It is that time again: New Boy Scout requirements! However, there are major changes for this year and all scouts will have to abide by these new requirements, no matter how long you have been a scout. This is different from most requirement changes where scouts could continue with requirements in the book that they started in. For this change, all scouts have to convert to the new requirements sooner or later. Here are the major items to be wary of:

• There is a new Boy Scout Requirements book and a new Boy Scout Handbook. You can buy these at the Scout Store for our council at 811 W. Hillgrove Ave., La Grange, IL
• All scouts joining on or after January 1^st, 2016 MUST use the new requirements
• Scouts who joined before January 1^st, 2016 have some rules as well:
  • Scouts working on the Scout badge MAY continue to work on the existing requirements, but MUST convert to the new requirements upon completion of the Scout badge.
  • Scouts working on Tenderfoot through First Class MAY continue to work on the existing requirements, but MUST convert to the new requirements upon attaining First Class.
    • So if you are a Tenderfoot scout, you CAN use the old requirements to attain Second Class rank and First Class rank, but once you receive First Class you must switch to the new stuff.
  • Scouts that have completed First Class MAY complete the rank they are currently working on in the existing requirements, but then MUST convert to the new requirements for subsequent ranks.
    • So if you are a First Class scout, you CAN use the old requirements for Star, but once you attain the Star rank you must use the new requirements for Life.
  • HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE: All Scouts MUST use the new requirements, regardless of rank, starting on January 1^st, 2017.

Most of the changes affect the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks. These new requirements can be found at:

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/boyscouts/pdf/524-012_BS_Requirements.pdf

Kit K