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Of course lets not mention Boy Scout's little secrete about their merit programs. The difficulty of obtaining the Eagle Scout rank (as well as all the others) has dropped significantly over the last decade.

These days it seems the Boy Scouts are giving this stuff away. An Eagle scout today isn't the same as 10 or especially 20 years ago.

You're full of crap! I've been a Scoutmaster for the past 5 years, and I've seen the merit badge program increase in difficulty significantly! The Eagles today are as great, or better, than they ever were.

An Eagle scout today isn't the same as 10 or especially 20 years ago.

I still take my hat off to any young man that perseveres. Congratulations are in order. At least their time wasn't dominated with Zork!

Most tests of skill and endurance are less than they used to be... Political correctness and "equal opportunity" have done them in!

...While in Receiving, you'll be given the Initial Strength Test (IST). To pass (and avoid the Physical Conditioning Platoon), you'll be required to do 2 dead-hang pull-ups, 44 crunches in 2 minutes, and a 1.5 mile run in 13.5 minutes (males). Females are required to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes, perform a flex-arm hang of 12 seconds, and do 44 crunches in 2 minutes... -about.com