The Scout Badge

The scout badge is shown below:

The Scout Badge is symbolic in many ways and scouts are expected to be able to describe the badge and the meaning of its various features.

Decomposition of The Scout Badge

The Shield. The top-most item on the badge is a shield which represents the United States of America. The shield has thirteen stars for each of the thirteen colonies and thirten stars and stripes, seven red - six white, as on the Flag of the United States of America. The shield is not the same as the shield of the United States taken from the Great Seal. The USA shield has no stars and has seven white stripes and six red. The white stripes are on the outside edges instead of the red. It is also square shaped.

The Eagle. The American Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States and is a symbol of our country. The Eagle looks to the right for a reason. In heraldry, the right side of the display is known as the "dexter." The left side is known as the "sinister." The dexter is considered a place of honor, for example, to sit at the right hand of someone. The sinister is considered a place of dishonor. Therefore, the eagle looks to the right both on the scout badge and the Seal of the United States of America.

Stars. The two five pointed stars stand for truth and knowledge. The ten points of the two five pointed stars were said by Baden-Powell to represent the ten points of the Scout Law. Baden-Powell's Scout Law had ten points, not twelve. BSA added two points in 1911, a year after incorporating. The stars originally pointed up. Sometime before World War II (the 1940's), the badge was changed so that the stars point down.

Fleur De Lis. The three pointed shape of the top part of the Scout badge is the symbol of the World Organization of Scouting Movement. Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, chose this symbol for multiple reasons. The first was because this symbol was the patch given to British reconnaisance scouts while he was serving in South Africa. Another was because the symbol appeared at the top of compasses to point North. The three points at the top represent the three points of the Scout Oath.

Scout Motto. The scroll below the fleur de lis has on it the words "BE PREPARED." This is the motto of the Boy Scouts. The motto also has the initials "B-P", the same as the name of the founder of scouting Baden-Powell.

Scroll. The scroll has the ends turned up on it at the ends to represent the upturned corners of a scout's smile. This reminds scouts to accept all tasks that come their way cheerfully. A scout is cheerful.

Reminder Knot. The knot at the bottom of the scroll is called the Reminder Knot. It's purpose is to remind the scout to perform a good turn daily. In scouting, a good turn is not an act of courtesy. Those who live by the Scout Law are expected to be courteous and observe proper etiquette at all times. A good turn (or good deed) is a special act that is above and beyond common courtesy.

Symbols of Advancement

As a scout completes the requirements for each stage of advancement, he is awarded a new scout badge to replace his old one. He wears this badge centered on his left pocket. Adults are not allowed to wear badges on the left pocket and instead are required to wear knot emblems above the left pocket.

Scout. The first badge that a scout earns is the Scout Badge. It consists of a plain fleur de lis without any decoration.

Tenderfoot. The scout badge above is a joining badge. The Tenderfoot badge is the first real rank that a scout earns while a member of a patrol. The Tenderfoot badge consists of the top half of the scout badge. BSA also use this Tenderfoot badge and calls it the Universal Emblem. During the first half of the 20th Century, the entire scout badge was used as a universal emblem. I have never discovered the reason that BSA started using this emblem instead.

Second Class. The next rank a scout advances to is second class. It is represented by the bottom half of the scout badge.

First Class. Scouts achieving first class rank are thought to be seasoned and ready for advanced scouting experiences. First class is represented by the full scout badge.

Star. Scouts continuing to advance beyond first class earn the rank of Star. It is represented by the full scout badge with a star background.

Life. The scout rank of Life follows star after more merit badges are earned and more scouting experience is accumulated. Life is represented by the scout badge over a heart.

Eagle. The Eagle Scout badge is the most coveted award in all of scouting. It represents a major achievement for a youth to complete the work necessary to earn this esteemed rank. The Eagle Scout badge consists of the scroll and knot from the bottom half of the scout badge, a red, white, and blue ribbon, and a silver eagle medallion. The fleur de lis that points the direction is no longer needed perhaps because this was the destination?

All badges up to this point have been gold. The Eagle Scout Award is silver. In scouting, silver always outranks gold. Cubmasters and Scoutmasters have badges on their sleeves with silver borders. Assistants have gold borders. The senior patrol leader of a troop has a silver badge, whereas his assistant has a gold badge. Eagle scouts can earn pins which are palm fronds called eagle palms to pin to their medal. The first palm earned is bronze, then gold, then silver.

More about the Scout Badge and Scout Badges in General

Scout Badge History - SageVenture
All about Eagle Scout Badges - EagleScoutBadge.com