When you see someone in a uniform, you know that person belongs to a specific group. A police officer wears a uniform, and so does a doctor or a firefighter. As a Cub Scout, you will wear a uniform too. If you are in first, second, or third grade, you will wear a blue shirt, blue pants, and a neckerchief in the correct color for your rank—orange for Tigers, yellow for Wolves, and blue for Bears. Webelos Scouts have some different options. Some Webelos Scouts will wear the blue shirt, and some will wear the tan shirt, the same one the Boy Scouts wear. All Webelos Scouts will wear the Webelos neckerchief, which is yellow, blue, and red plaid. The blue and yellow is to remind them they are still in a pack, and the red is to remind them they will be moving to Boy Scouts soon.

There are other parts of the uniform: pants, belt, socks, and a hat. If you wear the blue shirt, you wear the blue pants and the hat for your den. If you wear the tan shirt, you wear olive pants but still wear the hat for your den (Webelos hat).

The Advancement Trail

On the advancement trail, a Cub Scout progresses from rank to rank, learning new skills as he goes. Each of the ranks and awards in Cub Scouting has its own requirements. As you advance through the ranks, the requirements get more challenging, to match the new skills and abilities you learn as you get older.

Cub Scouting Adventures

Cub Scouts complete adventures as they work toward achieving each rank. The adventures are different for each rank, allowing Cub Scouts to learn new age-appropriate skills and explore new topics each year.

Cub Scouts have the opportunity to earn both required and elective recognition devices as they work toward their ranks. They also can earn recognition for additional elective adventures they choose to complete beyond those required for their rank. Tiger, Wolf, and Bear Scouts earn adventure loops to be worn on their belt, and Webelos Scouts earn pins they can wear on their Webelos colors or Webelos cap.

Awards for Your Den and Pack

Just as Cub Scouts can earn individual awards for themselves, they can also work together to earn awards for their whole den or their pack. Getting together to work on these awards is a great way to practice teamwork and to show every Cub Scout how important he is as a member of his den or pack.

National Den Award

The National Den Award recognizes dens that have a quality, year-round program. The award goes to dens that do service and conservation projects, field trips, character building, and camping. Dens earn the award as a team, not as individual den members. The recognition is a ribbon for the den flag or den doodle.

National Summertime Pack Award

A pack can earn the National Summertime Pack Award by doing three pack activities when school is out for the summer—one activity each in June,July, and August. Packs that qualify get a colorful streamer for their packflag. Dens that have at least half of their members at the three summer pack events can earn a den ribbon. Pack members who take part in all three events are eligible for the National Summertime Pack Award pin, to wear on the right pocket flap of their uniform.

Scouting’s Journey to Excellence

“Scouting’s Journey to Excellence” is the BSA’s new council performance recognition program designed to encourage and reward success and measure the performance of units, districts, and councils.

Veteran Unit Emblem

This emblem is a gold embroidered bar worn by boys and adult leaders of packs that have been chartered 50 years or longer. It is worn just below the council patch, above and touching the pack numeral.

William T. Hornaday Unit Award

The Hornaday Awards program encourages learning about natural resources, conservation, and the environment. Respecting the outdoors is an important part of Scouting. Scouts learn to understand and take care of natural resources and to protect the environment.

A Cub Scout pack may earn this award by doing a big, special conservation project. More than half of the pack’s members must take part.