Arrow of Light (AOL) is the highest rank attainable in the

Cub Scouts Cubs or Wolf Cubs are programs associated with some Scouting, Scout organizations, for young children, usually between 8 and 12, who are too young to be Scouts and make the Scout Promise. A participant in the program is called a Cub and a gro ...

program of

Scouting America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...

. Introduced in 1972 as an award for Cub Scouts who remained in the scouting program, it has since become a separate rank of its own. The Arrow of Light rank may be earned by fifth-grade members of the Cub Scout program. Requirements include completing at least eight adventures, six of which are mandatory for the award. Unlike

Scouts BSA Scouts BSA (known as Boy Scouts until 2019) is the flagship program and membership level of Scouting America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations i ...

, where scouts must complete every rank before attaining

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over ...

, all Cub Scouts who meet the program's membership requirements may earn the AOL rank.

History

In 1941, the Webelos award was introduced to the program to recognize scouts who had excelled in the Cub Scout program and continued into Boy Scouts. The Lion rank was dropped in 1967 and replaced by the Webelos rank, and the Arrow of Light award was created in 1972 to fill the gap left by the Webelos award. In 2024, AOL was transitioned to a standalone rank for fifth graders, instead of an additional award.

Requirements

To earn the Arrow of Light rank, the Cub Scout must complete six required adventures, two of sixteen elective adventures, and child abuse prevention exercises. The six required adventures are Bobcat, Outdoor Adventurer, Personal Fitness, Citizenship, First Aid, and Duty to God.

Recognition

Cub Scouts who earn the AOL rank receive a rectangular badge with a gold arrow design. Emanating from the arrow are seven rays, representing wisdom, courage, self-control, justice, faith, hope, and love. Cub Scout packs may also decide to recognize their AOLs with plaques or certificates. Adult Scouters with the AOL rank may wear a red and green square knot patch on their uniform. Both Cub Scouts and Scouts wear the Arrow of Light badge below the left pocket. Adults wear the square-knot version of the badge above the left pocket.

Progression to Scouts BSA

Earning the Arrow of Light allows a youth to join a

troop at ten years of age instead of eleven. The adventure requirements for AOL are shorter than those for the Webelos rank to accommodate for the fact that AOLs traditionally bridge to a Scouts BSA troop between January and March of their fifth-grade school year. The requirements for the AOL badge prepare the Cub Scouts for Scouts BSA without significantly repeating the requirements for the first rank in Scouts BSA, i.e. Scout. The AOL handbook incorporates pages from the Scouts BSA handbook for the Scout rank, so that families do not have to purchase two handbooks in the same year. The Arrow of Light award is the only Cub Scout award that can be worn on the Scouts BSA uniform.

References

{{reflist Scouting in the United States Boy Scouts of America