Eagle Scout rank (Boy Scouts of America)

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**Eagle Scout (BSA)**
Medal	Badge (Youth)	Square Knot (Adult)
Image:BSA eagle.jpg	Image:Eagle Scout youth patch.gif	Image:Eaglescoutknot.jpg

Template:Portalpar Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable by a Scout in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), and is also used as a title of a Scout who has achieved this honor.

Eagle Scouts are expected to set an example for other Scouts. They are expected to become the leaders in life that they have demonstrated themselves to be in Scouting. The highly respected rank is considered to be a significant honor, is looked upon as an achievement even much later in life, and is held for life. About four percent of Scouts attain the rank. Template:Ref Eagle Scouts who enlist in the US military may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.Template:Ref Template:Ref

Eagle Scouts can join the National Eagle Scout Association, an organization that serves as a fellowship and communications board for all Eagle Scouts.

The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, is a special award, given only to Eagle Scouts, for distinguished service in their profession and the community for a period of at least 25 years after earning the Eagle Scout rank.

1 History
2 Eagle Scout requirements
3 Eagle Scout Palms
4 Insignia and apparel
5 Badge Symbolism
6 Awards similar to Eagle Scout
- 6.1 In other BSA programs
- 6.2 In other Scouting organizations
7 See also
8 Footnotes
9 References

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History

In 1911, Scouting's highest award was conceived of as the Wolf Award, but was quickly changed to Eagle Scout. The medal shown in the 1911 Handbook for Boys was a profile of an eagle in flight, but was changed to the current design before any were issued.

Eagle Scout was originally a super merit badge awarded to any First Class Scout for earning 21 merit badges. In 1914, specific merit badges were required. Over the years, a requirement to perform community service evolved into a full-scale service project in 1965, along with a troop youth leadership requirement, which prevented adults from earning Eagle Scout (which was allowed previously). Until 1972, Explorers who were also registered as an assitant Scoutmaster in a troop could work on Eagle until age 21.Template:Ref The number of merit badges required increased to 24 in 1972, but went back to 21 in 1978.Template:Ref

On August 21, 1912, Arthur Rose Eldred of Oceanside, New York, became the first recipient of the Eagle Scout award, and the first of three generations of Eagle Scouts (his son and grandson are also Eagle Scouts).Template:Ref Template:Ref Since then more than one and a half million Boy Scouts have earned the rank. Many Eagle Scouts have become notable for their achievements and deeds.

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Eagle Scout requirements

The rank is awarded when the Scout:Template:Ref

Has six months active tenure as a Life Scout.
Demonstrates Scout Spirit
Earns 21 merit badges, including 12 from the required list
Serves for six months as a leader in the troop, team or crew.
Plans, develops, and gives leadership to a service project (generally known as Eagle Project). This is a major point of the award and the requirement best known by the general public when Eagle Scout is mentioned: it demonstrates both leadership and a commitment to duty.
Takes part in a Scoutmaster conference before his eighteenth birthday.
Completes an Eagle Scout Board of Review.

Scouts with a permanent mental or physical disability may use alternate requirements, based on the Scout's abilities, and approved by the council.

Eagle Scout may be awarded posthumously, if and only if all requirements are completed before death. A board of review may be held and the award presented to the Scout's family. Such Scouts may also be considered for the Spirit of the Eagle Award.

Venturers who have attained First Class as a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout in a troop or team may continue working for the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks and Eagle Palms while registered as an Venturer up to his 18th birthday.

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Eagle Scout Palms

Eagle Palms are the final step in the advancement trail for Scouts who have attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. While Palms are not themselves ranks, they represent recognition for a young man who stayed active in Scouting and continued to work on merit badges after earning his Eagle. The Palm insignia looks like a small metallic palm frond pin to be worn on the ribbon of the Eagle badge (Eagle medal), and/or the Eagle square knot. The official requirements are as follows:

Be active in your troop and patrol for at least 3 months after becoming an Eagle Scout or after the award of your last Palm.
Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your everyday life.
Make a satisfactory effort to develop and demonstrate leadership ability.
Earn five additional merit badges beyond those required for Eagle or last Palm.
Take Part in a Scoutmaster conference.
Complete your board of review.

Merit badges earned at any time (before or after Eagle) count, just not the ones used for the Eagle requirements.

The Palms are awarded in the order of bronze, gold, and silver. When a scout completes more than 3 palms, the order repeats. For instance, a scout who has completed 25 additional merit badges and 15 additional months of service beyond his Eagle rank would wear a silver and gold Palm. He would not wear all Palms earned up to this point (bronze, gold, silver, second bronze, second gold), only the silvers and, if applicable, the highest non-silver.

Eagle Scout Palms
Bronze	Gold	Silver
Image:Eagle scout palm bronze.png	Image:Eagle scout palm gold.png	Image:Eagle scout palm silver.png

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Insignia and apparel

The Eagle Scout medal is worn on the left shirt pocket flap of the uniform. The medal is usually only worn on ceremonial occasions, and can be worn by both youth and adults. The medal may be worn with the badge or knot on special occasions.

The Eagle Scout badge is worn on the left shirt pocket by youth.Template:Ref Template:Ref

Adult leaders who earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a youth may wear the square knot on their uniform, sewn above the left shirt pocket.

The Eagle Presentation Kit includes the Eagle Scout medal, the Eagle Scout patch, a mother's pin, a father's pin and an Eagle Mentor pin. Other apparel includes a lapel pin for civilian attire, a tie tac for the father of an Eagle Scout and a pin for the mother. A variety of caps, belt buckles, neckerchiefs and slides, jackets, t-shirts and other items are also available.

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Badge Symbolism

There are four responsibilities to being an Eagle Scout. These responsibilities each contribute to the symbolism of the badge itself.

The first is to live with honor. An Eagle’s honor is sacred. Honor is the foundation of character. Character is what the scout is down deep inside, not what others think he is. As an Eagle Scout, he lives so that he will reflect credit upon his home, his church, his school and his friends, and upon himself. The white of the badge reminds him to live with honor.

The second responsibility of an Eagle Scout is loyalty. Without loyalty, character lacks direction. An Eagle is loyal to his ideals. Neither pain nor profit, pride or personal loss shall deter him in his loyalty. The blue of the badge reminds him to always be loyal.

The third responsibility of an Eagle Scout is courage. Courage gives character force and strength. Trusting in God and with faith in his fellow man. The Eagle Scout faces each day unafraid and seeks his share of the world’s work. The red of the badge reminds him to always have courage.

The final responsibility of an Eagle Scout is service. He extends a helping hand to those who still toil up the Scouting trail, just as others helped him in his achievement of the Eagle Rank. The habit of the daily Good Turn must take on a new meaning, blossoming in a life of service. His code of conduct is based upon the belief that real leadership must be founded upon service. The eagle suspended from the ribbon reminds him to always perform that service when the opportunity presents itself.

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Awards similar to Eagle Scout

As Eagle Scout is the highest award in the BSA's Boy Scout program, it is considered comparable both to the highest awards in other BSA programs as well as to the highest awards in other Scouting organizations.

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