Pioneering

Pioneering requirements

1. Do the following:

   a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you might encounter while participating in pioneering activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.

   b. Discuss the prevention of, and first-aid treatment for, injuries and conditions that could occur while working on pioneering projects, including rope splinters, rope burns, cuts, scratches, insect bites and stings, hypothermia, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, sunburn, and falls.

2. Do the following:

   a. Demonstrate the basic and West Country methods of whipping a rope. Fuse the ends of a rope.

   b. Demonstrate how to tie the following knots: clove hitch, butterfly knot, roundturn with two half hitches, rolling hitch, water knot, carrick bend, sheepshank, and sheet bend.

   c. Demonstrate and explain when to use the following lashings: square, diagonal, round, shear, tripod, and floor lashing.

3. Explain why it is useful to be able to throw a rope, then demonstrate how to coil and throw a 40-foot length of 1/4- or 3/8-inch rope. Explain how to improve your throwing distance by adding weight to the end of your rope.
4. Explain the differences between synthetic ropes and natural fiber ropes. Discuss which types of rope are suitable for pioneering work and why. Include the following in your discussion: breaking strength, safe working loads, and the care and storage of rope.
5. Explain the uses for the back splice, eye splice, and short splice. Using 1/4- or 3/8-inch three-stranded rope, demonstrate how to form each splice.
6. Using a rope-making device or machine, make a rope at least 6 feet long consisting of three strands, each having three yarns. Whip the ends.
7. Explain the importance of effectively anchoring a pioneering project. Describe to your counselor the 1-1-1 anchoring system and the log-and-stake anchoring methods.
8. With the approval of your counselor, demonstrate and use a rope tackle. Be sure the rope tackle is secured properly. Explain the advantages and limitations of using a rope tackle. Describe the potential damage that friction can do to a rope.

   All pioneering projects constructed for this merit badge must comply with height standards as outlined in the Guide to Safe Scouting.

9. By yourself, build a trestle using square and diagonal lashings. Explain why trestles are used when constructing pioneering projects.
10. With the approval of your counselor and using appropriate lashings and pioneering techniques, build and use one full-size pioneering project from either group A or group B. Your project must comply with the requirements of the Guide to Safe Scouting.

    Group A: Tower OR bridge

    Anchor your project as appropriate and necessary. Explain how your anchoring system works. Group A projects may be worked on in a group and with others.

    Group B: Camp chair OR camp table

    Group B projects must be worked on individually.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Requirements, 2018 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #641568)

A FREE workbook for Pioneering is available here! (PDF or Word) with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Pioneering requirements.

meritbadge.org has PDF and Word versions of workbooks for Scouts BSA ranks and merit badges, Webelos adventures, Cub Scout ranks and adventures, and Nova awards.

• Per the BSA: "You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject." The Pioneering merit badge pamphlet can purchased at ScoutSthop.org or at your local Scout Shop.
• "Get a signed Application for Merit Badge ... from your unit leader." An electronic, fillable, and printable PDF file version is available.

• Scouts BSA ranks: Scout - Tenderfoot - Second Class - First Class
• Scouts BSA awards: Firem'n Chit - Totin' Chip - Paul Bunyan Woodsman - National Outdoor Badges - National Medal for Outdoor Achievement
• Scouts BSA Merit Badges: Archaeology - Archery - Astronomy - Athletics - Backpacking - Bird Study - Camping - Canoeing - Climbing - Cooking - Cycling - Environmental Science - Farm Mechanics - Fire Safety - Fish and Wildlife Management - Fishing - Fly-Fishing - Forestry - Gardening - Geocaching - Geology - Golf - Hiking - Horsemanship - Insect Study - Kayaking - Mammal Study - Motorboating - Nature - Oceanography - Orienteering - Personal Fitness - Pioneering - Reptile and Amphibian Study - Rifle Shooting - Rowing - Scuba Diving - Search and Rescue - Shotgun Shooting - Signs, Signals, and Codes - Skating - Small-Boat Sailing - Snow Sports - Soil and Water Conservation - Space Exploration - Sports - Surveying - Swimming - Traffic Safety - Weather - Water Sports - Whitewater - Wilderness Survival
• Venturing: Wilderness Survival Ranger Core - Backpacking Ranger Award elective - National Outdoor Badges - National Medal for Outdoor Achievement
• Sea Scouts: National Outdoor Badges - National Medal for Outdoor Achievement

• An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc.
• Merit Badge revision dates – latest revision dates of each merit badge pamphlet.
• Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need.
• Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc.
• Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed?
• Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list.
• Also see: List of how many youths have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days
• Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries
• Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.)
• See Submitting New Merit Badge Ideas for guidance on how to submit suggestions for new merit badges to BSA.