoRs. Use Troop Web Host to find out who the Advancement Chair is.
The BoR committee will let you know when your BoR is scheduled, through email.
There are limited BoRs, and BoRs are only scheduled during Troop meetings, in-person.
BoR approval and scheduling will take at least 2 to 4 business weeks.
Note: It is not appropriate for any scout/their parents to solicit parents for a BoR as this is considered a conflict of interest.

BOR Request Form

What qualifies as an URGENT BOR?

The only urgent BoRs are for scouts who are aging out of the program (turning 18) and will not be able to achieve Eagle unless they get BORs by a certain date. The following are NOT reasons for accelerating the BOR schedule:

Court of Honor coming up soon
College applications are due
Trying to finish ranks before high school

Please keep in mind that our troop is entirely volunteer led and run, and that it is a massive process to support BORs. If you have any questions or concerns about the process, please contact the Scoutmaster. Thank you for your patience.