References for the Eagle Scout Board of Review

An Eagle Scout candidate is required to

"Demonstrate Scout Spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life."

On the front side (pg. 1) of the Eagle Scout Rank Application (1.37 MB, PDF), the candidate is asked to provide the names of individuals who he knows personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on the scout's behalf indicating his fulfillment of this requirement. The references are not optional. If the scout held a job during the period he was a Life Scout, he must list an employer reference. If he did not hold a job, do not cross out the heading and list an "additional reference".

The scout is free to choose the educational reference of his choice as well as the individual who can best comment on his efforts to fulfill the twelfth point of the Scout law: A Scout is Reverent. The two additional undesignated references should be people who can comment on some portion of his everyday life not represented already. Individuals serving as references do not have to be registered adult leaders, or involved in Scouting in any way; however, they do need to fully understand the meaning of the accomplishment of attaining the rank of Eagle Scout and be familiar with the Scout Oath and Law. Individuals serving as references for an Eagle Scout candidate will not normally be asked to serve on the scout's Eagle Board of Review as the board members' task is to independently determine the scout's qualifications for the rank.

BSA publication # 33088, Advancement Committee Guide Policies and Procedulres, states:

"The council advancement committee or its designee contacts the person listed as a reference on the Eagle Scout Rank Application either by letter, form, or telephone checklist. (The council determines the method or methods to be used.)  The candidate should have contacted those individuals listed as references before including their names on the application."

The Circle Ten Council Advancement Committee has delegated this responsibility to the district advancement committees in the service area. The council advancement committee, in Eagle Rank Advancement Policies and Procedures, further states the following regarding the methodology to be used by the respective district advancement committees:

"District Advancement Committees may request that troops secure letters from the references to bring to the District Eagle Board of Review...Please note that it is the responsibility of the troop adult leadership to secure the letters, not the Eagle candidate."

The North District Advancement Committee requests that unit leadership contact the listed references and secure written reference statements from each listed individual. These reference statements are to be submitted to the District Advancement Committee with the Eagle Scout candidate's application prior to the Board of Review. The format of the reference statement can be either a formal letter (preferred) or a statement on one of the several forms available. The content of the reference statement should clearly indicate how the reference knows the scout and should address how the scout has lived the Scout Oath and Law in the contact between the reference and the scout.

Pursuant to the directions from the National Council, references submitted to the Board of Review will not be returned to either the Eagle Scout candidate or to the unit after the board of review is completed.