TROOP 10
Advancement Policies

The following policies have been established by the Troop Committee.
Any questions should be directed to the Troop Advancement Chairperson.
advancement@bsatroop10.org

Ranks:

Scout Rank
Tenderfoot
Second Class
First Class
Star Rank
Life Rank
Eagle Scout Rank
Eagle Scout Palms

All Rank advancement should be recorded in the BSA Handbook
After requirements are completed, they should be shown to the Advancement Chair
for recording into the Troop's computer records...
"If it isn't in the Computer, it never happened"

    Please bring any and all questions to the Troop Advancement Chairperson advancement@bsatroop10.org. It is preferable that the Scout himself asks the questions. Please see certain definitions; listed below. Additional information is provided in the Troop 10 Policies & Procedures Booklet.

    Scout Rank:

    Simply read the joining requirements and present yourself to an Adult Leader for a “Scoutmaster’s Conference”.
    This is all that is required to receive this badge.

    Tenderfoot thru First Class Ranks:

    In Boy Scouts, parents cannot sign off requirements. The requirements for these ranks should be signed off by a Scout Leader (Scoutmaster, Color Team Leader, or Assistant Color Team Leader). These requirements can be earned in any order. For example, a Scout may complete a requirement towards First Class while still working towards his Tenderfoot Rank. However, he must earn the Ranks in order. Once a Scout has completed all requirements for a Rank (except "Scout Spirit", Scoutmaster Conference & Board of Review) he should ask the Advancement Chairperson to confirm he is ready to proceed with a Scoutmaster's Conference. He will receive confirmation of his recent attendance on a "Scout Spirit" card. He will then be ready for a Scoutmaster’s Conference.

    Star, Life and Eagle Scout Ranks:

    These requirements should ONLY be entered in the Scout Handbook by the Troop Advancement Chairperson.
    The Troop computer program enters these in a certain order.

    These Ranks require 7 steps:

    1. Activity – minimum 55% attendance. 4 months for Star, 6 months for Life and 6 Months for Eagle.
    2. Scout Spirit – see definition below.
    3. Merit Badges – 12 badges are specified as Eagle required. Eagle Merit Badges
    4. Service Work – 6 hours required for Star and 6 hours for Life. These can be community work outside of the Troop if approved, in advance, by the Advancement Chairperson or Scoutmaster. Troop service projects & help on other Scout’s Eagle Projects are acceptable. Provide appropriate documentation to the Advancement Chairperson. A complete “Eagle Scout Service Project” is required for Eagle Scout Rank. Details regarding the Eagle Scout Service Project can be found here: Life to Eagle Process.
    5. Leadership Positions – see definition below. *** Only BSA approved Leadership Positions count for Leadership Credit. Scouts must register with our Leadership Coordinator; ( leadership@bsatroop10.org ) for these positions. 4 months are required for Star, 6 months for Life and 6 months for Eagle. Leadership documentation is due within 60 days of the end of each Leadership Period to receive credit.
    6. Scoutmaster’s Conference (see below)
    7. Board of review (see below)

    DEFINITIONS:

    Activities

    Activities that count towards Second Class #2a and First Class #3 activities requirements include Troop 10 events: Campouts, Courts of Honor, Eagle Courts of Honor, Participating on Eagle Projects, locker clean-out, Picnic, Highway Clean-up and Council Sponsored Merit Badge Forums.  A Scout must have any other activity approved, in advance, by the Troop Advancement Chairperson or Scoutmaster, to count towards Rank Advancement. NOTE: Participating on Non-Troop 10 Eagle projects do not count as an Activity but can count towards Service Hours.

Scout Spirit

Scout Sprit has two components Participation and Subjective Criteria.

  • SCOUT SPIRIT – Participation:
    • The objective of Troop 10 Scout Spirit attendance measurements is to have scouts demonstrate current involvement in Troop 10 functions.  The Troop 10 committee has defined current involvement as attendance / participation in at least 55% in EACH of the following areas: (Campouts, Troop Meetings, and Court of Honors) within the shorter of: the previous 6 months, or the period of time since the last rank advancement. The scout’s attendance will be reviewed by the Scoutmaster or Color Team Assistant Scoutmaster on an individual basis..
  • SCOUT SPIRIT - Subjective Criteria:
    • Troop 10 has set the following guidelines for measuring this criteria, for both past and present. Scouts are taught that they are Scouts 24 hours a day: the values of Scouting are not something to be turned off at the end of the Scout meetings. Because of this, Scouts will be evaluated based on:
      • Living the Scout Oath and Law.
      • Contributing to the Troop
      • Contributing to the Community
      • Helping younger Scouts grow and learn
      • Showing maturity and respect for others

    Scout Spirit is the final rank requirement to be signed off prior to the Scoutmaster Conference. The Scout should see the Advancement Chairperson to get an attendance report that indicates his “current involvement” in the Troop. The Scout then presents the report ("SPIRIT CARD") to his Color Team Leader or the Scoutmaster. The Color Team Leader or Scoutmaster will consider the Subjective Scout Spirit criteria along with the attendance report to determine whether or not the Scout has met the requirements for Scout Spirit. The Team Assistant Scoutmaster will then sign off the Scout Spirit requirement and schedule a Scoutmaster Conference.

    Leadership Credit
    (Star, Life & Eagle Scout Ranks)

    Leadership requirement (credit) for Star, Life and Eagle has three components

    • Leadership Training
    • Specific Job Skills with Position Coordinator Review
    • Scout Skills Trainer Certificate
    Scouts are required to use a "Leadership Card" to document that they have completed the necessary requirements of their position. These "Cards" are available from the Troop 10 Leadership Coordinator and/or the Troop 10 web site: Leadership Position Web Page.

    TO RECEIVE CREDIT THESE "CARDS" MUST BE RETURNED TO THE LEADERSHIP COORDINATOR WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER A (6 month) LEADERSHIP PERIOD ENDS. NO PARTIAL CREDIT WILL BE GIVEN AFTER THE 60 DAY PERIOD.

    LEADERSHIP - Leadership Training: For EVERY leadership period, each Scout must be trained and attend JLT (Junior Leadership Training) to receive credit for their leadership position.  If a Scout misses the JLT session, then he must take the make up test and turn it into the Leadership Chair within 30 Days of the original Training session. This test may be submitted in person or via E-mail to the Leadership Chair: leadership@bsatroop10.org If the Scout fails to turn in the make-up, then he will not obtain ANY leadership credit for that leadership period.

    LEADERSHIP - Specific Job Skills with Position Coordinator: The Scout's performance in a leadership position will be evaluated by the troop’s Position Coordinator. It will be determined whether he performed the duties of the position or just wore the patch. In all cases the Scout will be required to document achievements and leadership lessons during the period, and review this documentation with the position coordinator. This documentation MUST be taken to your next Scoutmaster’s Conference.

    LEADERSHIP - Scout Skills Trainer Certificate: Troop 10 is a boy-led troop, and the Troop firmly believes that boys cannot lead if they do not have a good grasp of Essential Scout Skills. Therefore before a Scout can obtain leadership credit, the Scout will need to successfully demonstrate their continued mastery of and ability to train other Scouts in Essential Scout Skills.
    • To earn a Scout Skills Trainer Certificate, each Scout must:
      1. Complete a the “Scout Skills Trainer Self-Evaluation Form”
      2. Present completed “Scout Skills Trainer Self-Evaluation Form” to their Color Team Leader
      3. Color Team Leader will verify completeness of the Scout’s Self-Evaluation form and discuss any of the Scout’s concerns regarding skills and training of other Scouts using the EDGE Method.
      4. Color Team Leader will issue a Skills Trainer Certificate that is valid for the period of one year.
        • This Certificate needs to be recorded in the Troop Computer records.
      5. The Scout will present the Certificate to the Leadership Chair in-order to begin a Leadership period. The Scout will also present the Certificate to the Leadership Chair when turning in their “Leadership Card” to gain Leadership Credit.

    With few exceptions, the Scout Skills Trainer Certificate process is not held during the regular scout meeting and should in most cases be pre-arranged with the Color Team Leader.

    NOTE: A Scout must have earned and hold a valid Scout Skills Trainer Certificate for the ENTIRE time of the Leadership Credit period. All Scouts who have obtained three Scout Skills Trainer Certificates or obtained the rank of Eagle have clearly demonstrated their Training qualifications and are not required to obtain further Certificates.

    Scoutmaster's Conference

    This conference is a One-on-One review of the Scout’s progress. With few exceptions, the Scoutmaster’s Conference is not held during the regular scout meeting and should in most cases be pre-arranged with the Color Team Leader or Scoutmaster. It is the time where the Scout and the Leader openly discuss and help develop the scout ability to do things for himself and for others. These include: patriotism, courage, self-motivation, perseverance, self-reliance, kindred virtues and outdoor skills.

    • The Scoutmaster conference allows the Scoutmaster to review the scout’s growth including:
      1. The Scout's growth in his understanding of Scouting's ideals
      2. How the Scout applies these ideals in his daily life and in the troop
      3. The Scout’s involvement, leadership style and how he is interacting with other scouts
      4. The Scout’s opportunities for leading & training other scouts (successes & failures)
      5. If Scout has found an Adult Leader / Mentor within the Troop who the Scout can relate to or assist the Scout in finding a mentor.
      6. The Scout’s general perception of the Troop and the Scouting program
      7. The requirements of the Scout's next rank so that he can be properly encouraged

    There will not be any further "testing" at the Scoutmaster Conference or at the Board of Review level. However there may be some review of requirements as it relates to the Scout’s overall Leadership and Scout Spirit.

    (Star & Life Rank Scoutmaster Conferences must be done with one of the current Color Team Leader or Scoutmaster. The Eagle Scout Conference is done with the current Scoutmaster & is done by appointment only.)

    Board of Review

    This board of review is made up of at least three members of the troop. This can include parents and other adults. One member must be a registered Troop leader and serves as the Board Chairperson. Relatives, guardians and the Leader that performed his Scoutmaster's Conference may not serve as members of a Scout's board of review. This Board will not be for the purpose of testing Scouts on Scout Skills. This is the opportunity for the Scout to review his advancement and progress in the Troop as well as the community and for him to review the performance of the Troop and its leaders. Class “A” uniform is required (except if done at a campout). Once a Scout has completed his Board of Review he must have it recorded in the records of the Advancement Chairperson. (The Eagle Scout Board is done through the District Advancement Committee)

    Eagle Scout Service Project

    This is a topic all of it’s own. When ready a Scout can check with the Troop Eagle Scout Coordinator; eagle@bsatroop10.org) for assistance. Also visit the Life-To-Eagle Page

    Court of Honor

    The Troop holds “Courts of Honor” every 3-4 months. This is the time when all Rank Advancements, Merit Badges and other Awards are presented. The CUT-OFF DATE is one week before. Scouts need to check “preliminary reports” to assure they are correct. Scouts need to plan in advance; he may not sit for a Scoutmaster’s Conference and a Board of Review at the same Troop Meeting. Please note that campouts are an excellent time for Scouts to have requirements signed off and sit for Scoutmaster’s Conferences and Boards of Review. Eagle Scouts are honored at separate functions. Scout attendance is required at ALL Courts or Honor unless excused, in advance, by the Scoutmaster; scoutmaster@bsatroop10.org )

    Merit Badges

    These can be earned at anytime. Even a new scout can begin to earn Merit Badges. Troop 10 will offer several of the “Eagle Required” Merit Badges throughout the school year. These classes are usually limited to at least First Class Scouts and sometimes even higher ranks. A Scout may earn any Merit Badge on his own at any time.

    A list of Troop 10 Merit Badge Counselors are available by clicking here: Merit Badge Counselors - Troop 10
    To learn more about Merit Badges click here. Merit Badge Information

    Page Last Updated - 1/24/2012


    TOP