Introduction & Overview

Overview

Scout is the first rank in Scouts BSA, and it is where you learn the words, signs, and small skills that everything else builds on. There is no tenure requirement and no board of review for Scout rank — just seven requirements that introduce you to what the troop stands for, how it runs, and how to handle a knife and a rope safely. Finish these, sit down with your Scoutmaster, and you earn the Scout badge.

Building on the Last Rank

Scout has no rank before it, but it is not always a blank slate. If you completed the Scouting Adventure requirements as a Webelos Scout, you may already know the Scout Oath, Law, motto, slogan, sign, salute, and handshake. You do not need to relearn them — just demonstrate what you already know to your Scoutmaster or another leader once you join the troop.

Get Ready!

Every rank after this one assumes you have this one down cold. Learn these words and habits well now, and you will spend the rest of your Scouting life using them instead of relearning them.