Advancement Resources

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Advancement Resources for the Scout Rank

The advancement requirements for Eagle palms. All requirements for Eagle Palms must be completed as a member of a troop or as a Lone Scout.


After successfully completing your Eagle Scout board of review on or after Aug. 1, 2017, and being validated as an Eagle Scout by the National Service Center, you will be entitled to receive an Eagle Palm for each additional five merit badges you completed before your Eagle board of review beyond those required for Eagle. In addition, all current Scouts who have completed their Eagle board of review and who had not passed their 18th birthday before Aug. 1, 2017, are entitled as well to receive Eagle Palms. For these Palms only, it will not be necessary for you to complete the requirements stated below.

After becoming an Eagle Scout and receiving the Eagle Palms you are entitled to, you may earn additional Palms by completing the following requirements:

  1. Be active in the Boy Scouts of America for at least three months after becoming an Eagle Scout or after the last Palm was earned.
  2. Since earning the Eagle Scout rank or your last Eagle Palm, demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Tell how you have done your duty to God and how you have lived the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your everyday life.
  3. Continue to set a satisfactory example of accepting responsibility or demonstrating leadership ability.
  4. Earn five additional merit badges beyond those required for Eagle or last Palm.
  5. While an Eagle Scout, participate in a Scoutmaster conference.

Eagle Palms must be earned in sequence, and the three-month tenure requirement must be observed for each Palm.

Merit badges earned any time since joining Scouts BSA may be used to meet this requirement.

You may wear only the proper combination of Palms for the number of merit badges you earned beyond the rank of Eagle. The Bronze Palm represents five merit badges, the Gold Palm 10, and the Silver Palm 15.