Scout Badge

Scout Badge requirements

2015 requirements

1. Meet the age requirements. Be a boy who is 11 years old, or one who has completed the fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light Award and is at least 10 years old, but is not yet 18 years old.
2. Find a Scout troop near your home.
3. Complete a Boy Scout application and health history signed by your parent or guardian.
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, Scout Law, motto, 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.

2016 requirements

All requirements for the Scout rank must be completed as a member of a troop.^[1] If you have already completed these requirements as part of the Webelos Scouting Adventure, simply demonstrate your knowledge or skills to your Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Coach, or other designated leader after joining the troop.^[1]

1. Scouts

   1a. Repeat from memory the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout motto, and Scout slogan. In your own words, explain their meaning.

   1b. Explain what Scout spirit is. Describe some ways you have shown Scout spirit by practicing the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout motto, and Scout slogan.

   1c. Demonstrate the Boy Scout sign, salute, and handshake. Explain when they should be used.

   1d. Describe the First Class Scout badge and tell what each part stands for. Explain the significance of the First Class Scout badge.

   1e. Repeat from memory the Outdoor Code. In your own words, explain what the Outdoor Code means to you.

   1f. Repeat from memory the Pledge of Allegiance. In your own words, explain its meaning.

2. After attending at least one Boy Scout troop^[1] meeting, do the following:

   2a. Describe how the Scouts in the troop^[1] provide its leadership.

   2b. Describe the four steps of Boy Scout advancement.

   2c. Describe the Boy Scout ranks and how they are earned.

   2d. Describe what merit badges are and how they are earned.

3. Patrol

   3a. Explain the patrol method. Describe the types of patrols that are used in your troop.^[1]

   3b. Become familiar with your patrol name, emblem, flag, and yell. Explain how these items create patrol spirit.

4. Knots & ropes

   4a. Show how to tie a square knot, two half-hitches, and a taut-line hitch. Explain how each knot is used.

   4b. Show the proper care of a rope by learning how to whip and fuse the ends of different kinds of rope.

5. Demonstrate your knowledge of pocketknife safety.
6. With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide and earn the Cyber Chip Award for your grade.^[2]
7. Since joining the troop^[1] and while working on Scout rank, participate in a Scoutmaster^[1] conference.

Footnotes

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} For Varsity Scouts working on Boy Scout requirements, replace “troop” with “team” and “Scoutmaster” with “Varsity Scout Coach.
2. ↑ If your family does not have Internet access at home AND you do not have ready Internet access at school or another public place or via a mobile device, the Cyber Chip portion of this requirement may be waived by your Scoutmaster or Varsity Scout Coach in consultation with your parent or guardian.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Requirements, 2016 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #621535)