Boards of Review

It is the responsibility of each scout to be aware of the requirements for the next rank he is striving for, including any time in rank requirements, leadership or Scoutmaster-assigned project requirements, and merit badge requirements. Each scout must maintain his own personal advancement records in his Boy Scout Handbook, including any dates and initials of scout leaders when a requirement is satisfied. The next to last step of each rank is to attend a Scoutmaster Conference and Board of Review. It is the scout’s responsibility to schedule and complete this conference/board meeting.

A scoutmaster conference is led by an assistant scoutmaster or other person designated by the scoutmaster. The scout is expected to be able to answer questions about basic scout skills and information presented in the scout handbook.

After the scoutmaster conference has been completed, the scout must attend a Board of Review comprising several dads involved with the Troop. Normally the Board of Review will take place immediately after the scoutmaster conference. The Troop Board of Review is required as the final step for all ranks. A Board of Review is an informal review of the scout’s experiences at that particular rank. Eagle candidates also participate in a District-level Board of Review.

Scoutmaster Conference/Board of Review dates generally occur monthly in the IHM church basement on a Wednesday evening between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Appointments for Scoutmaster Conference/Board of Review Meetings are made normally about two Mondays prior to the scheduled Board of Review at the regularly scheduled Troop meeting. Sign-up will occur during or after the conclusion of the Troop meeting.

The following guidelines will assist the scout in preparing for the Scoutmaster Conference/Board of Review Meeting. Adequate preparation should make the Meeting a positive experience for all participants. Always read and study the material about first aid in Chapter 11 in the scout handbook.

• Before a scout makes the appointment for a Scoutmaster Conference/Board of Review Meeting, he must have all requirements for the target rank signed off in his handbook.

• The candidate should arrive in full uniform with his BSA handbook.

•  Please arrive fifteen minutes before the time scheduled.

• Failure to comply with the above guidelines may result in not being able to participate in the SC/BoR Meeting. If a scout misses his scheduled appointment, he will be allowed to sign up for the next months SC/BoR Meeting, as long as open slots are available after scouts that have not yet attended a Meeting are given the opportunity to sign up.

Scouts should keep all rank and merit badge cards with their records, as these are required for the District Board of Review. A good way to do this is by using three ring binder baseball card organizer pages.  Please consult the calendar for this year’s BOR dates.