Scouter Award of Merit

Venturing Leadership Award

• Serve as Scoutmaster for at least 18 months

• Complete Boy Scout Leader Fast Start
• Complete Scoutmastership Fundamentals

• Be a currently registered Scoutmaster
• Achieve the Quality Unit Award at least once during period of service
• Have a record of proper use of the Boy Scout advancement program, resulting in a majority of troop Boy Scouts attaining the First Class rank
• Have a record of:
  • Development of boy leadership through the patrol method
  • Positive relations with the troop's chartered organization
  • An extensive outdoor program including strong summer camp attendance
  • A positive image of Scouting in the community
  • A troop operation that attracts and retains Boy Scouts

• Be a currently registered Venturing Advisor who has served in that position for at least 18 months

• Complete Venturing Fast Start and Venturing Leader Specific Training
• Achieve the Quality Unit Award at least once while serving as crew Advisor
• Demonstrate the use of the Venturing Silver Award program
• Develop youth leadership by effective use of crew officers
• Use the crew officer orientation and program planning process
• Have a proven positive relationship with the chartered organization and associated Boy Scout troop and Cub Scout pack, if any
• Project a positive image of Venturing in the community
• Attract and hold Venturers with crew program and operation
• Lead crew in completion of the Venturing Leadership Skills Course

• Be a currently registered Varsity Scout Coach who has served in that position for at least 18 months

• Complete Varsity Scout Leader Fast Start
• Complete Varsity Scout Leader Fundamentals

• Achieve the Quality Unit Award at least once during period of service
• Have a record of proper use of the Boy Scout advancement program, resulting in a majority of Varsity Scouts in the team attaining the First Class rank
• Have a record of:
  • Development of youth leadership through the squad method
  • Positive relations with the team's chartered organization
  • An extensive outdoor program including strong high adventure participation
  • A positive image of Scouting in the community
  • A team operation that attracts and retains Varsity Scouts

Use this Varsity Coach Award of Merit Nomination form.

• Venturing Leadership Award candidates must be registered and involved in Venturing as a Venturer or an adult for at least one year.
• Candidates must hold a leadership position or office on the unit, district, council, area, region or national level (as appropriate for the level of award presented).
• Candidates must show exceptional dedication and give outstanding leadership and service to Venturing and to Venturers on the level appropriate for the award.

• Council: Medallion suspended from blue and white ribbon and worn around the neck. (For unit-, district-, and council-level recognition.)
• Area/Region: Medallion suspended from green and white ribbon and worn around the neck.
• National: Medallion suspended from red and white ribbon and worn around the neck.

Distinguished Commissioner Award

Doctor of Commissioner Science Award

The Distinguished Commissioner Service Award is intended to recognize commissioners who provide quality service. Each council decides how to certify eligibility and keep records. There is no national application form for this award.

• Be a currently active council, assistant council, district, assistant district, or unit commissioner
• Complete training as outlined by the local council, including earning the Commissioner?s Key
• Serve as an active commissioner for five consecutive years and be currently registered with the Boy Scouts of America
• Recharter at least 90 percent of the units in your area of service for a minimum of the past two consecutive years
• Assist units so that more than 60 percent of the units in your area of service achieve the National Quality Unit Award for a minimum of the past two consecutive years

• Complete training as outlined by the local council, including earning the Commissioner?s Key
• Serve as an active commissioner for five consecutive years and be currently registered with the Boy Scouts of America
• Conduct at least nine roundtables/huddles per year for the past two consecutive years

Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award

District Award of Merit

The Distinguished Service Award was created in 1940 to honor those who rendered service to the Order beyond the lodge level. The award is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. Since the time of the first awards given in 1940, approximately 500 Distinguished Service Awards have been presented.

The award is a sterling silver arrowhead, bearing an arrow pointing upward and to the wearer's right, suspended from a white neck-ribbon upon which are embroidered red arrows. Presentation of the award is limit; nominations are open to both youth and adults.

The District Award of Merit is awarded by a District to a registered Scouter for service to youth in the District. Normally, the award is presented for service to youth in excess of five years.
• Candidates must be nominated, not self-nominated.
• A nominee must be a registered Scouter.
• A nominee must have rendered noteworthy service to youth in Scouting, outside of Scouting, or both. Note: The nature and value of 'noteworthy service to youth' may consist of a single plan or decisions that contributed vitally to the lives of large numbers of youth or it may have been given to a small group over an extended period of time.
• Consideration must be given to the nominee's Scouting position and the corresponding opportunity to render outstanding service beyond the expectations of that Scouting position.
• The nominee's attitude toward and cooperation with the district, division, and/or council is to be taken into consideration.

Silver Beaver Award

Silver Antelope Award

Established in 1931, the Silver Beaver Award is presented for distinguished service to young people within a BSA local council. More than 50,000 recognitions have been conferred to date. As with the Silver Antelope, a recipient must be a registered adult member of the BSA. Silver Beaver Awards are presented on the basis of the number of units in a council.

The Silver Antelope Award, created in 1942, is granted for outstanding service to youth within the territory of a BSA region. There are 4 separate BSA regions. The criteria is similar to the Silver Buffalo except that a recipient must be a registered adult member of the Boy Scouts of America. Awards are bestowed on the basis of the number of registered volunteers in a region.

Silver Buffalo Award

Silver World Award

The Silver Buffalo Award, created in 1925, is bestowed upon those who give truly noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth. This award, Scouting's highest commendation, recognizes the invaluable contributions that outstanding American men and women render to youth. The service must be national in character and can be directly connected with the BSA or independent of the movement.

1. The award may be presented to citizens of any country whose Scout association is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, in recognition of his or her service of exceptional character to the youth of his or her own country, or on an international basis.
2. The recipient does not have to be a member of a Scout association. United States citizens may receive the Silver World Award for international service to youth, provided they are not registered members of the Boy Scouts of America.
3. Approved awards may be presented by an authorized member of the Boy Scouts of America either by a personal visit with the recipient or at an official meeting of a National Scout Association, including the BSA.
4. Nominations will be reviewed by and selections made by a subcommittee of the National Court of Honor.
5. Nominations are made in writing by letter, containing all the pertinent facts about an individual in support of the nomination.
6. As evidence of the award, there will be presented a suitable certificate duly authorized by the Boy Scouts of America.