What it takes to achieve Eagle

Achieving the Eagle Rank is the pinnacle of Boy Scouting, a prestigious award aspired to by thousands of scouts. When a scout joins a troop, a common question asked by both scouts and parents is: What are the steps to achieve Eagle Rank, and how long does it take?
Given the importance and frequency of this question, I decided to write a blog to help the community understand the process.

When you join a BSA troop, you start without a rank. You’ll be onboarded and given various instructions, such as buying the necessary uniform items (shirt, trousers, shorts) and scout materials (Scoutbook). After this, you begin participating in different troop activities, starting with weekly troop meetings.
To achieve the Eagle Rank, you first earn the Scout badge by completing the joining requirements and participating in a Scoutmaster conference. From there, you will advance through six additional ranks.

Here’s a brief overview:
1. Tenderfoot
2. Second Class
3. First Class
4. Star
5. Life
6. Eagle
Each rank involves completing specific requirements, including earning merit badges, demonstrating leadership, and participating in service projects. The journey to Eagle Rank is a significant commitment but immensely rewarding.

Scout Rank: This initial rank is achieved by demonstrating a basic understanding of Scouting ideals and symbolism, along with mastery of several commonly used knots. This process typically takes 1-3 months, and a Board of Review (BOR) is not required.

Tenderfoot: The second rank, Tenderfoot, recognizes new skills in Scoutcraft, physical fitness, citizenship, personal growth, and Scout Spirit. To earn this rank, you will spend a night in a tent you helped pitch, begin learning first aid, assist in preparing a camp meal, and start learning to use and care for camp tools like a knife and saw. This rank usually takes 3-12 months to achieve, and a BOR is required.

Second Class: To earn the Second Class rank, you will expand your Scoutcraft skills by spending more nights outdoors, building campfires, planning and cooking camp meals, using a compass and map, identifying wild animals and plants, and developing swimming and water rescue skills. Additionally, you will perform community service and begin learning about financial responsibility. This rank typically takes 3-18 months to achieve, and a BOR is required.

First Class: The First Class rank builds on the Scoutcraft skills learned for the Second Class rank and includes learning about weather, using a GPS unit, canoeing or kayaking, advanced first aid and rescue techniques, and understanding civic responsibilities like constitutional rights and obligations. Achieving this rank usually takes 3-18 months, and a BOR is required.

Star: The third-highest rank, Star, is awarded when you have served actively in your unit in a position of responsibility for at least 4-6 months, performed at least six hours of community service, and earned six merit badges. This rank requires a minimum of 6 months to achieve, and a BOR is required.

Life: The Life rank is awarded when you have served in a position of responsibility for six months, performed at least six hours of community service, and earned five more merit badges. This rank also requires a minimum of 6 months to achieve, and a BOR is required.

Advancing through the ranks in scouting varies significantly and is influenced by factors such as troop policies for rank advancement, the availability of opportunities to complete activities, and a scout’s dedication to timely working on all required activities. Achieving the Eagle rank can take anywhere from 4 to 7 years, and must be completed before the scout turns 18 years old. In my troop, most dedicated scouts earn the Eagle rank by the time they enter their senior year of high school.
To achieve the Eagle rank, a scout must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, 14 of which must be Eagle-required merit badges. The following is a list of the Eagle-required merit badges.

1. Citizenship in the Nation
2. Citizenship in the Community
3. Citizenship in the World
4. Citizenship In Society
5. Communication
6. Cooking
7. Personal Fitness
8. Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving*
9. Environmental Science or Sustainability*
10. Personal Management
11. Swimming or Hiking or Cycling*
12. Camping
13. Family Life
14. First Aid

Note– If you do all MBs marked with * above, only 1 will be considered against eagle MB while others can be considered for non-eagle required MBs.

You can check to review the details of all these eagle merit badges. I will cover more on each of these merit badges in a different blog.

Once you achieve the Life rank, you’re ready to begin working toward your Eagle rank, which involves:
1. Finding an Eagle Coach (preferably from your troop, but any BSA-authorized Eagle Coach will do). Check with your Scoutmaster to identify the Eagle Advisor and learn how to connect with them.
2. Contact your council’s Eagle Advisor, who will schedule a “New Packet” meeting to provide an overview of the Eagle Project Workbook, project requirements, costs, and timelines.
3. Search for an Eagle Project. Your Eagle Advisor may suggest ideas, or you can explore options within your troop or on Google.
4. Review your Eagle Project proposal with your Eagle Advisor and obtain their sign-off to begin working on the project.
5. Complete your Eagle Project.
6. Submit the final Eagle Project report and request an Eagle Board of Review (BOR) from your Eagle Advisor.
7. Attend the Eagle BOR. If successful, your BOR will be approved.
8. Celebrate achieving the Eagle rank.
9. Allow a few weeks to receive your official certificate and Eagle rank badge.
10. Attend a Court of Honor in your troop to celebrate your achievement and share your experience with the troop.
11. Join www.SoarToEagle.com and continue to support other scouts throughout your life.