Knot of the Week: Arrow of Light Award

When you see a fellow Scouter wearing this red, green, and yellow knot, what does it tell you?

For us, it’s a sign that this Scouter was dedicated to the program from a very young age. So dedicated, in fact, that he earned the Arrow of Light Award, the pinnacle of Cub Scouting, before he even turned 12 years old.

And did you know that it’s one of just two items a Scouter may wear on his uniform from his days as a Cub Scout?(The other is the youth religious award knot.) Also, it’s one of just a handful of square knots that have a de facto age requirement—another is the Eagle Scout Award—because you can only earn them as a youth.

Boys who earn the Arrow of Light hone their outdoor skills, get physically fit, and understand and practice the values of Scouting. It signifies they’ve completed all of the requirements for a Scout badge and are permitted to join a Boy Scout troop.

We don’t look at the Arrow of Light as the culmination of a Cub Scout journey. Instead, we see it as the beginning of a Scouting adventure.

Chime In: Do you have the Arrow of Light award? What does it mean to you? What is your favorite Cub Scout memory? Let us know by adding your comment below.

CORRECTION: The article previously stated that the Arrow of Light is the only award from Cub Scouts that can be worn on an adult uniform. Thanks to Jon for pointing out that the religious award fits those criteria as well. 

Comments

[Art Gelwicks]

As a Venturing Crew adviser I do occasionally get kidded about wearing my Arrow of Light patch on my Class A. I wear it because when I got it I left Scouting for various reasons and it shows the continuation of my journey and growth in Scouting now.

[Jon]

I thought that youth religious awards and the knot can be worn as an adult - so it isn't the ONLY award from Cub Scouting that can be worn as an adult.

[Craig Bailey]

I wear my Arrow of Light knot, right beside my Eagle Scout knot. As a unit commissioner who serves a pack and a troop, I feel confident in situations where new leaders need counsel if they were never youths in either or both of the programs

[Richard Whalen]

The Arrow of Light award did not exist when I left Cub Scouts for Boy Scouts (1970), but I still wear the knot because I spent 4 years in Cub Scouts and then continued with Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts until I was 18. I finished with the rank of Life.