The Boy Scouts at 100

[JohnnyReb]

I just know I had a GREAT time in the Scouts and enjoyed it all. I made it to Second Class rank.

http://www.usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/bsrank3.asp

I remember some of these requirements but what I don't see here is the 10 more merit badges I had to earn.

Anyway, this is a great organization for teenage boys and the people who hate the BSA and try to undermine them for their own intolerant reasons are not doing teenage boys any favors. Not that they (the haters of the left) really care, of course.

For the rank of eagle, 21 merit badges are needed, of that 21, 11 certain ones are required, maybe you has "one" of the required ones and needed "10" more of the required ones for eagle. The 10 others can be of the Scouts choice. 

[Godot showed up]

For the rank of eagle, 21 merit badges are needed, of that 21, 11 certain ones are required, maybe you has "one" of the required ones and needed "10" more of the required ones for eagle. The 10 others can be of the Scouts choice. 

I think you need a lot more than 21 to make it to Eagle. Are you sure that's not 21 more to go from Life to Eagle, on top of all the badges that have to be earned to go from First Class to Star, and from Star to Life? I had to earn 5 just to get to Tenderfoot from Scout and then 10 more to get to Second Class. After that comes First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle--never made it to First Class. I'm sure the cumulative total of merit badges you have to earn to get to Eagle is huge.

I did have one of the ones that would eventually have been required for Eagle, at least according to the modern requirements: Cycling. Probably the easiest one of the bunch. But like I said, I never made it as far as First Class, and I do know you can't skip ranks.

This was many years ago, more than I'm going to admit to--maybe things have changed?

[DefiantSix]

I think you need a lot more than 21 to make it to Eagle. Are you sure that's not 21 more to go from Life to Eagle, on top of all the badges that have to be earned to go from First Class to Star, and from Star to Life? I had to earn 5 just to get to Tenderfoot from Scout and then 10 more to get to Second Class. After that comes First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle--never made it to First Class. I'm sure the cumulative total of merit badges you have to earn to get to Eagle is huge.

I did have one of the ones that would eventually have been required for Eagle, at least according to the modern requirements: Cycling. Probably the easiest one of the bunch. But like I said, I never made it as far as First Class, and I do know you can't skip ranks.

This was many years ago, more than I'm going to admit to--maybe things have changed?

Here is the Eagle requirements from the Boy Scout's own website.  It says specifically : "a TOTAL of 21 merit badges", not 21 more than they had at the awarding of their Life Scout rank.  That also jibes with what I recall form my own days as a scout, lo these 20 years or so ago.

[Mike220]

I miss being in the Scouts. Made it all the way to Life (from Tiger) and just needed 2 merit badges and my service project to make Eagle. In my time I held positions of Asst. Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader and Asst. Senior Patrol Leader. Staffed summer camps at Camp Constantine and winter camp at Camp Cherokee here in Texas. Was a member of Order of the Arrow in Mikanakawa Lodge 101 here in Dallas. My first year in OA (1998) I won the Asa Leger award for most dedicated new member. Made brotherhood quickly and was appointed Ordeal Lead in the lodge and was my chapter's Asst. Vice Chief of Service.

Once I hit about 17, I ended up going full time into Sea Scouts, where I was a crew leader and ship bos'n. Never finished up Eagle or went for Vigil. You want to talk about regret... I do still know many of the leaders from OA and if I was to go back into Scouts as an adult leader, I could still go for Vigil.

And I still have a good portion of my patch collection too.

[Eupher]

I think you need a lot more than 21 to make it to Eagle. Are you sure that's not 21 more to go from Life to Eagle, on top of all the badges that have to be earned to go from First Class to Star, and from Star to Life? I had to earn 5 just to get to Tenderfoot from Scout and then 10 more to get to Second Class. After that comes First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle--never made it to First Class. I'm sure the cumulative total of merit badges you have to earn to get to Eagle is huge.

I did have one of the ones that would eventually have been required for Eagle, at least according to the modern requirements: Cycling. Probably the easiest one of the bunch. But like I said, I never made it as far as First Class, and I do know you can't skip ranks.

This was many years ago, more than I'm going to admit to--maybe things have changed?

I made Eagle Scout in Sept. 1970, one month before my 14th birthday. They've changed the merit badge requirements since my day -- going on memory here, but as I recall 11 of 21 were required -- Swimming, Nature, Conservation of Natural Resources, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Camping, Cooking, First Aid, Safety, Personal Fitness, and the big one -- a real showstopper for a lot of Scouts in my day -- Lifesaving. I remember my Lifesaving course -- out of 15 people taking it, 10 failed it. It was a real bitch.

I wound up with 26, qualifying for a bronze palm.

They've changed a few of the required badges and gave options where previously there were no options. Lifesaving OR Emergency Preparedness (WTF is THAT?); Personal Management; Environmental Science; Family Life (yeah, all about the birds 'n bees); and Communications replacing Cooking, Safety, Conservation of Natural Resources, and Nature.

I failed my first board of review because my service project, which I'd already completed, wasn't approved. Nobody bothered to tell me that somebody had to approve the damned thing. So I had to do another one.

Meh. It didn't kill me. 

On a more shitty note, all my Scout stuff was "inherited" by the State of Michigan when my Dad died. No idea where that stuff went and no chance to get it since the State wound up with the house.

[IassaFTots]

I miss being in the Scouts. Made it all the way to Life (from Tiger) and just needed 2 merit badges and my service project to make Eagle. In my time I held positions of Asst. Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader and Asst. Senior Patrol Leader. Staffed summer camps at Camp Constantine and winter camp at Camp Cherokee here in Texas. Was a member of Order of the Arrow in Mikanakawa Lodge 101 here in Dallas. My first year in OA (1998) I won the Asa Leger award for most dedicated new member. Made brotherhood quickly and was appointed Ordeal Lead in the lodge and was my chapter's Asst. Vice Chief of Service.

Once I hit about 17, I ended up going full time into Sea Scouts, where I was a crew leader and ship bos'n. Never finished up Eagle or went for Vigil. You want to talk about regret... I do still know many of the leaders from OA and if I was to go back into Scouts as an adult leader, I could still go for Vigil.

And I still have a good portion of my patch collection too.

Your story is very similar to my boyfriends, but like, 10 years earlier.  He didn't finish to Eagle because he got tired of babysitting the young-uns.  And, yeah, he regrets it too. 

[Godot showed up]

Here is the Eagle requirements from the Boy Scout's own website.  It says specifically : "a TOTAL of 21 merit badges", not 21 more than they had at the awarding of their Life Scout rank.  That also jibes with what I recall form my own days as a scout, lo these 20 years or so ago.

Jeeze, I think my troop leader was imposing his own special rules, then. Good grief.