Congratulations on getting started with Boy Scouts! You will have great adventures and rewards as you participate in the scouting program. If you haven't yet selected a troop to join, read this page for some tips.
The following list shares some quick introductions and tips to help you on your way:
- You will participate with a group of boys in a patrol which has activities and competitions planned and led by the boys.
- Your scout troop is led by boy leaders: the Senior Patrol Leader and the Patrol Leaders. They are supervised and mentored by adult Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters.
- The ranks, also called advancement badges, are earned in order up to the Eagle rank.
- You will need an official Scout Handbook to track your progress and an official Scout shirt. Ask your Patrol Leader about your troop's suggested uniform (and patches) for weekly meetings, outdoor activities, and for formal troop events, and where you can get needed supplies.
- The first few ranks cover introductory camping, beginning first aid, and scouting fundamentals. There is no minimum time limit for these early ranks other than needing to attend multiple activities.
- The later ranks have minimum time requirements, and also require serving in some position(s) of responsibility, and earning various mandatory and optional merit badges.
- The merit badges are recognitions for learning about and practicing many occupational, recreational, outdoor, and hobbyist skills. The merit badges are signed off by many approved adult counselors who have experience and great interest in the topics.
- Boy Scouts uses a buddy system. Private one-on-one meetings or camping between a boy and any adult is strictly prohibited.
- Periodically and often during your scouting experience you will have interviews with your Scoutmaster (called the Scoutmaster Conference) and with a group of adults (called the Board of Review) to help evaluate the strength of the troop and your patrol and your progress.
- Some of the requirements take advance planning (such as discussing with your merit badge counselor) and may take a long time to fulfill (such as 20 nights of camping or tracking home chores for 90 days or following a detailed 12-week physical fitness program or tracking a personal financial budget for 13 weeks as a few examples).
- You may want to consider using a notebook to schedule your work and track your progress.
- As some first steps (after completing the joining requirements for Scout badge), consider reviewing the requirements for the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks and make a plan with your Patrol Leader on how you will achieve them. Also review the list of Eagle-required merit badges.
If you have any questions, please ask your Patrol Leader or your Senior Patrol Leader. Or feel free to ask your scouting or camping questions via our online form.