Approved: 13 March 2008

1. SCHEDULING A BOARD OF REVIEW
   1. Boards of Review for Tenderfoot, 2nd Class, 1st Class, Star, Life, and Eagle Palms shall be conducted on the third Thursday of the month and as needed at the Troop's summer camp week and weekend-long campouts.
   2. Eagle Scout boards are conducted by the NEPA council and are scheduled separately by the Council Advancement Committee.
   3. It is the Scoutmaster's responsibility to request a board of review for a Scout after he successfully completes a Scoutmaster Conference. He does this by notifying the Troop Committee Chair, no later than one week before the board is to be held. The Scout's Handbook Advancement Record must show that the Scout is ready for advancement.
2. PREPARATION FOR A BOARD OF REVIEW
   1. Scouts should review the requirements of the rank in question, not to memorize answers, but to refresh their memory of what they learned.
   2. Scouts should review the Scout Oath, Law, Motto, and Slogan, as well as the Outdoor Code, and be able to recite them from memory. It is even more important that a Scout be able to explain what each part of these means to him and how he practices them in his daily life.
   3. Scouts should review troop and patrol activities they participated in since their last board, and reflect on what their experiences have taught them about leadership, about themselves, and about Scouting principles.
   4. Scouts in a leadership position should review what they have done in their position since the last board and be able to explain their work and what they learned from doing it.
3. CONDUCT OF A BOARD OF REVIEW
   1. Scouts must attend their board of review in full uniform with troop neckerchief and merit badge sash. The Scout decides if he wants to wear any medals. Failure of a Scout to wear full uniform is grounds for postponing the board of review until the following month.
   2. Members of a board of review should wear uniforms if they own one.
   3. A board must be comprised of 3 Troop Committee members; one member serves as chair and coordinates the other members' questions to the Scout.
   4. The board of review should last approximately 15-25 minutes.
   5. As set by National BSA Policy, boards of review have these objectives:
      1. Ensure the Scout did what he was supposed to do for the rank.
      2. See how good an experience the Scout is having in the unit.
      3. Encourage the Scout to progress further.
   6. Board members can ask skill review questions, but these should not be the majority type of question unless the Scout's answers create doubt in the board members' minds about his preparations.
   7. After the review concludes, the members discuss the Scout's achievements and answers privately. The board's decision is reached through discussion and must be unanimous.
4. OUTCOMES OF A BOARD OF REVIEW
   1. If board members are satisfied that the Scout is ready to advance, he is called in, congratulated, and informed as to when he will receive his recognition. The board chairman notifies the Scoutmaster and Advancement Chairman, who obtains the rank patch for presentation. All three board members must initial and date the Scout's Handbook.
   2. On occasion, a board may decide to give a short letter to the Advancement Chair noting concerns that did not rise to the level of preventing advancement but that should be addressed by the time of the Scout's next board of review
      1. The Scout must be made aware of these concerns immediately after the board of review and must be given a copy of the letter as soon as possible.
      2. The Scoutmaster must be informed of the concerns by the board chair.
      3. The letter of concern will be provided by the Advancement Chair to the Scout's next board of review.
      4. Once the next board of review decides the concerns have been addressed, the letter is destroyed.
   3. If the board decides a Scout is not ready to advance, the Scout should be informed immediately and be told what he has not done satisfactorily. The members of the board will specify what must be done to rework the Scout's weaknesses.
      1. Another board of review will be scheduled for the Scout, generally the following month unless circumstances indicate otherwise.
      2. The same members will serve on the follow-up board, unless serious circumstances prevent it.
      3. A follow-up letter must be sent to the Scout, confirming the agreement reached on actions necessary for advancement.
      4. The Scoutmaster must be made aware of the agreement by the board chair.
      5. Since the same members will review the Scout in the follow-up board of review, there is no need for a letter to be given to the Advancement Chairman.

Approved: 21 September 2006

The Troop Committee encourages all youth members to develop their leadership skills. Periodically the Northeastern Pennsylvania Boy Scout Council conducts a week-long youth leader training program called "Great Medicine" as well as day-long "Great Expectations" youth leader training seminars. If a Scout meets the prerequisites for participating in "Great Medicine" and is recommended by the Scoutmaster, the Troop will subsidize 50% of the "Great Medicine" registration costs.

Amended: 10 June 2010

The subsidy will be provided as a reimbursement to the Scout after he completes the youth leader training program.