Advancements

District Advancement Committee Mission Statement

The District Advancement Committee’s mission is to provide every Scout Unit through its Scout Leadership the resources and support necessary to ensure that all Scouts have every opportunity to advance through the Boy Scouts of America Advancement Program set forth by the National Boy Scout office as follows:

The Boy Scout movement provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Boy Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he meets each challenge. The Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturer are rewarded for each achievement, which helps him or her gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.

District Advancement Committee Contacts

Advancement / Recognition

Eagle Scout Board of Review Team

(All Eagle Scout Service Project Reviews & Eagle Scout Boards of Reviews shall be coordinated and scheduled with the Review Team below through the Advancement Committee Chair only)

Boards of Review Resource Material

A Guide to Conducting Boards of Review – March 2007

Letters and Guides from Advancement Committee

Baltimore Area Council Life to Eagle Guide (PDF Format, Size - 817 KB)
Letter to Life Scout
Letter to Life Scout Parents
Letter to Eagle Scout

Important Advancement Committee Links

Cub Scout Advancement Trail
Boy Scout Advancement Trail (Boy Scout Rank information and detailed requirements on National BSA site)
Boy Scout Policy on Advancement for Scouts With Disabilities and Special Needs
Boy Scout Alternate Requirements Criteria for Scouts with Physical and Mental Disabilities: Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Ranks
Boy Scout Alternate Requirements Criteria for Scouts with Physical and Mental Disabilities: Eagle Scout Rank
National BSA Policy on Advancement for Youth Members with Special Needs (Summarized by Meritbadge.com)
WWW.MERITBADGE.COM - Helping Scouts Advance
National BSA Policies Related To Rank Advancement
Advancement Guidelines
National BSA Policies Related To Boards of Review
Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook - (PDF Format)
Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook - (Word Format)
Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook - (RTF Format)
Index to Merit Badge Requirements

Additional Advancement References

Appealing a Decision

Two sets of circumstances may lead to the appeal of a decision.

First, if the unit leader or unit committee does not recommend the Scout for a board of review, or if the unit leader or unit committee does not sign the Eagle Scout application, the Scout or other interested party may appeal the decision at the next level.

Second, if the appropriate board of review does not recommend the applicant for the rank advancement, the decision may be appealed to the next higher level. The Scout, his leader, or his parents may appeal the decision. With all appeal applications, the final decision rests with the national Boy Scout Committee. In ascending order, levels are unit, district, local council, and national Boy Scout Committee.

On receipt of an appeal, the district or council committee responsible for advancement will provide for a prompt review to determine the facts. All parties must be interviewed either individually or as a group, but a confrontation should be avoided. A written report with all details must be prepared for the committee responsible for a decision or for forwarding to the national Boy Scout Committee, if necessary.

All appeals to the National Boy Scout Committee must be processed through the Scout's local council. A copy of the Scout's Eagle Scout Rank Application must be included when petitioning at the national level.

National Cub Scout Advancement Change Effective June 1, 2006

Bobcat Badge

Effective June 1st, 2006 before becoming a Tiger Cub, a boy must complete the Bobcat requirements.

No matter what age or grade a boy joins Cub Scouting he must earn his Bobcat badge before he can be awarded the rank of Tiger Cub (after June 1, 2006), Wolf, Bear, or Webelos Scout.

National Boy Scout Requirements – As of June 1, 2006

First Class Badge

Beginning January 1, 2006, an additional requirement will be added to the requirements for First Class rank in Boy Scouting. Scouts beginning their First Class requirement work after this date must complete the new requirement. Scouts working on First Class requirements prior to this date will have until June 30, 2006 to complete First Class rank without completing the new requirements.

The new requirement tests the candidate’s persuasive communications skills and can help make Scouting available to more boys. It reads as follows:

“Tell someone who is eligible to join Boy Scouts, or an inactive Boy Scout, about your troop’s activities. Invite him to a troop outing, activity, service project, or meeting. Tell him how to join, or encourage the inactive Boy Scout to become active.”

The Boy Scout Handbook and 2006 Requirements book will be updated with this new detail. Please share this information with all of your troop leaders as soon as possible.

All Scoutmasters were sent a DVD containing tools that Scouts can use to assist them in completing this requirement, including a video that trains them how to speak to their friends about joining, and a video of Scout Activity images they can share with someone interested in joining.

Eagle Scout Process Faster

It is important to turn the Advancement reports in accurately and on a timely basis.

Since January 2003, the final Eagle Scout Application paper work is now being sent electronically to the National Office for approval by the National Board of Review. The goal is to stop sending all the Eagle Scout paper work to National in the near future! All paper work will be retained at the Baltimore Council Office for approximately 7 years. The information is permanently kept in the BSA National Office database. Sending the Eagle Scout Application information electronically has improved the turn around time from National from six or more weeks to approximately one to two weeks.

National Venturing Requirements

Gold and Silver awards require the crew to submit an application to your local council service center for Scout executive approval. The applications are available in the Venturer/Ranger Handbook, Venturing Leader Manual, or on the Internet at www.scouting.org. It is not necessary to send a copy of the application to the national office for approval.

Bronze and Ranger awards do not require an application, only an Advancement Record Form. Your council should be requiring these forms every time a crew requests advancement.

Sea Scout Quartermaster Award applications must be approved by the Scout Executive and forwarded to the national Venturing Division.

Advancement Reviews

Gold and Silver awards require only a crew review. The Crew President, in conjunction with the Crew Advisor, should then appoint a review committee of four to six people including Venturers and adults.

Bronze and Ranger awards require only a review by the crew Advisor.

Eagle Boards of Review

The board should include at least one member who is familiar with the Venturing program. Questions should be relevant to the young man's program, crew leadership positions, and activities. These questions, as well as other requirements, may vary from the traditional review board questions and procedures.

For example, Venturers are encouraged—but not required—to wear the Venturing uniform.

Eagle Scout “Reference Letter” Requirement Policy

The district has been experiencing a lack of follow through by the district Troops and Eagle candidates to ensure their entire Eagle package is completed prior to submission to the council office for review and approval for the District Eagle Board of Review (BOR).

The Eagle Scout reference letters are an important part of the Eagle Scout application process. The names that the Eagle Candidate utilizes on his application as references are required to be followed up with a reference letters to the units review and use at the Eagle BOR. All letters are required and the only optional letter is the "employer," (only if the scout doesn’t have an employer).

Eagle Boards of Review will not be scheduled unless all the reference letters are in the possession of the unit committee. Presently the district has been waiting weeks to months for the unit to gather the letters for a BOR to be scheduled.

Index to Special Scouting Award Requirements

Here are the qualifications for additional opportunities for Boy Scouts and Venturers to improve their skills and to serve others. To earn special recognition in these fields you must meet these requirements. See the link below:

50-miler Award
Fireman Chit
Historic Trails Award
Hornaday Awards
Interpreter Strip
Paul Bunyan Woodsman
Boardsailing BSA
Leave No Trace
BSA Lifeguard
SCUBA BSA
Snorkeling, BSA
Mile Swim, BSA
Kayaking BSA
Totin' Chip
World Conservation Award
Den Chief Service Award
Religious Emblems
National Court of Honor Lifesaving and Meritorious Awards