All Insignia Left Front Service/Tenure Awards

Adult Religious Service Award

Emblem Description: Deep purple square knot on grey (silver) background with silver Mylar border.

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters There are several adult religious service emblems/awards offered through religious organizations and church bodies to adult volunteers of youth programs, including Cub Scouters, Boy/Varsity Scouters, and Venturing leaders. These awards are NOT awarded by the BSA but ratherthrough religious institutions. Here is a link to a description of those awards, how to nominate someonefor award of the emblems, and color illustrations of what each award looks like.

The square knot emblem is worn by those whom have received a religious emblem or award

The God and Service Award, an example of one of the adult religious service awards

Distinguished Eagle Scout Award

National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) Life Member Scans provided by Terry Grove

National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award device shown on square knot emblem Scan provided by Mike Walton

Emblem Description: Square knot composed of red, white and blue intertwined rope, with two blue tips worn toward wearer's right and with the addition of the gold Eagle Scout device in the center of the knot emblem; and the special Outstanding Eagle Scout Award device in the center of the knot emblem.
Square knot emblem for Life Members of the NESA is the same except for the silver Mylar border. Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Outstanding Eagle Scout Award and/or Eagle Palms are worn in same manner.

Nominative Award

This square knot/device combination is worn by those Eagle Scouts honored by the BSA with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, a special gold Eagle suspended from a red, white and blue neck ribbon. First awarded in 1969, this is a special award not for earning all of the available merit badges.

Distinguished Eagle Scout Award

The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award recognizes Eagle Scouts whom have attained a high level of recognition or personal achievement in their chosen career field or employment over a 25-year or longer period of time. The Award SHOULD NOT be presented during a BSA event (unless the person being honored is a BSA professional or employee) but rather during a event of the employer or national organization of the Eagle Scouts's career or work field (for instance, during the Association of the United States Army's annual conference in the case of Army military personnel being honored with the Award; or part of a corporate national annual meeting or conference in the case of most businesses or firms.)

Outstanding Eagle Scout Award

The NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA), first presented in 2009, is a prestigious recognition granted by the local council’s NESA committee to Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated outstanding achievement at the local, state, or regional level. Unlike the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, which is a national award, the NOESA recognizes Eagle Scouts whose efforts have made a positive impact closer to home.

The presentation of this award should be conducted with the highest level of honor. Often, these men have devoted a lifetime to their profession, avocation, community, and beliefs, at great sacrifice to themselves and their families. Each recipient should receive recognition worthy of a lifetime’s accomplishments.

The NESA Eagle Scout Life Member emblem is worn by life members of the National Eagle Scout Association. It is intended to be a REPLACEMENT for the standard Eagle Scout square knot insignia. Only ONE Eagle Scout emblem -- either the standard Eagle Scout square knot OR the NESA Life member square knot emblem is worn.

If a Scouter is a holder of Eagle Palms to his Eagle Scout Award, the highest combination of palms are placed centered onto the square knot insignia. If the holder is also a Distingushed/Outstanding Eagle Scout Award holder, EITHER the gold/silver Eagle device or the Palms are worn with the square knot insignia at the option of the holder -- not both. The same policy applies with the NESA Life Member knot emblem.

Silver World Award

Emblem Description: Blue globe with three stars on red and white striped background with dark green border. Emblem is worn with two stars to wearer's right. Colors correspond to red, white striped ribbon on medal.

Worn by: Individuals whom have been presented this award by the Chief Scout Executive, National President, International Commissioner BSA, or other designated person acting on their behalf.

Nominative Award

The Silver World Award was originially designed for presentation to adults for distinguished service to youth on a national or international scale, and whom are not registered members of the BSA. The Chief Scout Executive, National President and the BSA's International Commissioner had the group authority to authorize the award to anyone that they chose.

This created several situations whereby the Silver World Award was indeed awarded to BSA Scouters. The awards were suspended between 1994 and 2002 by action of the National Executive Board until much narrow requirements for the award were developed.

Silver World Award

This award is scheduled to be discontinued in 2015.

Before the review and revision of the award in 2009, it is estimated that of the 57 or so Scouters whom were presented the award for international service to the BSA's Scouting programs, that more than half were presented to Scouters belonging to the former Direct Service Council, the Canal Zone Council, or to a stateside local Council. As of 2013, 118 awards have been approved and granted. Very Rare.

Silver Buffalo Award

Emblem Description: Square knot consisting of red and white ropes, with red rope worn toward wearer's right.

Silver Buffalo Award

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters.

Nominative Award

The Silver Buffalo Award is awarded upon action of the National Execuitve Board of the Boy Scouts of America to volunteers Scouters and other individuals for service to youth on a national basis or over a significant period of national service to a youth agency or in actions affecting young people. The Silver Buffalo Award is the traditional award presented to the Honorary President of the Boy Scouts of America (the President of the United States) sometime during their term of office. Very Rare.

Silver Antelope Award

Emblem Description: Square knot consisting of orange and white ropes, with orange rope worn toward wearer's right.

Silver Antelope Award

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters.

Nominative Award

The Silver Antelope Award is presented upon action of the Regional Executive Board of one of the BSA's Regions for service to youth within the Region or for longtime service to youth by a registered Scouter residing within that Region. Rare.

Silver Beaver Award
Silver Fawn Award (discontinued)

Emblem Description: Square knot consisting of light blue and white ropes, with light blue rope worn toward wearer's right.

Silver Beaver Award

Silver Fawn Award (discontinued)

Worn by: Silver Beaver - Male and Female Scouters; Silver Fawn - Female Scouters.

Nominative Award

The Silver Beaver Award is presented upon action of a Council Executive Board of one of the BSA's 262 local Councils or the International Division for service to youth within a local Council or for longtime service to youth by a registered Scouter with service within several local Councils over an extended period of time. Normallly, the Silver Beaver is awarded for service to Scouting for at least ten years or longer but may be awarded for as little as three years of service to youth or Scouting.

A previous award called the Silver Fawn Award, was presented to female Cub Scouters and other female BSA members from 1967 to 1974. This award was discontinued in 1974 and those Silver Fawn holders were given the option to convert their Silver Fawn Award to the Silver Beaver Award. Many did not convert their award and some later received the Silver Beaver Award for their continued service to Scouting.

Over the years, many local Councils consolidated, merged, or were split to form new local Councils. As a result, there is the possibility that some volunteers have been awarded a SECOND Silver Beaver Award. This is very rare and should not but has occured. Only ONE Silver Beaver square knot emblem should be worn by holders of two Silver Beaver Awards or the holders of both Silver Fawn and Silver Beaver Awards. There is no device or emblem symbolizing a second or subsequent award authorized for wear.

The square knot insignia for both Silver Beaver and Fawn is the same as shown above.

Career (professional and professional-technical) members of the Boy Scouts of America may receive the Silver Beaver Award upon concurrance of their Council Scout Executive and the Deputy Chief Scout Executive, BSA, for their roles as volunteer Scouters only or for their volunteer service to youth five or more years after they have retired or left the profession of Scouting. They may not be recommended for this award based upon any aspect of their professional service to youth or the local Council. (More recent nomination forms will contain this information.)

District/Division Award of Merit

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a silver Mylar overhand knot on a deep blue background with a silver Mylar border.

District/Division Award of Merit plaque

District/Division Award of Merit certificate (plaque by John Burkhart; certificate provided by Mike Walton)

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

Nominative Award

The District/Division Award of Merit is awarded by a District or Venturing Division to registered Scouters for service to youth in the District or Division. Normally, the award is presented for service to youth in excess of five years.

Under special circumstances, a registered Scouter may receive a second District/Division Award of Merit for his or her service to youth in an reorganized District or Division or as part of another local Council (such circumstances are rare, but may be approved by a Council's Scout Executive). There are no provisions for the wearing of a device or emblem officially to denote the second or subsequent awards. Unofficially, those Award holders that have received more than one may wear a small Universal (Boy Scout) program device centered on the knot. The BSA has no official records of any volunteer or professional receiving the Award of Merit in more than two separate Districts or Divisions.

Nomination materials currently contain a statement which discourages District Award nominating committees in recommending individuals for a second or subsequent District Award of Merit since the Award was designed to be awarded once in the life of a volunteer Scouter.

Career (professional and professional-technical) members of the Boy Scouts of America may receive the District Award of Merit upon concurrance of their Council Scout Executive and the Deputy Chief Scout Executive, BSA, for their roles as volunteer Scouters only or for their volunteer service to youth five or more years after they have retired or left the profession of Scouting. They may not be recommended for this award based upon any aspect of their professional service to youth or the local Council. (More recent nomination forms will contain this information.)

Distinguished Commissioner Awards

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a silver (grey) square knot on a deep red background with a silver border. The colors are taken from the colors of the insignia of unit, district and council commissioners.

Distinguished Commisioner Service Award plaque

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters.

Nominative Award

The Distinguished Commissioner Service Award is presented to unit, Assistant District, District, Assistant Council, and Council Commissioners whom have served activily as a registered commissioner for at least five years, have completed the Commissioner training courses, received the Arrowhead Honor Award, and whose units/District/Council has achieved a level of quality through the BSA's Quality Unit/District/Council program. The award consists of a plaque and boloties for informal wear. One knot emblem is worn regardless of the number of times a Commissioner has been honored with the Award and no devices are worn with the knot emblem. Rare.

International Scouting Service Award

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a purple and white square knot with a purple border.

International Scouting Service Award certificate

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters.

Application Award

The International Scouting Service Award is awarded to volunteer Scouters for completing a listof various activities, training and awareness activities as a registered Scouter. The award consists ofa certificate signed by the International Division and the Council's Scout Executive and the purple andwhite square knot insignia. The application materials are located at this location. Rare.

Order of the Arrow (OA) Distinguished Service Award

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a white square knot on a red background. The colors are taken from the colors of the ribbon of the award as well as the colors of the Order of the Arrow.

Order of the Arrow (OA) Distinguished Service Award

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters.

Nominative Award

The Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award is presented to Arrowmen that have given for a significant period of time service to the Order of Arrow or to Scouting at any level beyond the local Lodge (which is part of the local Council) level. Most Arrowmen receiving this award were youth members serving as leaders at the Sectional, Regional or National level. Most adult Arrowmen receiving this award have served as Arrowmen for an extended period of time, normally more than ten years. The award consists of a silver arrowhead with an arrow through it, suspended from a white ribbon with small red arrows centered on the ribbon throughout, a certificate and the square knot emblem. Rare.

Spurgeon Award

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a gold (yellow) knot on a kelly green background with a gold (yellow) border. Colors were taken from the gold color of the lapel pin and the kelly green Explorer uniform.

Spurgeon Award Plaque and Pin

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters; Pin only is worn by Learning for Life/Exploring leaders. Square knot insignia discontinued in 2013.

Nominative Award

The Spurgeon Award was presented to adult Exploring leaders and to businesses and organizations at both the national and local Council level for service and support given to the old Exploring program. Only those who receive the award as an individual wear the square knot insignia.

When Exploring went to the Learning for Life Corporation in 1998, it became their volunteer service award and only the plaque and pin are presented. The current award consists of a plaque (and for individuals only, a tie-tac). Rare.

Young Service Award

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a black and white knot with a red border. The knot emblem is worn with the black rope toward the wearer's right.

Whitney Young Jr. Service Award (Lapel pin provided by Mike Walton; Plaque scan provided by Robert Rescott)

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

Nominative Award

The Young Award is presented to Scouters and to businesses and organizations at both the national and local Council level for service and support given to the Scouting program presented in either rural or urban areas of the Council or nationally. Only the awards presented to individuals wear the square knot. The award consists of a plaque, tie-tac (for individuals only) and square knot insignia.Very Rare.

Vale la Pena Hispanic Scouting Service Award

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of green and gold ropes tied in a square knot on a red background and border. The knot emblem is worn with the green rope toward the wearer's right. The colors gold and green represent the two primary programs of Scouting -- Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting -- and the red represents the Scouting "family". These are also colors important to the Hispanic community as well.

Vale la Pena Hispanic Scouting Service Award

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

Nominative Award

The Vale la Pena Hispanic Scouting Service Award is presented to volunteer and professional Scouters as well as to organizations at both the national and local Council level for service and support given to the Scouting program in supporting Hispanic Scouting efforts at either the local Council or national levels. Only the awards presented to individuals wear the square knot insignia. The award consists of a certificate, a medallion suspended from a ribbon (for individuals only) and the square knot emblem (for individuals only). Rare.

Thanks to "Good ol' Beaver" (t33sm@aol.com) for the scan of the knot emblem.

Asian Scouting Service Award

Emblem Description: Current emblem is composed of dark green and white ropes tied in a square knot on a royal purple background and border. The knot emblem is worn with the dark green rope toward the wearer's right. The original emblem was composed of black and white ropes tied in a square knot on a royal purple background. The colors black and white refer to the "ying" and "yang" which according to several Asian country's lore, are the two sides of each of our souls. The knot symbolizes the importance of having both sides in balance, to which Scouting assists within the Asian communities. The royal purple color is seen as a color of royality according to many Asians and lends itself to the importance of this special service award. There is no information on why the color was changed to dark green.

Asian-American Scouting Service Award

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

Nominative Award

The Asian-American Scouting Service Award is presented to volunteer and professional Scouters and to organizations at both the national and local Council level for service and support given to the Asian Scouting program at either the local Council or national levels. Only the awards presented to individuals wear the square knot. The award consists of a certificate, a medallion suspended from a ribbon (for individuals only) and knot emblem (for individuals only). Rare.

Thanks to "Good ol' Beaver" (t33sm@aol.com) for the scan of the knot emblem.

Scouting Service Award square knot emblem

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of bronze and silver (white) ropes tied in a square knot on a dark green background with a gold (yellow) border. (I was informed that the background color should be black instead of dark green.) The knot emblem is worn with the bronze rope toward the wearer's right. The rope colors corresponds to the various colors of the medallions and certificates presented to Scouters for their Scouting service while serving several subcommunities within Scouting.

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

Nominative Award

As a move toward consolidating many of the national awards associated with a "square knot", this emblem was proposed and approved to replace the wearing of the following award "knot emblems":

• Whitney Young Jr. Service Award


• Vale la Pena Hispanic Scouting Service Award


• Asian-American Scouting Service Award

George Meany Award (square knot emblem discontinued)

Emblem Description: Emblem is composed of a bright blue square knot on a red and white fully embrodered background. The knot emblem isworn so that the red side of the award is on the wearer's right as shown. A few years ago, a small batch of these emblems were produced with the colors reversed (so that the white side would be worn on the wearer's right) and the BSA asked for those knot emblems back and the current ones were provided to holders of the Award. The knot emblem shown is the official BSA version representing the Award. In the fall of 2011, the Meany Award will be "rolled into" the Community Service Award (below). While the medallion and certificate will continue to be awarded by the BSA's Labor Relationships team, the square knot shown here will be retired and replaced with the Community Service Award square knot shown below. Current holders may continue to wear the present knot emblem.

Scan provided by John White

Meany Labor Relationships Award

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

Nominative Award

The Meany Labor Relationships Award is presented to Scouters and to union organizations at both the national and local Council level for service and support given to the Scouting program at either the local Council or national levels. Only the awards presented to individuals wear the square knot. The award consists of a plaque, a medallion suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon (for individuals only) and knot emblem. Rare. Scouters receiving this award have the option of wearing EITHER the Meany Labor Relationships Award square knot emblem (recommended) OR the Community Service Award knot emblem (below) to represent the Meany Award -- NOT BOTH -- to denote the award of the Meany Labor Award UNTIL August 2011. After that time, the Meany Labor Award will only be presented with the Community Service Award square knot emblem (shown below). Current holders may continue to wear the present Meany Labor Relationships Award square knot emblem.

Community Service Award

Emblem Description: Gold (yellow) square knot on deep purple background with gold (yellow) border.

Worn by: Male and Female Scouters

There are several adult community service emblems/awards offered through organizations and bodies primariliy to adult volunteers of youth programs, including Cub Scouters, Boy/Varsity Scouters, and Venturing leaders for service to youth over a prolonged period of time. The BSA's Relationships Division Local BSA Councils since August 2011 certifies the national, regional, state, or local award and releases this square knot emblem for informal wear by adult Scouters. Youth members may not wear this knot emblem presently.

The square knot emblem shown above is worn by those whom have received one of the below awards recognized by the BSA's Relationships Division while serving as a registered adult member of the BSA.

The DOD's Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, an example of an adult community service award

The awards are NOT BSA awards; they are awards presented by a community service, fraternal, corporate or governmental organization for education, service and/or devotion to youth. Only ONE award square knot is worn, no matter how many times the holder receives a second or subsequent community service award as an adult member. No devices are worn with this knot emblem. Links are provided below for more information about each specific award.

As of 1 August 2013, there are sixteen nationally-presented and recognized awards which qualify: They are:

• Marvin M. Lewis Award of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE)
• Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Scouter's Achievement Award
• American Legion Scouters' Award
• Department of Defense(DoD)/Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
• Herbert G. Horton Youth Service Award of the Alpha Phi Omega national service fraternity
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Good Turn Service Award
• United States Power Squadrons' (USPS) Finley Scout Service Award
• The Cliff Dochterman Scouting Service Award for Rotarians and Rotaractors
• Ruritan National Service Clubs Scout Leader Community Service Award
• National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Robert E. Burt Boy Scout Volunteer Award
• AMVET Boy Scouts of America Youth Outreach Award
• Military Order of the World Wars Award
• Lions Clubs International: Scouting Service Award
• Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (formerly American Humanics) H. Roe Bartle Training Award
• and the George Meany Award of the American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) (see note above within the Meany Labor Award description concerning discontinuance of the Meany Award square knot insignia effective 1 August 2011.)

Registered adult members wear the square knot emblem on the uniform; some awards come with tie tacs or other items for wear with civilian clothing and those items may not be worn on the BSA's uniforms. As of 8 August 2016, the BSA's Program Relationships Team has not still approved the wear of the knot insignia by youth members although several of these awards may be presented to a BSA Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, or Venturing youth member.

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