Rank Advancement

Boy Scout Troops are organized by patrols that are small groups of Scouts up to about 8 members. A Patrol Leader and an Assistant Patrol Leader lead each patrol. Each patrol can organize their own activities for Troop Meetings or Cam pouts.

Aside from having fun with Scouting activities each patrol should encourage their Scouts to earn a new rank and/or collect experience by earning new Merit Badges.

To help Scouts understand what their requirements are for each rank or learning about any of the more than 120 merit badges, please use the links below:

Rank Advancement

Merit Badges

Message Board


Or if you want to see what ideas your brother Scouts have about upcoming events or ask a Scout Leader a Scouting-related question please visit the message board to see what ideas are being discussed.

Last updated: 8.29.10

Rank Advancement

Upon completion of the joining requirements, boys are awarded the Scout Badge. After that each Scout works throughout the year to earn additional ranks on their path to Eagle Scout. To learn more about what is required to earn each rank please check the links below.

Scout Badge

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

Tenderfoot Rank

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

Second Class Rank

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

First Class Rank

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

Star Rank

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

Life Rank

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

Eagle Rank

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal.

Eagle Palms

Link takes user to the Scouting Web Portal

Merit Badges:

There are 141 merit badges that may be earned by Boy Scouts. We encourage our Scouts to work with their parents and leaders to complete Merit Badge requirements via Winter and Summer Camp opportunities as well as throughout the year during Scout meetings or campouts.

Note: Merit badges displayed in bold-font are Eagle-Required merit badges.

Troop 500 maintains a library of some of the Merit Badge requirement books; these books are highlighted in boldface below. For more information on these badges please follow the links below.
Please note that clicking on any of these links will open a new window that will take you to the Scouting Web Portal.

Troop Library
To check out one of the books from the Troop Library just ask your Patrol Leader or the Troop Librarian to borrow a copy of one of our merit badge books.