Advancement
Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them through the advancement method. The Scout plans their advancement and progresses at their own pace as they meet each challenge. The Scout is rewarded for each achievement, which helps them gain self-confidence. The steps in the advancement system help a Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.Ā
Advancement is the process by which youth members of the Scouting America progress from rank to rank and is the method by which we promote and encourage the ongoing involvement and commitment that keeps members coming back for more. It works best when it is built into a unitās program so that simply participating leads to meaningful achievement and recognition ā and to a continually improving readiness for more complex experiences.Ā
Guide to Advancement
Because rank badges are a special and protected achievement for a Scout, Scouting America and the Council Advancement Committee operate under a strict set up guidelines and policies. This not only ensures consistency of the requirements being met, but also prevents those that may not have legitimately earned a badge from obtaining them.
The Guide to Advancement published by the National Council includes the policies and interpretations of advancement guidelines and is the single source for advancement procedures.
Here are some important highlights from the guide that are some of the most requested clarifications:
- All requests for badges and awards must be accompanied by a completely filled out Advancement Report signed by the unit advancement chairman and/or Board of Review member as indicated. The Dan Beard Council Advancement Committee has also approved Troopmaster Advancement reports as an official Unit Advancement Report. If used, two copies must be submitted to the council service center.
- Obtaining advancement without submitting advancement reports, stockpiling awards, or falsifying advancement reports may result in an incomplete or inaccurate advancement record for the Scout involved. Such inaccuracies may make approval of Eagle Scout or other special awards requiring advancement verification difficult or impossible.
- The award cards (not the badge itself) shall be considered the official record of advancement for all Scouts. Requests for replacement card or badges may require verification.
- All applicants for badges and awards must be currently registered in the unit through which the award is being sought. Requests for the Bobcat and Scout badges will be checked against the unit registration records before being issued. No badges can be issued until the Scoutās application has been received and processed by the Scout Service Center.
- All Merit Badge Counselors must be currently registered with the BSA through the local council.
- All Scouting America adult leaders, including Merit Badge Counselors, are required to complete Youth Protection Training. One-on-one merit badge counseling is not appropriate.
- Approval of the Eagle Award is the responsibility of the district advancement chairperson and the National Council of the BSA.
- The unit advancement chairperson should serve as chairperson at the Eagle Board of Review.
- Boards of Review for Eagle should be conducted after verification of all required documents by Council Service Center personnel.
- Eagle Courts of Honor are the responsibility of the unit committee.
- There is limited flexibility on Advancement requirements. For example, Scouts with special needs may petition for flexibility in rank requirements (at or below First Class rank), and/or may seek substitution for Eagle-required badges, and/or may seek eligibility beyond the age of 18. Life Scouts that have experienced a severe and life-changing event may seek a limited extension beyond their 18th birthday to achieve Eagle. See your District or Council Advancement Representative for details as these exceptions/extensions require Council approval. Conversely, alterations to Merit Badge requirements may not be approved, under any circumstances, by a Merit Badge Counselor or Adult Leader.
Rank to Recognition Process
It is the belief of the Council Advancement Committee that the timely presentation of rank is one of the most important elements of retaining a young person in Scouting. Likewise, properly reporting achievements is essential to ensuring a complete record of a Scoutās accomplishments. Not only is reporting required for the purchase of any restricted badges at the Scout Shop, but this also ensures a Scoutās profile will carry with them in the case of a transfer to another unit or council. Advancement reporting is also required to accurately measure Journey to Excellence scores.
The Council Advancement Committee has prepared a flowchart to help illustrate how advancements should be reported and recognized.
Awards & Recognition
Dan Beard Council is committed to recognizing the awards both Scouts and Scouters have earned, or have been nominated for, in a more consistent time-frame. Outlined in theāÆAwards Process SheetāÆis the Awards Process created by the committee to ensure a timely response to all awarded nominations. The awards have been condensed into 4 distinct categories: Unit, District, Council, and National awards, given either monthly, annually, orāÆa date specified by the recipientāÆ(once approval for award has been finalized). Awards to be considered can be found on theāÆAwardsāÆCentralāÆpage on Scouting.org.
Monthly Awards
Units will submit their request to Dan Beard Council’s Program Director. Monthly awards will be submitted to the Scout Executive for approval during the last week of each month. Once approved, the award will be delivered to the unit by the 15thāÆof the following month.
Annual Awards
Nominations will be collected and selected by the District or Council/Specific Awards Committee. The district will notify Council and recipients will be logged and awarded by the Council Awards Committee.
Special Awards
Nominations for these awards will be submitted to the Council Awards Committee to be determined whether the award is specific to Council or sent to National for consideration. Once confirmed by the Committee, the award will be sent to the Scout Executive for approval and awarded to the recipient by the Committee. These awards will be acknowledged at the annual Council Award and Recognition Luncheon at Scouting U later in the year.
Awards List
The most up-to-date information about BSA-affiliated awards can be found on Scouting America’s website, including award applications and nomination forms. You can find the link above.
Suggestions for Preparing an Award Nomination
While each award nomination process is slightly different, the following are suggestions of documents to include in a nomination packet for a Scouting award. These suggestions are intended to provide background that will help the reviewing committee obtain the fullest background on the nominee as they consider the nomination. Without this kind of background, the reviewing committee is sometimes unable to properly consider a nomination and may be unable to support the recognition.
- Review and understand the instructions for nominating a person to receive a specific award. Be sure to include all of the information that the instructions require. Many of the following suggestions are included in the instructions for some of the awards but, including the suggested information, even if not required by the instructions, in any nomination packet will be useful to the reviewing committee.Ā
- Provide a narrative that justifies the nomination, including where the nominee went āabove and beyond.ā Include specific examples of actions taken by the nominee. For example, words such as: āThe nominee is a great leader.ā without examples to show the leadership, would not be useful. Importantly, make sure the examples are appropriate for the level of the nomination. For example, for a Council level award, the examples should demonstrate actions beyond the unit level. Similarly, a nomination for an award beyond the Council level should demonstrate activities appropriate for the level of the nomination.Ā
- Obtain letters of recommendation (at least one, not the nominator) from different areas of the nomineeās life to give a more well-rounded view of the nominee. These could include a fellow member of the BSA or a church/community leader.Ā
- List all of Scouting positions held by the nominee; even if the position did not have a title. For example, serving as the chair of a large project should be listed.Ā
- List any involvement outside of the Scouting program (sports, community groups, etc.).Ā
- Provide a list of awards received in Scouting.
If you have any questions about the process for Awards, please contact Michelle Byrne, Program Director, at Michelle.Byrne@Scouting.org.
Advancement Requirements
Advancement places a series of challenges in front of a Scout in a manner that is fun and educational. As Scouts meet these challenges, they advance and grow in the Scouting program.
Use the links for more information regarding Cub Scout and Scouts BSA advancement.
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Online Advancement
Units can now submit advancement for unit youth members online. Use Scoutbook or ScoutbookPlus to add ranks, merit badges and awards, and update information onāÆadvancement.
Units should submit monthly before the end of each month, or more often if needed. In December, submit a report before the end of the month to update unit and council statistics.
For help or assistance with Online Advancement, please contact the Scout Achievement Center at (513) 577-7700 or email advancement@danbeard.org.
Cub Scout Advancement
Scouts BSA Advancement
Online Advancement
Units can now submit advancement for unit youth members online. Use Scoutbook or ScoutbookPlus to add ranks, merit badges and awards, and update information onāÆadvancement.
Units should submit monthly before the end of each month, or more often if needed. In December, submit a report before the end of the month to update unit and council statistics.
For help or assistance with Online Advancement, please contact the Scout Achievement Center at (513) 577-7700 or email advancement@danbeard.org.
Path to Eagle
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than two million young Scouts. The title of Eagle Scout is held for life, thus giving rise to the phrase āOnce an Eagle, always an Eagle.ā
Requirements include earning at least twenty-one merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout. Additional recognition can be earned through Eagle Palms, awarded for completing additional tenure, leadership, and merit badge requirements.
Since 1912, the Eagle Scout rank has represented a milestone of accomplishmentāperhaps without equalāthat is recognized across the country and even the world. Those who have earned the Eagle Scout rank count it among their most treasured achievements. āEagle Scoutā is not just an award; it is a state of being. Those who earned it as youth continue to earn it every day as adults. That is why an Eagle Scout is an Eagle ScoutānotāÆwas.Ā
Over the more than 100 years since the first Eagle, a formal application process has evolved that is important in maintaining the awardās well-recognized prestige. It is in the interest of the entire BSA, and in fact our nation, that all youth who join Scouts BSA should have an opportunity to earn their Eagle Scout rank should they diligently and promptly complete all requirements.Ā
Merit Badge Counselors
Find a Counselor
Dan Beard Council has well over 800 registered and qualified Merit Badge Counselors, covering all available merit badges. Adult leaders may search ScoutBook to identify prospective Merit Badge Counselors for Scouts that express interest in pursuing a give merit badge.
In ScoutBook, click the “MB Counselor List” tab and fill out the required information on location along with the desired badge to find counselors.
Become a Counselor
Adult volunteers serving as Merit Badge Counselors must be registered as Merit Badge Counselors with the Boy Scouts of America. They must be men and women of good character, age 18 or older, and recognized as having the skills and knowledge of the Merit Badge subject matter, as well as the ability to work with youth of Scouts BSA age. Merit Badge Counselors are not registered to a Troop, but instead with their District.Ā
Here are the steps to becoming a Merit Badge Counselor:Ā
- Complete the BSA Adult Registration Form, available from theāÆScout Achievement Center. For the position code, use position ā42.ā A registration fee of $25 is required for Merit Badge Counselor registration.
- Complete theāÆMerit Badge Counselor Information Form. Note that some merit badges require additional certification or documentation, as explained on the form.
- Complete Safeguarding Youth Training, if you have not been through the training within the last two years. Print a copy of your completion certificate.
- Collect the above paperwork and submit it to the Scout Achievement Center.
- Your registration and forms will be checked for errors and a background check will be processed.
- After approval, your Merit Badge Counselor registration will be visible in your my.scouting.org account under My Profile and the badges you have been approved to counsel will be identified in Scoutbook.
There is no restriction or limit on the number of Merit Badges an individual may be approved to counsel, however, there will be some review of the appropriateness of badges an applicant has requested to counsel.
All Merit Badge Counselors must be trained (Merit Badge Counselor Orientation) in the aims of Scouting America, advancement procedures, andāÆcomplete Youth Protection on-line training bi-annually.āÆGuide to Merit Badge CounselingāÆ andāÆMerit Badge Counselor Orientation CircularāÆ are valuable resources provided by the District or Council.
Merit Badge Counselors may indicate their availability to counsel primarily within a Troop or a district in ScoutBook. They may counsel any youth member, including their own child, ward or relative.
Current Counselors
You can view your status by logging into My.Scouting and checking your profile.
Your Merit Badge Counselor status and visibility can be managed through ScoutBook! Here are the steps to follow:
- Log into ScoutBook using your my.scouting.org credentials.
- Click on My Dashboard.
- Click on My Account.
- Click on My Positions.
- Under My Current Positions & Roles, click on Merit Badge Counselor.
- Here you can select your availability as well as what list you prefer to be on. You can modify this at anytime based on your personal schedule.
For more information on Scoutbook and Merit Badge Counselors, please visit Scoutbook Knowledge Base at this link.
If you nee help, please contact Michelle Byrne, Program Director for the Dan Beard Council, at (513) 577-7686 or Michelle.Byrne@Scouting.org.
Advancement Committee
The Dan Beard Council Advancement Committee ensures that advancement, award and recognition, and religious emblem activities are promoted, tracked and adhere to National policies, for Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Sea Scouts and Venture Scouts. Advancement includes rank advancement, Scouting Merit Badges and Cub Adventures.
Dan Beard Council Advancement Committee
Program DirectorĀ |Ā Michelle Byrne, Michelle.Byrne@Scouting.org
Advancement ChairĀ |Ā Steve Cammarn,Ā SteveCammarn@gmail.com
Cub Scout AdvancementĀ |Ā Cathleen Owen,Ā cro21cfr@gmail.com
Religious EmblemsĀ |Ā Dan Eslinger,Ā Dan.Eslinger.Cinci@gmail.com
Awards & RecognitionĀ |Ā Jim Lindner,Ā JimBikesToWork@gmail.com
Metrics & TechnologyĀ |Ā Eric Saddler,Ā Eric@saddler.us
Merit BadgesĀ |Ā Ā Vacant
District Advancement Leaders
East ForkĀ |Ā Chris Sapelli, csapelli@gmail.com and Tom Manning, gtmanning1950@gmail.com
Fort AncientĀ |Ā Jason Kaminski, KaminskiJason@hotmail.com
Fort HamiltonĀ |Ā Jim Fenske, CooperFensk@gmail.com
Little MiamiĀ |Ā Linda McWilliams, LCMcWilliams83@gmail.com
Queen CityĀ | Ā Ken Roth, hvlroth@fuse.net
TrailblazerĀ |Ā Jake Redenbaugh, jredenbaugh@gmail.com
Whitewater TrailsĀ |Ā Joe Kihm, KimFamily@aol.com
District Eagle Coordinators
East ForkĀ |Ā Scott Tippets, stippets@aol.com
Fort AncientĀ |Ā Kevin Owen, Kevin@OwenLink.com
Fort HamiltonĀ |Ā Bill Peck, BillPeck@cinci.rr.com
Little MiamiĀ |Ā Linda McWilliams, LCMcWilliams83@gmail.com
Queen CityĀ | Ā Ken Roth, hvlroth@fuse.net
TrailblazerĀ |Ā Michelle Hathorn
Whitewater TrailsĀ |Ā Joe Kihm, KimFamily@aol.com
