ESWDATWP00Eagletips Background and HistoryWVJ`@`B T4&* ,a a7 DN&*  aC:NBDX HHHH@8,th'd9]WdHHHH. \ddddddd4dd D < bN&:_` Wll?X#p$&(,*m66a.06 9 p p"pp" ' ̀ $@<@ @ (j@@@ @@v@w@ kq@ c@1@R G@D@ {@@ tN@M@\@5 kW@VXrH@@u@M@cx@Y@v@C o@ @ @ ]@ a@T p@ U@ ]@, C@q ^@ d  @<@ @ C@M X@Y@"pp"pp EAGTIP01 [This provides baseline information for those Scouters from other countries other than the USA concerning the Eagle Scout Award; lists the requirements and answers basic questions concerning the award as was posting on the Scouts-L list over the past three years. This also provides a brief listing of key terms used through all seven of the remaining "pages". ] WHAT IS THE EAGLE AWARD AND WHY SO MUCH INFOMATION ON THIS PARTICULAR BADGE? The EAGLE SCOUT BADGE is the highest youth award available to youth members of the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA (BSA). It represents the successful completion of a long process which started when the young man became a Boy Scout. Very few Scouts make it this far, and it is a great achievement for all parties involved: Scout or Explorer, his unit, his community, the local BSA Council and the Boy Scouts of America. Eagle Scouts have went onward to place themselves in very powerful positions: one of our recent Presidents is an Eagle Scout; so was one of our nation's Presidential candidates in a recent election (H. Ross Perot); seventeen of our United States Senators and over 60 of our Congressmen are Eagles; eleven of our state Governors are Eagle Scouts as well as fourteen of our senior military officers. Over 1700 chief executive officers/presidents/heads of corporations are also Eagle Scouts. Once a Eagle Scout, the title never goes away; hence the statement "He *was* an Eagle Scout" is untrue. In the history of this award, only nine were ever "stripped" from their holders; and only theNational Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America can do this. (As a point of reference, the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) has a similar award, called the Gold Award. This award is earned by Senior Girl Scouts, aged 14-18 (8-12th grade of school). This award is the equal to the Eagle Award and in some cases, may be more intensive than the BSA Eagle Award. Part of the five requirements for this award calls for an four-month *minimum* service project (while the BSA Eagle service project has no recommended length or time period attached to it). Girls are recognized at Council meetings, during area-wide meetings, and during state lunchoens as well as within the Troop. Since the Gold Award (and the counterpart for Cadette Girl Scouts, the Silver Award) has only been around since 1980, the importance of this award has not caught on with media and with other publics the way the Eagle Scout Award has.) The Eagle Scout Badge is the seventh badge that can be earned by Boy or Varsity Scouts in the American Boy Scouting program. The other six which must be attained beforehand are called Scout (which only represents a new member of the Boy Scout division), Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life. A Scout traditionally spends anywhere from two to four years in most cases in a Scout unit before he earns the Eagle Scout Badge. At this writing, female members of Explorer Posts and female associates of Varsity and Venture groups may NOT earn this award. The Eagle Scout Badge in this country has always stood for the best that a young man can be. In this country, universities and colleges, the military establishment, and many civilian corporations will hire Eagle Scouts solely based upon this achievement in their lives. To them, the Eagle Scout is someone that they can trust, that they know will be a good, hard worker and eventually, a good leader of other workers or a good supervisor. This   ' 4@ A h [@ u  @   @ + R E y _@     @       " / < I V c p }     N  8 l TC & >zBFZn~*nf j`^_X$@RHH[` W66ubX0@&(*.,ea<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)X"p246:8ea@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  <}EZY tM' ̀ $̀4ˋ4tL*A˸ ~4N<};M&sg[s`u"u$h ~4QUu'4<}E6E1E5J Dž@W<} '@m@x4AA.N5?[de Allh̀ ̀u:ÿf ͊sVtL @L `DD^PQSDDC 0t&*`> 0&* @< < bn&:N_` Wll?X# p$&(,*m a.0[i @ p pp"pp" b&@ C@T t@ f@ E@ @@ @q@8 n@Oj@l@|@4u@+@@r@m@Rh@@a@4@@Pw@c@@ k@Sb@m@s@4@#@@[@S?\@I@@@@n@]p@@@r@CP@@@# v@n @ @@ \B _:NWl?X0#"pp"pp A u    + 8 E R _ l y     D  D  D    " / < I V c p }     ' N  h 4 The Eagle Scout SQUARE KNOT is an embrodered (reef) square knot in the Eagle Badge colors of red, white and blue, on a tan (or on older uniforms, khahi) background with a brown border around the rectangular-shaped patch. It is worn by adult Scouters, both volunteer and professional, above the left pocket seam, whom are holders of the Eagle Scout Badge. This is worn in a similiar manner as the youth Cloth Badge is worn by youth members. There are other items which can be purchased by holders of the Eagle Scout Badge; pins, tie-tacs, and necklaces. These and other Eagle Scout items are restricted items and only upon showing a copy or the original of the Eagle Scout CARD (which has the name, date, and Council number of the local Council awarding the badge and signed by the President of the United States (the Honorary President), the Chief Scout Executive and the President of the BSA ) can Eagle Scouts purchase the items. BTW, the present price of the Eagle Scout Badge, the highest youth award in the BSA, is $10.75. The BSA calls each badge of rank a "Badge", as in Life Badge, First Class Badge, or in this case, the Eagle Scout Badge. To distinguish the Award (the medal) from the Badge (the cloth badge of rank), Scouters interchange the words "Award" and "Badge". Either is correct, although technically, the Eagle Award is the metal badge of rank; the Cloth Badge and the Square knots are both badges to be worn informally to signify this honor. HOW DO YOU EARN THE EAGLE BADGE? HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?? YOU SAID EARLIER THAT FEMALES CANNOT EARN IT...CAN FEMALE ADULTS EARN IT?? HOW ABOUT MALE ADULTS?? DO OTHER YOUTH PROGRAMS (CUB SCOUTS, EXPLORERS, VARSITY, VENTURE) OF THE BSA EARN THIS BADGE TOO?? Females CANNOT earn the Eagle Badge presently, youth nor adult. There used to be a policy for male adults to earn the Eagle Badge, but since the early 50s, this policy has been scrapped and the advancement program ends at age 18. Cub Scouts earn the Arrow of Light, and may wear this award upon the Boy Scout uniform and later can wear the square knot representing this award upon the Adult field uniform. Explorers may earn the Eagle Scout Badge (see requirements below for Explorers), the Quartermaster Award, and the Exploring Achievement Award, depending upon interest of the youth and type of Exploring unit. The Quartermaster Award is presented to Sea Explorers or members of units related to that program. The Exploring Acheivement Award is an individual award comparable to the Eagle for ALL youth members of Exploring Posts and Ships to earn. Those awards are not listed here, and information on those awards can be obtained from local Council offices or through the list. There are square knots also available for holders of those awards or their precedessors. In this discussion, the term "BOY SCOUT" will include ALL members of the Boy Scout Program division, which consists presently of Boy Scouts (ages 11-13), VARSITY Scouts (ages 13-15) and VENTURE Scouts (ages 14-18). X= &ti>zBFZn~*nf j`^_X$@RHH[` W66ubX0@&(*.,ea<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)X"p246:8ea@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  the same way as thos'kewise, the4 are severaAEagle ScoutNdoing time [ American phsons and juls. The Eae Scout Bad is important, 'onsibilitie4a @AtiN>N[.BRfhu  N^_Xp$_X0E  bn&:N_` Wll?X# p$&(,*m**a.0* < ppp"pp" b&@ @L @_ q@ @^@ @ y@ \@Nm@o@d@Q@6@8@@zP#@qo@@ @V{@@{@<wP\@@@y@Pi@@@h@*Y@rZ@u@ o@XW@@(@*+@lKw@=@@l@Y q@ r@ _P |@> Q@ q@ @@ bthat one ofach 100 Scos become a gle Scout;  roughly abt 2-5.5% of"pp"pp4 h u    + 8 E R _ l y            D " /D < I c V p }    '  A N [  7 is not to say that employers don't look for other factors; it is saying that they trust the results coming from Scouting as leaders and examples of the best that our nation has to offer the workforce. In addition to the increased opportunities for personal gain, the label "Eagle Scout" also takes on the air of someone that cannot be misused, of someone wholesome and yes, someone that adheres to a set of "old-fashioned" (some may say conservative) standards. The Eagle Scout Badge, first awarded in 1912, has become more of a rank or award in a youth program; it has become a status symbol, an icon of American society even in today's 90s. Therefore, a great many young men--and their families and Scout leaders--want them to become Eagle Scouts. Some do. The BSA says that one of each 100 Scouts become a Eagle Scout; or roughly about 2-5.5% of the total number of Scouts *ever* in Scouting will become Eagles. Does this mean that the rest are NOT "great Scouts"??? NOT ON YOUR LIVES. There are many fine examples of famous Americans, in all walks of live, that did NOT make it to Eagle (most have made it past First Class; however) and those people credit a great deal of their personal success to Scouting in the same way as those Eagle Scouts out there. Likewise, there are several Eagle Scouts doing time in American prisons and jails. The Eagle Scout Badge is important, but it does NOT shield Eagles from their social responsibilities as citizens of this nation. We spent a great deal of time, at differing times of the year, talking about the process of getting Scouts to become Eagles; the tenure needed, the leadership period, the service project, and the merit badges required to earn this special award. We also spent a great deal of time talking about the Eagle Scout Board of Review, a differing board than those required for the preceeding six ranks, and about the difficulties with getting the award back from NATIONAL (the National Office, BSA, in Irving Texas is frequently shortened to "National") once the award has been approved. SO WHAT DOES THIS AWARD LOOK LIKE?? WHY DO YOU CALL IT A BADGE INSTEAD OF A RANK? WHY DO SOMETIMES IT IS CALLED A "AWARD" AND SOMETIMES A "BADGE"? The Eagle Scout AWARD is a medal, a one inch long silver-plated (earlier badges up until 1980 were all sterling silver) Eagle, with wings outstretched and with the letters "B.S.A" over the front, suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon, tied at the top by a silver bar shaped into the emblem of the Second Class Badge (a scroll with the wording "Be Prepared") and with a thin piece of silver wire shaped into a loop as on the Second Class Badge. This medal is worn on formal occasions, and is placed above the left pocket flap on the field uniforms. It is not worn at any other time. The Eagle Scout CLOTH BADGE is a oval shaped badge, presently fully embrodered, with a design of a Eagle and the Scroll in the center of a red, white and blue inner design. This is surrounded by a silver outer design with the words "Eagle Scout" at the top, and "Boy Scouts of America" at the bottom and sides. This is the appropriate badge for youth members (those members of the BSA under the age of 18 years) to wear on the field uniforms at all times. It is worn as all rank insignia is worn, centered on the left pocket of the field uniform. $ they trD &_V>zBFZn~*nf j`^_X$@RHH[` W66ubX0@&(*.,ea<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)X" p246:8ea@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  ٚ4؋4t'3`4:AA4A*N˻P[= thh=@t u{PSQ^ZY[X RQS3 'MUV 4 @A_VN>N[.BRfhu  N^_Xp$_X8  =bN&:_` Wll?Y# p$&(,*m(%Pt t a.04t  A ppp"pp" `>C = @ @s @Q   . @@/@u @z^@@g@c@z@o`@@@~@>@@,H@yL@@O@\@>\PF@e@ @T@@e@(@  @O@W@?@U@71@>@ @r @T@Im\F[e "pp"ppw * While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any organization outside of Scouting. The project must be approved by your Scoutmaster/Team Coach/Advisor/Skipper, the unit's committee, and by your local Council or District BEFORE YOU START. YOU MUST USE THE EAGLE SCOUT SERVICE PROJECT WORKBOOK, BSA # 18-927 IN MEETING THIS REQUIREMENT. * He must attach to the application a written statement of his personal life ambitions and goals, and what he wants to do with his life. He must also attach listings of all other awards earned from other sources, other honors and accodates he's received for service or leadership. He must also take part in a (Scoutmaster) conference with his unit leader. * After the attainment of the previous seven requirements, he must go before a Board of Review, consisting of either members of the local COUNCIL or DISTRICT Advancement Committee, members of the unit committee with at least two members of a Council or District Advancement Committee present, or a combination of the two above. The Board will review his progress and recommend to the NATIONAL COURT OF HONOR that he should receive the Eagle Scout Badge. ((LOCAL) COUNCILS are one of the 300 localities that operate and adminster the BSA programs in a geographical area, and has a group of volunteers and professionals to guide the overall program; DISTRICTS are subdivisions of the local Council with volunteer staffing and in most cases, one or two professional executive advisors. The NATIONAL COURT OF HONOR is a National BSA committee established to review local Council recommendations of national awards) The files within the "Eagletips" series takes each part of the requirements apart, discusses them and suggests strategies for completion. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE BOARD OF REVIEW?? IS IT A SECRET?? CAN NON-BSA MEMBERS ATTEND?? HOW ABOUT THE PARENTS?? WHO IS THERE TO EXAMINE THE BOY ON THESE THINGS?? DO THEY GO INTO "REQUIREMENT 1b OF THE CAMPING MERIT BADGE SAYS WHAT?" OR DO THEY LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE?? IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S WAYS THAT A BOY'S FAMILY OR SCOUTMASTER CAN INFLUNCE THE PROCEEDINGS..DO THEY?? First off, the BSA has long had a policy that ALL of its meetings and activities are open to anyone having a bonofide interest in them. Therefore, the Eagle Scout Board of Review may be attended and witnessed by ANYONE EXCEPT THE PARENTS OR GUARDIANS AND UNIT LEADER (Scoutmaster, Coach, Advisor, Skipper) AND THEIR ASSISTANTS of the Scout. The Review is NOT "secret" and may be explained to ANYONE AT ANY TIME either before or after the event. Many pastors, church officals, community leaders, and just plain citizens have sat in on the Board of Reviews. Eagle Scouts are free to discuss ALL aspects of the Board of Review with others, and even are encouraged to do so in order to relieve anxieties and to relate similar experiences with others. h'   D    + 8 R E _ l y            @ " /@ < I@ V c@ p }    [ u h  N@  A P D &CR>zBFZn~*nf j`^_5%P$@ C4= CRHH[` W66ubY0@&(*.,e(%Pa<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)Y" p246:8e(%Pa@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(   $$',''4' A---N[--h9.u.!.@! '4L;A0A~N [Half Inchh!L;uw0A One Inch0D H bn&:N_` Wll?X#p$&(,*mp p a.0' F pp p"pp" %'' ,@ 3@E@l @@F u@3 :@ Z@@ `@L{P@B@-m@w@@@@L@@@9r@@l@@=@>q@@@W@#@C@Dv@J@@E@@M@I@>@.P3H@Q@nd@@}@1@K@@@y@Rd@<@~@q@ @ ~    "pp"pp h u    + 8 E R _ l y             " / < I V c p }     4  N A [  While there are bracklets indicating age levels for each program, youth may remain as members of Boy Scout Troops past age 13 until age 18. Likewise, a Venture or Varsity Scout may also be a member of a Scout Troop, depending on organization of the unit. Therefore, in all six files, unless there are specific requirements of Venture and Varsity Scouts, the term "Boy Scout" will be used to indicate ALL members of that program. To Earn the Eagle Scout Badge: A Boy Scout must be a registered member of a Boy Scout Troop or Varsity Team for at least 2.5 years (assumming normal progress between the time he becomes a member of a unit and the time of his Eagle Scout Board of Review). Explorers MUST have earned the First Class Badge in a Troop BEFORE starting work in a Post or Ship, and most Explorers take about 2.3 years to earn Eagle. This time may be shortened if he is a graduate of a Cub Scout Pack and has earned the Arrow of Light or the WEBELOS Badge (and no, those two awards are NOT one and the same; there are separate requirements for both!). In addition to the above: * He must be 18 years of age or below at the time of the final completion of ALL requirements (he may attend the Board of Review after his 18th birthday). * He must be active in his unit for a period of six months after he have achieved the rank of Life Scout * He must provide at least six references whom will witness his adherance to the principles of the Scout Oath (Promise) and Law in his daily life. * He must earn a total of 21 merit badges, including the following: - *either* Emergency Prepareness OR Lifesaving - *either* Sports, Personal Fitness, or Swimming (the others, if earned, become "personal preference" merit badges) - Camping - First Aid (this was a requirement for the First Class Badge) - Citizenship in the Community - Citizenship in the Nation - Citizenship in the World - Communications - Environmental Science - Personal Management - Safety - Family Life - 10 other badges based on "personal preferences" * He must serve actively for a period of 6 months in one of the following unit leadership roles: (please note, there are NO exceptions or substitutions of these roles) - in a Boy Scout Troop: Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Den Chief, Scribe, Librarian, Quartermaster, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Chaplain Aide, Instructor, Crew Chief, Team Captain. - in a Varsity Scout Team: Captain, CoCaptain, Program Manager, Squad Leader Team Secretary, Librarian, Quartermaster, Chaplain Aide, Den Chief, Instructor - in a Explorer Post or Ship: President or Boatswain, Vice President or Boatswain's Mate, Secretary or Yeoman, Treasurer or Purser, or Storekeeper. lmainB &R>zBFZn~*nf j`^_X$@RHH[` W66ubX0@&(*.,ea<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)X"p246:8ea@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  &'40AaNrds can be [tained fromhocal Counciuoffices or rough the lt. There are 's or their 4ecedessors.AIn this disNssion, the [rm "BOY SCOh" will inclue ALL membe of the Boycout Progrut P@D  Ebn&:N_` Wll?Y#p$&(,*m(Pa.0 ppp"pp" `>CX u@ @q@?@f s@ @ r@ w@M b@ q@j p'@1@ &@2@@@D @q@rP@m@_@@@L@@S@.Z@wf@PPZx@y@Y@?b@*@@Qt@ @ @ @@q@g@"@r@@s@x@<|@y@E B@ |@ ard to "lety son make gle". This s done in my ways and s"pp"pp    + 8 E R _ l y          @ / < I V c p  }     4 N h   " [  u  A National Court of Honor for consideration. There is a separate Eagletips which explains this process in detail. Yes, there *is* some area of corruption. Anytime you are dealing with an aspect of human nature and with the "reputation" of the Eagle Award weighing heavily in whether or not Jimmy will get a college scholarship or not, you are dealing with the possibility someone will attempt to "convince" members of the Board to "let my son make Eagle". This is done in many ways and some of them are very criminal in nature. The BSA has attempted to keep this from happening by only allowing Unit Committee members (less the parents and guardians of the Scout whom may be on the unit's committee) to serve as Board members; by in some Councils, to take it completely out of the unit's hands and leave it to a District or Council-certified committee to conduct; or by establishing a "roster" or list of members which will rotate each time a Board is needed. Many Councils have also used another method whereby members of one District's Advancement Committee will NOT do Eagle Boards for candidates residing in their own District, thereby allowing the Scout candidate to have a Board with members that do NOT know him, his unit nor most of the leaders of the other units in that District. This "swap District" idea is catching, and was the subject of many discussions over the past years at National and Regional forums. WHAT DO EAGLE SCOUTS DO AFTER THEY HAVE EARNED EAGLE?? WHAT ABOUT THESE "PALMS" I'VE HEARD ABOUT?? WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY EARNED?? YOU GUYS SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHERE THEY GO ON THE SHIRT-- WHAT'S THE FINAL ANSWER?? One of the Eagletip files explains what options Eagle Scouts have after they have earned Eagle, so I don't want to restate them here. One of the things they CAN do, however, is to continue to earn Eagle Palms until they turn age 18 or get tired of the process, whichever comes first. The Eagle Scout PALMS are metallic palm leaves, colored Bronze, Gold and Silver. They represent the successful completion of five more Merit Badges over the 21 earned for the Eagle Scout Award. The Merit Badges used for the Palms, like the ones used for the Eagle, may be earned at ANY TIME SINCE BECOMING A SCOUT, and is not dependant upon attaining Eagle to earn. The Bronze Palm represent the first five Merit Badges over Eagle (or 26 merit badges total). The Gold Palm represents the next five over the Bronze Palm (or 31 merit badges total). The Silver Palm represents the next five over the Gold Palm (36 merit badges total). Scouts may continue to earn the Palms in that order--Bronze, Gold, Silver-- until either they exhaust the entire 118 Merit Badge list, turn 18 or tire of the process. There are OTHER requirements of each Palm, including a Board of Review which is conducted like the Star and Life Boards of Review, at the Unit level (without Council or District representation present). In addition to being under 18 at the time of the Board of Review, the other requirements are: * completion of five merit badges over those used for Eagle or the last palm * three months active tenure with the unit since Eagle or last palm B &>zBFZn~*nf j`^_5P$@54E5RHH[` W66ubY0@&(*.,e(Pa<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)Y"p246:8e(Pa@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  eted Advancement Rep'on to the l4al Council Afice, whereNt is verifi[ and forwarhd to the Nauonal Court Honor for nsideraut; ' '4 is to REVAW the progrNs of the yo[h toward Eahe. This isuone primari by interviing the candidg th>   bn&:N_` Wll?Y#p$&(,*m(#P a.0 ,+1!p pp"pp" b& i@ \@K l@ @ X, sS@I+@q@ !z@@P=@@dyXe}@#l@W~0@?@@ @ A   R @@ @W@f @ g @ @Q@z ion would bof the Scou"How many n hts and dayhave you bee"pp"ppN h @    @ E R 8@ l     y     @  / < I V "@ p   @ '  A [  4 + _   c } u The members of the Board of Review are mostly the members of the UNIT'S COMMITTEE--that is, members of the Troop, Team, Post or Ship committee. There are NO youth members on this committee. These are the parents and others that have a relationship with the youth members of the unit. In most areas, two or three members of the local District's Advancement or Boy Scouting Committee are also members, representing the local Council. These are usaully unit commissioners, senior district commissioners or assistants, or members of the District Committee. Other community members--counselors, city or county officals, members of the press, and even parents without any family members in Scouting--have all served on Boards of Review as well. In some areas, there are mandated members of the Advancement Committee that serve as members of the Eagle Board of Review Committee. In other places, the Council's Advancement Committee (consisting of the Council Advancement Committee chair, the chairs of the District Advancement committees, and members-at-large of the Council's Executive Board) serve as a Board of Review Committee. In yet other locales, the Council Executive Board acts as a "committee of the whole" and serves as the Council Eagle Board of Review Committee. Check with your local Council to see how the composition is structured for your area. There is also a discussion on this aspect of the Board of Review in two of the Eagletips files. The Board of Review is NOT an examination. The entire purpose of the Board of Review is to REVIEW the progress of the youth toward Eagle. This is done primarily by interviewing the candidate and asking leading questions (those which cannot be answered by a simple "yep" or "nope") of the candidate about his entire Scouting experience. Questions such as "What is requirement 1b of the Camping Merit Badge" are not acceptable questions; better questions would be of the Scout "How many nights and days have you been camping with your unit?", "What was your best campout that you can remember and why was it so?", and "How would you put together a overnight camping trip for a Patrol of Scouts to go to?" These questions allow the Scout candidate to reflect upon the skills he has learned throughout the Scouting experience and to put them in his OWN wording, not the verbage of the Scouting literature. Most Eagle Scout Boards of Review last anywhere from 90 minutes to several hours in lenght. Each member of the Board is allowed to ask questions of the candidate and the candidate is also asked to ask questions of the Board members as well. In addition to the advancement information, Scouts and Explorers are asked questions about their ability to follow and lead, about the service project and about the Scout's feelings about the tenants of the Scouting program: the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan and how he has used them in his daily life. The Board of Review ends with the Scout being asked to wait outside the room or facility in which the Board convenes, while the members discuss among themselves the Scout's performance, attitude, and reviews the service project and the application. The Scout is asked then to return, and the Chair of the Board informs the Scout whether or not he has "passed" the Board. The signatures of the Board of Review on the Advancement Report and the Chair of the Board of Review's signature on the Eagle Application is the certification that the Scout indeed became a Eagle Scout on the day of the Board of Review. Eagle Scouts become Eagles on the date and time of the succesful completion of the Board of Review, and NOT on the date that he receives the Eagle Award at a Eagle Scout Court of Honor. The Court of Honor is the formal confirmation and public recognition of the Eagle Scout Award for the Scout and the community. The completed Advancement Report is sent with the application to the local Council office, where it is verified and forwarded to the NIT'= &>zBFZn~*nf j`^_5#P$@PC4CPCR"p "pHH[` W66ubY0@&(*.,e(#Pa<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)Y"p246:8e(#Pa@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(    ȑ' 4 A 4 N@ F[K hT f u|     ' 4 @AN>N[.BRfhu  N^_Xp$_XpB  wibN:& _` Wll?X#p$&(,*m a.0d pp"pp" `>C@6 {@u@ @qn@T [@ |@ b @ @ @a @% @Hc@b \@@@@PDs@|Ps@,S@ru@@@@*p@wgPi@@<@=z@@@&@ue@@j@Yv@x@4@@PF@@_@+P@;@<o@@e@$eX E@ j@ea (and yesScouts in t Direct Ser ce, Transatntic and Far"pp"pp IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL ME ABOUT THIS AMERICAN AWARD?? Much more! However, rather for me to tell you about this, I urge you if you have never been to one, to attend a Eagle Scout Court of Honor in your area if you can; and to ask to sit in on the next Eagle Scout Board of Review which may be conducted in your area (and yes, Scouts in the Direct Service, Transatlantic and Far East Councils undergo the SAME experience that their stateside counterparts do!). Asking an Eagle Scout would also help your understanding of this special award as well. We are all proud of the achievement and while the service projects may be vastly different, the leadership and service periods different, there still is a strong bond between Eagles that to this day is much stronger than many other fraternal groups in this world. To that effect, the Boy Scouts of America revived it's old Knights of Dumaris organization (which consisted of Eagle Scouts) and reformulated into the present NATIONAL EAGLE SCOUT ASSOCIATION (or NESA). With over 400 chapters in the world, NESA extends hands to Eagle Boards of Review, Courts of Honor and other special events which the spirit and strength of the Eagle is needed. Eagle Scouts ONLY may become members of NESA, by contacting local Council offices or the NESA office at the National Office, BSA. NESA is also attempting to reconstruct records lost during the National Office move from New Jersey to Texas, and wants to hear from you even if you are NOT wanting to become a member!! Two other notes about the Eagle Scout Award. First, there are NO PROVISIONS for "honorary Eagle Scouts" nor for posthumours awards (awarded upon the death of a Scout) of the Eagle Scout Badge except for those awaiting National concurrence at the time of death. The ONLY way to become a Eagle Scout is to earn the Badge. Finally, we stress a lot on the Eagle Badge yet many of our BSA Scouts are having problems getting to First Class Rank. The Eagle Scout Badge is the "end result" of our efforts toward getting youth involved in their personal lives along citizenship, character and personal fitness lines. It is NOT the only thing that we want every Scout to get out of the Scouting experience in this country. We want Scouts to have a firm understanding of how representative leadership is done. We want Scouts to come to grips with their concept of what is right and what is wrong, based upon their parental and personal teachings, their religious upbringing and the tenants of the Scout Oath or Promise, the Laws, the Motto, the Slogan and the Outdoor Code. We want Scouts to understand that they are part of a vast complexed society that may not have the answers to every question or every issue. We want Scouts to see that their leaders are human and do fail at times. We want a lot from our Scouts and that silver medal is just a tool to get us to that "end result". We want Scouts to get to First Class...and then to Eagle....and beyond!! Mike Walton i    + 8 E R _ l y             " / < V I c p }    '  4 N h A u   [  > &sk>zBFZn~*nf j`^_X$@RHH[` W66ubX0@&(*.,ea<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)X"p246:8ea@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  n the Eagle Scout Sq'ons. The h4hest combinAion of PalmNare worn on[ither item:hfor instancu if you havearned two lms, the Gold ' the Cloth 4trn the PalA in that orNr--Bronze, [ld, Silver-huntil eitheuthey exhausthe entire 8 Meri$Meri0< , bnZ&:_` Wll?Y#p$&(,*m(P a.0u ppp"pp" `>C@@> @Z@@o b@[@ s@@@@n @ Q@ @~ @AB@@@0 @ c@1@ @@@@"|@m@@ PZz@m@@@|@%@@b@@@M@x@@@  @D@p@@@#@[@@@@E@r@@\N@I x@[@1le Scout Sqre Knot dur g other occsions. The "pp    + 8 E R _ l  y            " / < I V c p }    '  A  h  4 N  "pp * demostration or developing leadership ability within the unit * completion of a "Scoutmasters' Conference" with the unit leader The Palms are worn on the ribbon of the Eagle Medal, or centered over the Eagle on the Eagle Scout Cloth Badge. Adults were Palms that they have earned as a youth member on the ribbon of the Eagle Medal during formal occassions and centered on the Eagle Scout Square Knot during other occassions. The highest combination of Palms are worn on either item: for instance, if you have earned two Palms, the Gold Palm ONLY is worn centered on the ribbon of the medal, the Cloth patch, or on the square knot. If you have earned nine Palms (three each of Bronze, Gold and Silver), you would ONLY wear the three silver Palms centered on the ribbon, patch or square knot. If you have earned seven Palms, you wear two Silver (representing 30 merit badges) and ONE Bronze (representing five more merit badges) on the ribbon, patch or square knot. The following is a helpful sequence that appeared on the list a short time back: # + Eagle (total) Wear this: 5 26 One Bronze Palm 10 31 One Gold Palm 15 36 One Silver Palm 20 41 One Silver Palm + One Bronze Palm 25 46 One Silver Palm + One Gold Palm 30 51 Two Silver Palms 35 56 Two Silver Palms + One Bronze Palm 40 61 Two Silver Palms + One Gold Palm 45 66 Three Silver Palms 50 71 Three Silver Palms + One Bronze Palm 55 76 Three Silver Palms + One Gold Palm 60 81 Four Silver Palms 65 86 Four Silver Palms + One Bronze Palm 70 91 Four Silver Palms + One Gold Palm 75 96 Five Silver Palms 80 101 Five Silver Palms + One Bronze Palm 85 106 Five Silver Palms + One Gold Palm 90 111 Six Silver Palms 95 116 Six Silver Palms + One Bronze Palm (and yes, there are several Eagle Scouts that have earned ALL of the available Merit Badges before they turned 18 years old; however, because of the three months between each Palm earned, most Scouts end up with only three or four Silver Palms before turning 18 years old.) The information presented here represents the final, definative answer as was reported on the list from the Boy Scout Program Division and the Eagle Scout Service at the National Offices of the BSA. While some of the information does not readily coincide with publications dated 1992 or earlier, the revisions dated 1993 and later does contain much of this information. Finally, Eagle Scout Square knots are ONLY worn by adults (those BSA members over the age of 21). Boy Scouts and Explorers wear the Eagle Scout Badge (the cloth badge) centered on the left pocket until they turn 21. |B &le>zBFZn~*nf j`^_5P$@24D2RHH[` W66ubY0@&(*.,e(Pa<> ?? @"pp"pp"pp[` W6u)Y"p246:8e(Pa@B ? @"pp"pp"pp(  '4"`>AC"N b[&h u  4 ' 4 sA} N} [} hs}us}s}P$PL`DFB`@`B`7P0CD@CC0p`>0@<@=.0E1D`E8IDZ0DP^Bo@DsB> = pB>е0<0pB$| dpXT@0<H