LOWER RANKS

Advancement in the lower ranks (Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class) mostly involves activities that can be done in the course of Troop activities. The requirements can be found in the Scout Handbook, or on websites such as this one by the US Scouting Service Project. Unlike similar activities in Cub Scouts, the requirements are not signed off by parents, but by the Troop’s registered leaders (Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, etc).

The National BSA has recently put up a web page with some videos to help train Scouts in the lower ranks. Here’s the page.

HIGHER RANKS AND THE TROOP 160 MERIT BADGE LIBRARY

For the higher ranks (Star, Life, Eagle) the principal components of advancement are merit badges. Once again, the overall requirements for each rank can be found in the Scout Handbook or on various websites. Merit badges often require some effort outside of regular Troop activities. The Troop commonly offers some merit badge courses during the year, and many merit badges are offered at summer camp.

If a Scout wants to do a merit badge that isn’t available in one of these ways, he’s encouraged to talk to the Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster. There are registered merit badge counselors associated with Troop 160 for many merit badges. There are also registered merit badge counselors associated with the Boston Minuteman Council for many others.

For each merit badge there’s a merit badge pamphlet that lists the requirements and explains the material. A lot of merit badge information, including requirements, can be found at the Merit Badge Research Center. Pamphlets can be obtained at the Scout Stores.

A lot of merit badge pamphlets are also maintained in the Troop 160 Library, located in our Scout Room. Here’s an inventory of our merit badge pamphlets. You’ll find that even if our pamphlets are slightly out of date, most of the material is still relevant. Just compare the requirements in the pamphlets with the current requirements at Merit Badge Research Center.

You can sign out pamphlets by following these steps:

1) Go to the quartermaster’s closet. (Not the one next to the wall.)
2) Find the sign out sheet on the bulletin board.
3) Fill out the information in the appropriate columns on the sheet completely.
4) Take the pamphlet from the bookshelf.
5) Return the pamphlet after you have completed the merit badge.

If anyone is interested in donating used merit badge pamphlets, please contact the Troop Librarian.

EAGLE TRAIL

The trail to Eagle is challenging, but many Scouts from Troop 160 have completed it. Here is a list of Eagle Scouts from Troop 160. As of this writing (March 2008), Troop 160 has had over 90 Eagle Scouts.

New Forms and Processes for achieving the Rank of Eagle Scout (updated January 2012)

#1

Starting immediately and continuing until further notice, Bill Quiqley will be stepping in as acting Flintlock Advancement Chair and Proposal Coordinator.  This means that all project proposals must be emailed to Bill at the email listed on bsaboston.org.  This is a temporary situation so ALWAYS send your Life scouts to bsaboston.org to check for the most up to date information regarding to whom to send proposals.

If any of your scouts have submitted proposals to Tony O’Brien via email during the month of December 2011, please check in with them to see if they have received a response.  If not, please have them re-submit to Bill Quigley, at the address listed on bsaboston.org, just to be on the safe side, as December 2011 submissions may not have been reviewed.

#2

The Eagle Leadership Project Workbook has undergone significant changes, and is now available at bsaboston.org, as well as on scouting.org.  Please see to it that your Life Scouts use the new workbook starting now.  Projects that have already been submitted may use the old format, but anything new must use the new workbook.  It is a fillable .pdf file, not available in any other format. Past issues with cutting off long descriptions seem to be fixed in this version.

#3

The most recent Eagle Rank Application is the 2011 version, which is accessible through the bsaboston.org website.  Please always send your scouts to the website for the most up to date forms.

Additional Eagle Resources

The principal requirements to become an Eagle Scout are to finish at least 21 merit badges, including 12 Eagle required badges, and to perform a substantial Eagle service leadership project. Here is a 2008 presentation about the process of going from Life Scout to Eagle. You can discuss the process with the Scoutmaster or any Assistant Scoutmaster.

Troop 160 has a fairly well-defined process for helping Scouts develop and carry out their Eagle leadership projects. Here is an older memo that describes the process — getting an Eagle Guide, choosing a project, writing a proposal, getting it approved, and so on.  Please refer to the January 2012 updates above.  Here is a page that has some information on previous Troop 160 Eagle projects, including examples of successful proposals. Here is a 2012 updated checklist for Eagle Court of Honor.

Some information on past Troop 160 Eagle projects can be found here. Additional useful information on the Eagle Scout process can be found at Eaglescout.org: http://eaglescout.org/.