Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America

First Class Rank
First Class rank badge
Scouting portal

Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America is a tradition dating from the inception of the Scouting movement. A fundamental purpose of advancement is the self-confidence a young man or woman acquires from his participation in Scouting. Advancement is one of the methods used in the "Aims and Methods of Scouting"– character development, citizenship training and personal fitness.

There are separate advancement and recognition programs for the main program divisions: Cub Scouting (ages six through 10), Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scouting) (11-17),Venturing (14-20), and Sea Scouting (14-20) (and, formerly, through the now discontinued Varsity Scouting (14-18)). Each program is designed for its age group and goals.