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Antarctic Scout Award

This Award is meant for Eagle scouts.

This program may not be available year to year. Check with your council or national headquarters for the latest news.

The Antarctic Scout joins a team of scientists conducting research during the Antarctic summer. This assignment adds value to the research team by providing assistance in accomplishing the team's missions. As a support member, the scout assists the scientists in the daily activities required to successfully conduct their field research projects. This includes any task from cooking and camp chores to scientific analysis of collected samples.

Historically, the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts have alternated years sending an Eagle Scout or Gold Award winner to Antarctica.
These are some past Antarctic Boy Scouts:

Benjamin Pope, 2005-2006 Antarctic Scout
Brad Range, 2003-2004 Antarctic Scout
Tim Brox, 2001-2002 Antarctic Scout

These are the requirements for candidates for the Boy Scouts of America participation in the National Science Foundation and BSA scientific project to Antarctica.

The candidate must be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.
The candidate must have had a minimum of three years' membership in the BSA.
The candidate must be a high-school graduate and must be at least age 17 1/2 and not yet 21.
The candidate must have earned the Eagle Scout rank.
The applicant must be available for training during the month of September.

Candidates need to submit an Application Form to the BSA national headquarters before February 1.

See BSA page for more info. The medal and knot are not official BSA items and are not permitted to be worn on the official BSA uniform. Local councils may allow them to be worn.

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Comments:
Apr 03, 2013 - Yukon Jack

The pictured medal is the U.S. Armed Forces Antarctica Service Medal. It is NOT a BSA medal and may not be worn on the scouting uniform. Though a military service medal awarded by the Department of Defense, it is frequently awarded to civilians for research work done for a minimum of 15 consectutive days below 60 degrees south latitude. The medal is a one-time award, though for serving a full research winter entitles the recipient to a 'wintered over' disc on the ribbon or bar on the medal itself. The shown square knot is also NOT official BSA issue. It is an aftermarket production woven on the same looms as BSA knots. The BSA has said that they will not recognize it as an official knot due to the miniscule number of scouts/scouters that earn it and the high cost of adding such a rare knot to the insignia inventory. As it is not a BSA knot, no decision has been made in distinguishing between scouts/scouters who earn it through the BSA program, or all other means.

Oct 28, 2013 - Yukon Jack

@ Alex. It isn't. The medal and ribbon is Department of Defense issue. The square knot is designed based upon the military ribbon colors, but is not BSA made or issued. The only part of this program that is BSA-related is the bi-annual selection of one Eagle Scout to intern at the Antarctic Science Station.

Mar 31, 2014 - Josh

The national Science Foundation has cut this program and it no longer exits.

Sep 05, 2015 - Yukon Jack

As of March 2015, Eagle Scout Robert Marks is participating in Antarctic Expedition 2041 for the 2015-2016 year.
blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/03/22/robert-marks/
2041.com/

Nov 04, 2016 - Charles Boone

Do they even still do this? And if so, how can one sign up?

Nov 04, 2016 - Scouter Paul

@Charles - The last recorded participant on scouting.org is from 2006. But, there has been continued talk about re-establishing the program as recently as 2012.
So, right now, the answer is NO, but... fingers crossed.

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