Editing Eagle Scout (section)

==Requirements==
The rank of Eagle Scout may be earned by a Scout who has been a Life Scout for at least six months, has earned a minimum of 21 merit badges, has demonstrated Scout Spirit, and has demonstrated leadership within their troop, crew or ship.<ref name=Requirements/> Additionally they must plan, develop, and lead a [[Community service|service]] project—the [[Eagle Scout Service Project|''Eagle Project'']]—that demonstrates both leadership and a commitment to duty. After all requirements are met, they must complete an Eagle Scout [[Board of Review (Boy Scouts of America)|board of review]]. The board of review can be completed up to 3 months after their 18th birthday as long as all other requirements are completed before their 18th birthday.<ref name=Requirements/> [[Venturing (Boy Scouts of America)|Venturers]] and [[Sea Scouting (Boy Scouts of America)|Sea Scouts]] who attained First Class as a Scout may continue working toward the Star, Life and Eagle Scout ranks, as well as Eagle Palms, while registered as a Venturer or Sea Scout up to their 18th birthday. Scouts with a permanent mental or physical disability may use alternate requirements based on abilities, if approved by the council.<ref name=alternative/>

Eagle Scout may be awarded posthumously, if and only if all requirements except the board of review are completed before death. A board of review may be held and the award presented to the Scout's family.<ref name="guide" /> The [[Spirit of the Eagle Award]] is an honorary posthumous special recognition for any registered youth member who has died in an accident or through illness. The Line of Duty Fallen Eagle Recognition is a recognition for Eagle Scouts who have died in the line of duty in professions such as the military, law enforcement or emergency services.<ref name=lod />

===Eagle Scout Service Project===
{{Main article|Eagle Scout Service Project}}

The Eagle Scout Service Project, or simply "Eagle Project," is the opportunity for a Scout to demonstrate leadership of others while performing a project for the benefit of any religious institution, any school, or their community. The project is not allowed to benefit the Boy Scouts of America or its councils, districts, units, camps and so forth. It also cannot be of a commercial nature or be solely a fund-raising project.<ref name=guide/> There is no official requirement for duration of projects.

===Development===
[[File:US Navy 070526-N-5758H-100 Capt. Rick Williams, Commodore, Destroyer Squadron 26, administers the Eagle Scout oath to his nephew during an Eagle Scout ceremony aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), as part.jpg|thumb|right |A Scout taking the Eagle Scout Charge during his [[Court of Honor (Scouting)|Court of Honor]] aboard the {{USS|Oscar Austin}}]]
Eagle Scout requirements have evolved since the award was conceived. A requirement to earn 11 specific merit badges was added in 1914, which underwent minor changes in 1915.<ref name=comparison/> The Life–Star order was reversed in 1924, apparently because the five-pointed star of the Star Scout insignia could be associated with the five merit badges required to earn the rank immediately following First Class Scout. In 1927, Eagle Scout began the transition from being a super merit badge to a rank.<ref name="peterson" /> As a result, the first requirements for tenure were created and Scouts were required to be an active First Class Scout for one year. The initial requirements for what became the service project appeared with a requirement to show satisfactory service and the number of required merit badges increased to 12. In 1936, the ranks of Star and Life became mandatory, and the number of required merit badges rose to 13. It was at this time that Eagle Scout became a full-fledged rank. In 1952, age limits were set so that adults over 18 years of age could no longer earn Eagle Scout and the service project requirement was slightly expanded to "do your best to help in your home, school, church or synagogue, and community."<ref name="peterson" /> In 1958, the number of required merit badges increased again to 16 of the 21 total merit badges needed to obtain Eagle, along with the first requirements for service and leadership.<ref name=E.S.R./>

<!--When the [[Exploring (Learning for Life)|Exploring]] program was introduced in 1959, Explorers could earn Eagle Scout using requirements specific to the Exploring program. Explorers over the age of 18 who were also registered as assistant Scoutmasters in a troop could work on Eagle and Eagle Palms until age 21. These options were discontinued in 1972 with the [[History of the Boy Scouts of America#The 1970s: the Improved Scouting Program|Improved Scouting Program]], and Explorers could use the standard Eagle requirements only through age 18. this section needs to be redone w ref; unreferenced for now-->
In 1965, the requirements for the service project and specific troop leadership were defined, and the number of required merit badges returned to 11. The Eagle Scout candidate was required to plan, develop, and carry out a leadership service project. Minor changes were made to the required merit badge list in 1970. In 1972, the Improved Scouting Program increased to 24 the number of merit badges needed to obtain Eagle, while reducing the list of required merit badges to ten, eliminating badges that required swimming and outdoor skills—both of which were later reinstated, and adding the requirement to show leadership during the service project. In 1978, the number of merit badges needed for Eagle was lowered to the original 21, and the number of required merit badges was set at 11 (this was changed to 12 in 1993 with the addition of Family Life).<ref name="peterson" /> In 2014 the number of Eagle-required merit badges was increased to 13 with the re-addition of Cooking;<ref name=wendell/> in 2022, it was increased to 14 with the addition of Citizenship in Society.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Boy Scouts of America Introduces New Citizenship in Society Merit Badge |url=https://www.scouting.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion/the-boy-scouts-of-america-introduces-new-citizenship-in-society-merit-badge/ |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=Boy Scouts of America |language=en-US}}</ref>

Scouts must earn the following 11 merit badges as there are no alternates: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in Society, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cooking, First Aid, Family Life, Personal Fitness, and Personal Management. In addition, Scouts must choose one each from the following to round out their required merit badges: Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving; Environmental Science OR Sustainability; and, Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling. The Scout must earn seven additional elective merit badges beyond the required 14 to become eligible for the award.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eagle Required Merit Badges |url=https://www.scouting.org/skills/merit-badges/eagle-required/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=Boy Scouts of America |language=en-US}}</ref> If a Scout has earned more than one merit badges where there are alternates, the extras will be counted toward the 21 merit badge requirement total.

===Palms===
Palms represent additional advancement for a youth who has stayed active in the unit after achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. A Palm is awarded when the Scout has demonstrated Scout Spirit, leadership and ability; has earned five additional merit badges beyond those required for Eagle or for the last Palm; and has taken part in a conference with their unit leader.

The insignia is a small metallic [[palm branch (symbol)|palm frond]] pin or device that is worn on the ribbon of the Eagle Scout medal, on the Eagle Scout square knot or on the Eagle Scout badge.<ref name=third/>

The Palms are awarded in three colors: [[Bronze (color)|bronze]], representing five merit badges; [[Gold (color)|gold]], representing ten merit badges; and [[Silver (color)|silver]], representing fifteen merit badges.<!---bronze, gold, silver is the correct order---> For each Palm awarded for five additional merit badges beyond the first bronze, gold, and silver recognitions, Palms are worn in the combination that requires the smallest number of devices to reflect the total number of Palms earned. One gold Palm is equal to two bronze Palms, one silver Palm is equal to three bronze Palms, and one bronze Palm continues to be equal to five merit badges. For instance, a Scout who has earned eight Palms (forty additional merit badges) would wear two silver Palms and a gold Palm.<ref name=palmapp/> The order of bronze, gold and silver follows heraldic traditions of the U.S. military.<ref name=use/><ref name=silver/><ref name=ask/>

Completed Palms can be awarded at the same time the Eagle Scout badge is presented. Previously, an Eagle Scout needed to wait three months between each Palm, even if the extra merit badges were earned before becoming an Eagle. This meant that, under the old rules, a youth who became an Eagle Scout at 17 years and 10 months was unable to earn a single Eagle Palm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2017/07/10/changes-to-eagle-palms/|title = The way Scouts earn Eagle Palms is about to change|date = July 10, 2017}}</ref>