There are many definitions of advancement, but the Scouting definition might well be, simply, "the art of meeting a challenge."   For that is exactly what the Boy Scout advancement program asks the boys to do.  The Boy Scout advancement program provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at his own pace.  As he acquires these skills he moves up through a series of ranks, for which he is awarded badges.


Advancement Through First Class

Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class

From the time the Scout enters the Troop, through the time he earns advancement to First Class, he is learning basic scouting skills to enable him to camp, hike, swim, cook, tie knots, administer first aid, and perform other tasks in the outdoors and to work as a member of a team.   With those first steps the scout begins to build himself physically, mentally, and morally.

He will start to live with the Scout Oath and Law.  Soon he will learn the symbolism inherent in the Scout badge; he will learn that there are three points of the trefoil which stand for the three parts of the Scout Oath: Duty to God and country, duty to other people, and duty to yourself.   The goal of this Troop, is for the Scout to achieve the rank of First Class within his first year in the Troop.  This is a sign that the scout has mastered the fundamentals of scouting and can begin to start the long process of learning to lead others, refining the learned skills and learning additional skills.


Scout  
  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
  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 the 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. Demonstrate how to whip and fuse the ends of a rope

  5. Demonstrate that you know how to tie the following knots and tell what their uses are: two half hitches and the taut-line hitch

  6. 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

  7. Demonstrate how to display, raise, lower, and fold the American flag

  8. Repeat from memory and explain in your own words the Scout Oath, Law, motto, and slogan

  9. Know your patrol name, give the patrol yell, and describe your patrol flag

  10. Explain why we use the buddy system in Scouting

  11. Record your best in the following tests:
      Current results
    1. Pushups _______
    2. Pull-ups _______
    3. Sit-ups _______
    4. Standing long jump (_______ft _______in)
    5. 1/4-mile walk/run _______


      30 days later
    1. Pushups _______
    2. Pull-ups _______
    3. Sit-ups _______
    4. Standing long jump (_______ft _______in)
    5. 1/4-mile walk/run _______
  12. Show improvement in the activities listed in requirement 10a after practicing for 30 days

  13. Identify local poisonous plants; tell how to treat for exposure to them

  14. Demonstrate the Heimlich maneuver and tell when it is used

  15. Show first aid for the following:
    1. Simple cuts and scratches
    2. Blisters on the hand and foot
    3. Minor burns or scalds (first-degree)
    4. Bites or stings of insects and ticks
    5. Poisonous snakebite
    6. Nosebleed
    7. Frostbite and sunburn
    8. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference
    9. Complete your board of review
Second Class
  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 five-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian

    If you use a wheelchair or crutches, or if it is difficult for you to get around, you may substitute "trip" for "hike" in this requirement

  3. Since joining, have participated in five separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), two of which included camping overnight

  4. On one of these campouts, select your patrol site and sleep in a tent that you pitched

  5. On one campout, demonstrate proper care, sharpening, and use of the knife, saw, and ax, and describe when they should be used

  6. Use the tools listed in requirement 2c to prepare tinder, kindling, and fuel for a cooking fire

  7. Discuss when it is appropriate to use a cooking fire and a light-weight stove. Discuss the safety procedures for using both

  8. Demonstrate how to light a fire and a lightweight stove

  9. 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

  10. Participate in a flag ceremony for your school, religious institution, chartered organization, community, or troop activity

  11. Participate in an approved (minimum of one hour) service project

  12. Identify or show evidence of at least 10 kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community

  13. Show what to do for "hurry" cases of stopped breathing, serious bleeding, and internal poisoning

  14. Prepare a personal first-aid kit to take with you on a hike

  15. Demonstrate first aid for the following:
    • Object in the eye
    • Bite of a suspected rabid animal
    • uncture wounds from a splinter, nail, and fish hook
    • Serious burns (second degree)
    • Heat exhaustion
    • Shock
    • Heatstroke, dehydration, hypothermia, and hyperventilation
  16. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim

  17. Demonstrate your ability to jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth, level off and swim 25 feet on the surface, stop, turn sharply, resume swimming, then return to your starting place

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life

  21. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference

  22. Complete your board of review
First Class
  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, et cetera)

  3. Since joining, have participated in 10 separate troop/patrol activities (other than troop/patrol meetings), three of which included camping overnight

  4. Help plan a patrol menu for one campout that includes at least one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner and that requires cooking at least two meals. Tell how the menu includes the foods from the food pyramid and meets nutritional needs

  5. 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

  6. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. Identify or show evidence of at least 10 kinds of native plants found in your community

  11. Discuss when you should and should not use lashings

  12. 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

  13. Use lashing to make a useful camp gadget

  14. Demonstrate tying the bowline knot and describe several ways it can be used

  15. Demonstrate bandages for a sprained ankle and for injuries on the head, the upper arm, and the collarbone

  16. Show how to transport by yourself, and with one other person, a person:
    • From a smoke-filled room
    • With a sprained ankle, for at least 25 yards
  17. Tell the five most common signs of a heart attack. Explain the steps (procedures) in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)

  18. Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe trip afloat

  19. Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test

  20. 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.)

  21. Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life

  22. Participate in a Scoutmaster conference

  23. Complete your board of review
Advancement From First Class to Eagle

Star | Life | Eagle

From the achievement of First Class through Eagle, the Scout will be demonstrating leadership, performing service projects, earning merit badges and using the skills learned while achieving the rank of First Class.  The next ranks he will earn are Star and Life.  These ranks are harder to obtain than the earlier ranks, but are also more interesting for the older scouts.  Upon completion of all the requirements for Star and Life the Scout will be eligible to work for Eagle.  The original principals, the Scout Oath and Law now have fuller meaning for the Scout and their understanding of them is much greater.  The final steps towards Eagle are filled with leadership experiences.

 
Star
  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 any four from the required list for Eagle:

      Name of Merit Badge
    • _________________________ (required for Eagle)

    • _________________________ (required for Eagle)

    • _________________________ (required for Eagle)

    • _________________________ (required for Eagle)

    • _________________________

    • _________________________

      A Scout may choose any of the 15 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill this requirement. See the Eagle rank requirements for a complete list of required badges for Eagle.
  4. While a First Class Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.

  5. While a First Class Scout, serve actively for four months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility (or carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership project to help the troop):
    • Boy 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
    • Bugler
    • Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
    • Chaplain Aide
    • Instructor
      Varsity Scout Team Captain,
    • Cocaptain
    • Program manager
    • Squad leader
    • Team secretary
    • Order of The Arrow Troop representative
    • Librarian
    • Historian
    • Quartermaster
    • Chaplain aide
    • Instructor
    • Den chief
  6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference

  7. Complete your board of review
Life
  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)

    • _________________________ (required for Eagle)

    • _________________________

    • _________________________

      A Scout may choose any of the 15 required merit badges in the 12 categories to fulfill this requirement. See the Eagle rank requirements for a complete list of required badges for Eagle

  4. While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least six hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster

  5. While a Star Scout, serve actively for six 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)

  6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference

  7. Complete your board of review
Eagle
  1. Be active in your troop and patrol for at least six 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, (You must choose only one of these two merit badges. If you have earned more than one of the badges listed, choose one and list the remaining badge to make your total of 21.)

    8. Environmental Science
    9. Personal Management
    10. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling (You must choose only one of these three merit badges. If you have earned more than one of the badges listed, choose one and list the remaining badges to make your total of 21.)

    11. Camping, and
    12. Family Life
    13. Name of Merit Badge
    14. ________________________________
    15. ________________________________
    16. ________________________________
    17. ________________________________
    18. ________________________________
    19. ________________________________
    20. ________________________________
    21. ________________________________
    22. ________________________________
  4. While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of six months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:
    • Boy 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
    • Bugler
    • Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
    • Chaplain Aide
    • Instructor
      Varsity Scout Team Captain
    • Cocaptain
    • Program Manager
    • Squad Leader
    • Team Secretary
    • Order of The Arrow Troop Representative
    • Librarian
    • Historian
    • Quartermaster
    • Chaplain Aide
    • Instructor
    • Den Chief
  5. 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 Boy Scouting.) The project idea must be approved by the organization benefiting from the 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

  6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference

  7. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review

The higher he climbs the more challenging his tasks -- and the more rewarding.

Achievements include: Learning skills that qualify for Scouting is more rugged and exciting outdoor challenges.   Developing body and mind, growing self-confidence, and helping younger Scouts climb the advancement ladder.  Discovering how it feels to go further -- in so many ways -- than he ever thought he could.  

We do not look at advancement as a goal, but as a natural outcome of a planned, quality Troop program.

There are four steps of advancement:

  1. The Boy Scout Learns
  2. The Boy Scout is Tested
  3. The Boy Scout is Reviewed
  4. The Boy Scout is Recognized

The scout is responsible for having his achievements tested, reviewed and recorded in his book.

Merit Badges

Earning merit badges give Scouts self-confidence by teaching them to overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. The Scout also learns career skills, develops socially and may develop physical skills and hobbies that give a lifetime of healthful recreation. To earn merit badges the following sequential procedures shall be followed:

  1. Obtain merit badge application ("blue card") from the scoutmaster or assistant scoutmaster. The card must be signed by the scoutmaster showing his approval.
  2. Contact the merit badge counselor and arrange meetings.
  3. Complete the merit badge requirements under the guidance of the counselor. Ensure the counselor signs the card verifying completion of all requirements.
  4. Return the card to the scoutmaster or assistant scoutmaster and obtain his signature to indicate completion of the merit badge requirements.
  5. Present the completed card to the advancement chairman for forwarding to the council for registration and procurement of the badge.

The goal of the merit badge program is to expand a Scout's areas of interest and to encourage the Scout to meet and work with adults in a chosen subject. Merit badges are earned by a Scout working with a registered merit badge counselor. The Scout is required to contact the counselor to arrange for times and places to meet with the counselor. When the Scout completes the work on the merit badge the counselor will inform the Scoutmaster that the Scout has completed the requirements for that badge. Merit Badges earned will be presented to the Scout during the Troop's quarterly Court of Honor.

All parents of Troop 826 Scouts are encouraged to become Merit Badge Counselors. Please fill in the attached Troop Resource Survey and return it to a Troop Leader.

Service Projects

a. Star and Life: Work on service projects for credit toward advancement to Star and Life ranks shall be approved by the scoutmaster in advance of starting the project. If there is any doubt as to the validity of the project the matter will be referred to the troop committee for resolution The troop currently has three ongoing service projects: VFW Cemetery Restoration Highway 40 Trash Pick Up Pataskala Oaks Nursing Home Game Night

The PLC expects all scouts to perform six service hours for every six month period. b. Eagle: Eagle service projects shall be of lasting value to the community rather than completion of routine upkeep and preventive maintenance. Before beginning any work, the project shall be approved by the troop committee and the District Committee. The Troop 826 Committee requires that the Eagle candidate brief the troop committee on his project at a regularly scheduled committee meeting. The Eagle candidate must take into consideration the lead time required for troop and district committee approval in planning work schedules. The brief shall outline the scope, scale and requirements of the proposed project. The committee will review the candidate's plan for completeness in planning and ability of the troop to support the project to completion. The schedule of work should be examined in detail to ensure there are no major conflicts with other planned troop activities. Upon completion of the service project, The Eagle candidate shall provide the advancement chairman with a written description of the project and, where appropriate, a schedule of participants and hours worked.

Boards of Review

When a Scout has completed all the requirements for a rank, he appears, in Class ěAî uniform, before a board of review composed of members of the Troop Committee. The purpose of the review is not an examination. Rather it is to determine the Scout's attitude and acceptance of Scouting's ideals; to ensure that the requirements have been met for advancement, to discuss the Scout's experiences in the Troop and the Troop's program, and to encourage him to keep working towards advancement. A Board of Review may also be held to counsel a boy about his lack of progress toward advancement.

Courts of Honor

Troop 826 will conduct a Court of Honor once a quarter. The Court of Honor recognizes all Scout appointments, elections, awards, and advancements since the last Court of Honor. Adult recognition may also be presented. It is the responsibility of the Troop's Patrol Leadersí Council to plan and conduct the Troop Courts of Honor. The Troop Committee will support the Courts of Honor as requested.

The Court of Honor is a public ceremony, and is a chance for the Scouts to be publicly recognized for their achievements. Parents and all other interested individuals are be encouraged to attend.


Knots

Merit Badge Info