Eagle Rank Advancement
Policies and Procedures

A Guide for Scouting Leaders and Parents
Prepared by
Circle Ten Council Advancement Committee
revised October 1999
 

Eagle Requirement #1

Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 6 months as a Life Scout.

• As long as the Scout is active for six months after becoming a Life Scout, it is not required that he be active for the six month period immediately preceding his board of review for Eagle.  Troops may not modify the requirements to require a Scout to be active for a consecutive six month period, or require that the period must be immediately before the board of review.
• When it is apparent that a Scout's participation has fallen below that deemed acceptable by the troop leadership, then a letter should be sent to the Scout informing him that he has been dropped from the active role of the troop and placed on the inactive role.  The letter should spell out the criteria for the Scout to once again be placed on the active role.  Naturally, the Scout should be encouraged to return to this level of participation.

Eagle Requirement # 2

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

• When determining whether a Scout is living the Scout Oath and Law in his everyday life, it is important to realize that the Scout is human and may make mistakes, just like his troop leaders and those who sill sit on his board of review.  It is unreasonable to expect perfection, yet at the same time, if there are continuous concerns in this area, it is possible for a Scout to fail to meet this requirement.
• When an Eagle candidate is told that he fails to demonstrate Scout spirit in his everyday life, it is commonly found that the troop should have dealt with the issue earlier-- usually several ranks earlier. A Scout who is not trustworthy or obedient usually doesn't develop this problem just prior to the Eagle board of review.  To postpone dealing with the problem until it becomes imperative to do so at Eagle advancement time is a disservice to the boy.  However, the fact that it wasn't dealt with does not exempt the Scout from fulfilling this requirement for Eagle.

Eagle Requirement # 3

Earn a total of 21 merit badges ( 10 more than you already have), including the following: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving, Environmental Science, First Aid, Cycling or Hiking or Swimming, Personal Management, Personal Fitness, and Family Life.

• Eagle candidates cannot be required to earn merit badges other than those listed above.
• All merit badges must be earned with an approved merit badge counselor.

Eagle Requirement # 4

While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of 6 months in one or more of the following troop positions of responsibility: Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Chaplain Aide, Den Chief, Instructor, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Librarian, Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Scribe, Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Historian, Venture Crew Chief, or Varsity Team Captain.

• If a Scout serves actively in one or more of the listed positions for 6 months as a Life Scout without being removed from the position, the troop must give the Scout credit for fulfilling the requirement, even if the Scout was not effective in the position.  Fulfilling this requirement is not dependent on how effective the boy is as a leader, on the that he served actively in the position.
• Being active will be determined at the troop level.

Eagle Requirement # 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 idea must be approved by your Scoutmaster, your troop committee, the beneficiary of the project, and approved by the council or district before you start.  You must use the "Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook," No.18-927, in meeting this requirement.

• The "Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook" must be used to meet this requirement, and will help the Eagle candidate through all of the steps necessary to conduct a service project.
• Work involving council property or other BSA activities is not acceptable for an Eagle Scout service project.  The service project also may not be performed for a business, or be of a commercial nature, or be a fund-raiser.  Fund-raising is permitted only for securing materials or supplies needed to carry out the project.
• Routine labor, or a job or service normally rendered should not be considered.  Therefore, if the Eagle candidate proposes to do a service project for  a church that involves painting the fellowship hall, the question to be asked is, Does the church plan to have the hall painted even if the Scout doesn't do this as a project?  If the Scout finds that the answer to this question is "yes," then it would not qualify as an Eagle project.  The work would fall into the category of "routine labor, or a job or service normally rendered."

Eagle Requirement # 6

Attach to [the Eagle] application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations during which you demonstrated leadership skills.  Include honors and awards received during this service.  Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.

• All requirements up to this point, including this one, must be met before the Scout's 18th birthday.
• Upon completion of this requirement, the Eagle candidate is ready for his board of review.

Eagle Requirement # 7

Complete your board of review.

• Scouts who have completed Eagle requirements 1-6 prior to their 18 birthday may be reviewed and recognized within three months after that date.  For Eagle Scout boards of review conducted between three and six months after the candidate's 18th birthday, a written statement explaining the reason for the delay must be attached to the Eagle Scout Rank Application when it is submitted to the council office.  Circle Ten Council must be contacted for procedures to follow if a board of review is to be conducted more that six months after a candidate's 18th birthday.

Important: This document only contains brief portions of the original. The complete guide can be obtained at Circle Ten Council.