For more information on any of these matters or if you have other questions, please talk with your unit commissioner or your district advancement chair. If you think an answer here is incorrect or incomplete, or if you think of other questions that should be addressed here, please let us know by contacting your district advancement chair. You can find your district advancement chair or Eagle Scout coordinator through the "Districts" section here in the council web site. (Eagle Scout rank questions are on it's own page.)

What positions qualify as "positions of responsibility" for Star, Life, and Eagle ranks?

The ones listed in the Boy Scout Handbook. For Venturers and Sea Scouts, the positions are listed in the Venturer Handbook. As to Boy Scout advancement issues, when changes are made, they often appear in the Boy Scout Requirements book before they appear in the Boy Scout Handbook. For example, the position of Order of the Arrow Representative qualifies for advancement but may not be in the Boy Scout Handbook for awhile. Be sure to use the current edition of the Boy Scout Requirements book.

Boy Scout troop leadership positions.

patrol leader
assistant senior patrol leader
senior patrol leader
troop guide
OA troop representative
den chief
scribe
librarian
historian
quartermaster
bugler
junior assistant Scoutmaster
chaplain aide
instructor

Boy Scout patrol leadership positions that do not qualify.

assistant patrol leader
patrol quartermaster
patrol librarian
And all other patrol leadership positions.  

What does it mean "or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop"

A Scout cannot advance in rank unless he has the opportunity to hold a leadership position. If he is not elected or appointed to a leadership position, the Scoutmaster has the option to create a leadership position/opportunity so the Scout can fulfill the responsibility. 

What must the Scout actually do or accomplish in his "position of responsibility" in order for it to count?

The requirement is not a "leadership" requirement; it is to "serve actively" in a position of "responsibility." The duties for most positions are explained in the Junior Leader Handbook. The Scoutmaster decides and the board of review reviews what service is sufficient, but they are not allowed to add to the requirements nor to reduce them.

Who may be on the board of review for Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle Palm  ranks?

Three to six members of the troop committee. Scoutmasters and assistant Scoutmasters may not serve on a board of review. Troop Committee Guidebook. Relatives or guardians of the Scout may not serve either. Advancement Committee Policies & Procedures. Note that members of the troop committee are registered in Scouting. The committee does not automatically include all parents.

Why is the Eagle rank board of review different?

Only 2-4 percent of all boys that enter the Scouting program make Eagle rank. It is rare, special, and denotes a tremendous amount of work by the candidate. In the Ventura County Council, Eagle rank boards of review are done on a district level, not a troop level. The rules are the same as a troop level board of review, only the personnel and the questions are different. A member of the troop committee is invited to sit on the board along with district leaders with a lot of years in the Scouting program. The Scoutmaster is invited to view the proceedings, but not participate. The parents are not allowed to view or participate. The candidate is required to submit sealed letters of recommendation, and those are reviewed prior to the start of the board so the members can familiarize themselves with the candidate. The letters are not returned to the candidate.
The questions are different only on the level that the questions could be tougher to match the level that is expected of an Eagle candidate.
The Eagle Scout Rank Application, Letters of Recommendation (minimum of 3) and Eagle Project Notebook must be present and reviewed by the board. The board of review might last as long as 45 minutes to an hour.

The letters are retained by the District Advancement Chairperson, and are never given to the Scout After the application has been approved by National Eagle Board of Review and returned to the local council (typically 4-6 weeks), the Letters of Recommendation are destroyed.

When do I schedule my Eagle Court of Honor?

If the candidate passes the Eagle board of review, that date is the official date that the candidate becomes an Eagle Scout. Before that can be official, the Eagle Scout Service screens the application to ascertain information such as proper signatures, positions of responsibility, tenure between ranks, and age of the candidate. Any item not meeting national standards will cause the application to be returned for more information. If the application is in order, the Scout is then certified as an Eagle Scout by the Eagle Scout Service on behalf of the National Council. Notice of approval is given by sending the Eagle Scout certificate to the local council. This takes about 4-6 weeks. The date used on the certificate will be the date of the board of review. The Eagle Award must not be sold or given to any unit until after the certificate is received by the council service center. The Eagle Scout court of honor should not be scheduled until the local council receives the Eagle Scout rank credentials. The Eagle Scout rank badge cannot be purchased until the credentials arrive.

What does a unit do if a boy is physically or mentally unable to complete some requirements?

There is a provision for alternative advancement requirements for a Scout who is unable to complete all the requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class ranks. Plans and approvals must be done before the Scout does the alternative requirements. The alternatives may not be counted if he does them before getting approval from the council advancement committee. Work on this with your district advancement chair immediately when a disabled Scout joins the unit or when a Scout in your unit becomes disabled. (Or do it right now, today.) See the Boy Scout Requirements book for more information. Units cannot make exceptions other than as noted there and in the Boy Scout Handbook. See also the booklet called A Scoutmaster's Guide to Working with Disabilities (publication #33056A). There are several other booklets at the Scout Shop on working with Scouts with various disabilities. Look at those too. For the advancement requirements, you need to work with your district advancement chair from the beginning.

Who signs off requirements in the back of the Scout's Boy Scout Handbook?

The Scoutmaster or persons he or she designates. The designated persons may be Scouts or adults for specified ranks or sets of requirements. Advancement Committee Policies & Procedures.
Testing is under the control of the Scoutmaster. It is his job to ensure that the testing is adequate for the skill.
There are a large number of people that can sign off on Scout skills. The Scout may be tested on requirements by his:
Scoutmaster
assistant Scoutmaster
troop instructor
patrol leader
troop committee member
a member of his troop
The basic requirement is that the person testing the Scout be knowledgeable about the skill.

The Scoutmaster maintains a list of those qualified to give tests.

The important thing is that the Scoutmaster must train others to test on Scout skills. If the Scoutmaster or others are signing the book without testing, then we have not done the right thing for that Scout. Skills must be demonstrated before signing. For skills that happened on a previous campout or activity, there must be verification by one of the persons on the list of those qualified to give tests.

Is it necessary that requirements be signed off in the back of the Scout's Boy Scout Handbook?

No, but it is customary and useful. Make sure all Scouts have their name on the outside edge of the Boy Scout Handbook, as well as inside. If it is lost, it will come back to him sooner.

If a Scout has earned the Arrow of Light, does he have to repeat the requirements to earn his Scout badge?

Yes. The Scout needs to have the troop approve his satisfaction of the requirements. The Scoutmaster conference is an important introduction of the new Scout to his new troop and his Scoutmaster, and an opportunity for the Scoutmaster to start developing his relationship with the Scout.

Since the Scoutmaster conference needs to be private, how can we comply with the youth protection guidelines?

It needs to be a private discussion, but held in full view of other people. Scoutmaster Handbook.
It will help the Scout during the Scoutmaster Conference if there are no disturbances. Make sure the adult leaders understand that this is not the time to ask questions, and the Scouts should understand that this is not the time to ask questions.

Does the Scoutmaster Conference have to be at a troop meeting?

No; on a hike, at a campfire, or any place a Scout is relaxed and can answer questions freely.

Can someone other than the Scoutmaster hold a Scoutmaster Conference?

Can someone? Yes. Should someone? Not if you can avoid it. This is the time for the Scoutmaster to become acquainted with the person, the individual. In a very large troop it may be difficult for a Scoutmaster to hold a Scoutmaster Conference for each and every Scout, so a designated assistant Scoutmaster may perform the function, but the Scoutmaster must train that individual so that all Scouts have the same experience. When do you make that decision? If the Scoutmaster is approaching burn-out, the job isn't getting done, work pressure makes it difficult, etc. Running a Scout troop is always a balancing act between what is right for the Scout.

How can Scouts and others earn the 50-Miler Award if they were not able to do the 10 hours of service during the outing?

If it was not possible for each person to complete 10 hours of group work on the trail, a SIMILAR project may be conducted in the unit's home area. Boy Scout Requirements.

When does a Scout officially hold his new rank? 

Positions of responsibility and some other things need to be accomplished while he holds the current rank. He holds the rank as of the day he passes his board of review. Boy Scout Handbook.

Is the Advancement Report form available online?

The Boy Scout Advancement Report form is online at the National BSA site; you can reach it through our forms page. You can print that out. It is not yet possible to complete and submit it online. Some software programs for managing troop administration may also include versions of the form -- be sure to make enough copies, and for reports showing a board of review be sure to get the signatures of the members of the board of review.

How long does a Scout have to complete a merit badge?

There is no limit except that he must be a Boy Scout (or Varsity Scout) when he starts and when he finishes, and he must finish it before his 18th birthday.

What is the date to use for the date a merit badge was earned?

Use the date on the blue merit badge card -- the date the merit badge counselor signed it as completed.

When can a Scout start working on merit badges?

Scouts can start working on merit badges as soon as they earn their Scout rank (joining requirements). The emphasis for the new Scout on the Trail to First Class is the rank requirements. Merit badges are not required for Tenderfoot, Second Class or First Class ranks. The Scout can earn merit badges while working the Trail to First Class, but it should not be a priority.

Is it a good idea for a Scout's parent to be his merit badge counselor for a merit badge?

No, it is usually not a good idea. One of the "methods" of Boy Scouting is "adult association." The Scout will get the most out of his associations with adults if his merit badge counselors are not family members. Therefore, while his parent is allowed to be a counselor, it is best to avoid that where practical.

Can we turn in advancement reports on disk?

Yes! Current versions of Troopmaster 2000 (v 1.10 or later), Scoutmate (v. 5.2 or later), and Scoutsoft (v. 3.5 or later) are compatible with ScoutNET, the program used by the council and by the national office. Those versions will prepare a disk file for advancement reports that you can turn in on disk. In fact, PLEASE do so. Advancement reports on disk are much faster for the council staff to process, and there are fewer mistakes. If you identify your unit & a contact person on the disk label, you will get your disk back. We still need a printed report too, with signatures. And no, we cannot take the reports by e-mail yet. We recommend and support the use of TroopMaster/PackMaster. If you are using other unit management software, please inquire about compatibility with the council webmaster.

Can a parent test his own son for requirements, scoutmaster conference, or boards of review?

No. Even if the parent is the best qualified for the job, the job is for the Scout leader and Scout, not the parent and son. The parent may be impartial and have the best intentions, but others may see favoritism, and the Scout will not be as open with his own parent as he would with other adult leaders.

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