After a Scout has completed all requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life ranks, or an Eagle Palm, he appears before a board of review. This board of review is made up of at least three and not more than six members of the troop committee. One member serves as chairman, usually the committee member responsible for advancement. Unit leaders, assistant unit leaders, relatives, or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout's board of review.

The review shall be conducted at a convenient time and location, such as a meeting, summer camp, or the home of a member of the troop committee.

Because many boys are ill at ease when talking to adults, it is important that the board be held in a relaxed atmosphere. A certain amount of formality and meaningful questioning should be used during the review.

The review is not an examination. The Scout has learned his skill and has been examined. This is a review. The Scout should be asked where he learned his skill, who taught him, and the value he gained from passing this requirement.

The Scout reviews what he did for his rank. From this review, it can be determined whether he did what he was supposed to do. The review also reveals what kind of experience the Scout is having in the troop. With that knowledge, the troop leaders can shape the program to meet the needs and interests of the Scouts.

The board should attempt to determine the Scout's ideals and goals. The board should make sure that a good standard of performance has been met. A discussion of the Scout Oath and Scout Law is in keeping with the purpose of the review, to make sure the candidate recognizes and understands the value of Scouting in his home, unit, school, and community.

The board of review members should feel free to refer to the Boy Scout Handbook, Scoutmaster Handbook, or any other references during the review. The Troop Committee Guidebook contains examples of questions that could be asked during a review.

The review should take approximately 15 minutes. At the conclusion of the review, the board should know whether a boy is qualified for the rank or Palm. The Scout is asked to leave the room while the board members discuss his achievements. The decision of the board of review is arrived at through discussion and must be unanimous. If members are satisfied that the Scout is ready to advance, he is called in, congratulated, notified as to when he will receive his recognition, and encouraged to continue his advancement or earn the next Palm.

If the board decides that the Scout is not ready to advance, the candidate should be informed and told what he has not done satisfactorily. Most Scouts accept responsibility for not completing the requirements properly. The members of the board of review should specify what must be done to rework the candidate's weaknesses and schedule another board of review for him. A follow-up letter must be sent to a Scout who is turned down for rank advancement, confirming the agreements reached on the actions necessary for advancement. Should the Scout disagree with the decision, the appeal procedures should be explained to him. (See "Appealing a Decision" page 33.)

After the board of review is completed, the Scoutmaster is informed of all of the decisions that were made by the board of review. Remember, after a Scout satisfactorily completes a board of review, he cannot be recognized until that action is reported to the council service center on an Advancement Report. A monthly report keeps unit records current and is a good practice. The troop scribe should also keep a record in the Troop/Team Record Book for easy reference by the Scoutmaster and use by other boards of review.

Eagle
Rank Requirements

These requirements became effective on January 1, 2010.

These requirements appear in the official Boy Scout Handbook, 12th Edition, which was issued in 2009,
but did not take effect until January 1, 2010.
If a Scout started work toward a rank before that date using requirements that were current before January 1, 2010,
he may complete that rank only using the old requirements.
Any progress toward a rank that is begun after January 1, 2010, must use the requirements as they are presented
in the Boy Scout Handbook (34622) or in Boy Scout Requirements book (34765)

To see the requirements with the changes highlighted, Click here.

To see the previous requirements, Click here.

1. Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least 6 months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.
2. Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf, including parents/guardians, religious, educational, and employer references.
3. Earn a total of 21 merit badges (10 more than you already have), including the following:
   1. First Aid
   2. Citizenship in the Community
   3. Citizenship in the Nation
   4. Citizenship in the World
   5. Communications
   6. Personal Fitness
   7. Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving
   8. Environmental Science
   9. Personal Management
   10. Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
   11. Camping, and
   12. Family Life*
4. While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of 6 months in one or more of the following positions of responsibility:
   

   Boy Scout troop. Patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader, Venture patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow troop representative, den chief, scribe, librarian, historian, quartermaster, junior assistant Scoutmaster, chaplain aide, instructor, Webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer

   Varsity Scout team. Captain, cocaptain, program manager, squad leader, team secretary, Order of the Arrow team representative, librarian, historian quartermaster, chaplain aide, instructor, or den chief. Webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer

   Venturing crew / Sea Scout ship. President, vice president, secretary, treasurer, quartermaster historian den chief, guide boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, storekeeper Webmaster, or Leave No Trace trainer

5. While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) The project plan must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, No. 521-927, in meeting this requirement.
6. Take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
7. Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review.

* You must choose only one merit badge listed in items (7) and (10). If you have earned more than one of the badges listed in items (7) and (10), choose one and list the remaining badges to make your total of 21.

Note: All requirements must be completed before a candidate's 18th birthday, however the Eagle Scout board of review can be held after the candidate's 18th birthday. For more information, see Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures, publication No. 33088.

If you have a permanent physical or mental disability, you may become an Eagle Scout by qualifying for as many required merit badges as you can and qualifying for alternative merit badges for the rest. If you seek to become an Eagle Scout under this procedure, you must submit a special application to your local council service center. Your application must be approved by your council advancement committee before you can work on alternative merit badges.