The Silver Buffalo Award is the national-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on a national basis, either as part of, or independent of the Scouting program. The award is made by the National Court of Honor and the recipient need not be a registered member of the BSA.
Buffalo Statue, donated to Gilwell Park by the Boy Scouts of America in 1926
The award consists of a silver buffalo (American bison) medal suspended from a red and white ribbon worn around the neck. Recipients may wear the corresponding square knot, with a white strand over a red strand, on the BSA uniform.[1]
Using the United States military as the model, silver awards are the highest awards in the BSA.[2][3]
History
Silver Buffalo award and citation presented to the Unknown Scout
The Silver Buffalo Award was created in 1925[4] based on the Silver Wolf Award of the Boy Scout Association.[5] The buffalo pendant was designed by A. Phimister Proctor. A red-white-red ribbon bar was introduced in 1934 for informal uniform wear. In 1946, ribbon bars were replaced by the current square knot insignia.[6]
During the first presentation in 1926, twenty-two awards were presented in a particular order determined by Chief Scout ExecutiveJames E. West. Since then, the awards have been presented on an annual basis in alphabetical order. The first Silver Buffalo Award was conferred upon Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouting movement and Chief Scout of the World.[7] This award is represented by a small buffalo statue in Gilwell Park. The second went to the Unknown Scout who inspired William D. Boyce to form the BSA. In 1928, the World War I soldier buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns was awarded the Silver Buffalo for distinguished service to America's youth.[8]
Seven husband/wife pairs have earned the Silver Buffalo, Ronald Reagan 1982 and Nancy Reagan 1988, Donna Cunningham 2003 and Larry Cunningham 2009, Wayne M. Perry 2006 and Christine Perry 2016, Gail and Dale Coyne 2011, Edward Arnold 2011 and Jeanne Arnold 2013, George F. Francis, III 2001 and Elaine Smith Francis 2013, and Justin D. (Dan) McCarthy 2012 and Carol McCarthy 2017.[9]
For fifty years the Silver Buffalo was awarded only to men until Elizabeth G. Knight and LaVern W. Parmley became the first women to receive the honor in 1976.[11] As of 2024, 43 women have received the award.
As of 2024, there have been 864 individual recipients and three group recipients for a total of 867 distinct awards. The group recipients are the 2001 award to The Oak Ridge Boys, the 2011 award to Gail and Dale Coyne, and the 2022 award to the Survivors of Abuse in Scouting.
Within Camp Sandy Beach at Yawgoog Scout Reservation, a campsite has been named "Silver Buffalo" in recognition of all those who have earned the distinguished award.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). 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 2.5 million youth.
Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America is a tradition dating from the inception of the Scouting movement. A fundamental purpose of advancement is the self-confidence a young man or woman acquires from his participation in Scouting. Advancement is one of the methods used in the "Aims and Methods of Scouting"– character development, citizenship training and personal fitness.
The National Eagle Scout Association is an organization of individuals who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America. NESA's stated objective is "to serve Eagle Scouts and, through them, the entire movement of Scouting."
William Hillcourt, known within the Scouting movement as "Green Bar Bill", was an influential leader in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) organization from 1927 to 1992. Hillcourt was a prolific writer and teacher in the areas of woodcraft, troop and patrol structure, and training; his written works include three editions of the BSA's official Boy Scout Handbook, with over 12.6 million copies printed, other Scouting-related books and numerous magazine articles. Hillcourt developed and promoted the American adaptation of the Wood Badge adult Scout leader training program.
Joseph A. Brunton Jr. was a career professional for the Boy Scouts of America, and served the BSA National Council as the fourth Chief Scout Executive from 1960 to 1966.
Richards Marion "Doc" Miller is a dentist and one of the founders of the Venturing program of the Boy Scouts of America. Miller is the recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and Silver Buffalo Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award (DESA) is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is awarded to an Eagle Scout who has achieved extraordinary national-level recognition, fame, or eminence within their profession and/or service to the nation and has a strong record of voluntary service to their community. Stringent criteria begins with a minimum of 25 years from the official record date the Eagle Scout rank was earned, a nomination process, selection committee review, and approval by the National Eagle Scout Association. It is one of only two BSA awards presented to adults dependent upon the recipient's having been awarded Eagle Scout as a youth; the other is the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA). Recipients of the DESA are known as Distinguished Eagle Scouts.
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Upon nomination by their local Scout council and with the approval of the National Court of Honor, recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not seek it.
The Silver Antelope Award is a distinguished service award presented by the Boy Scouts of America for outstanding service to young people. From 1942 to 2021 it recognized service within one of the geographical regions of the BSA. Beginning in 2022, with a reorganization of the BSA, it is presented for service in a national service territory.
Square knot insignia are embroidered cloth patches that represent awards of the Scout associations throughout the world.
The Silver World Award is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is presented for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth on an international basis. Recipients must be a citizen of a country with a Scouting program that is a member of the World Scout Conference. Registered members of the BSA are not eligible for this award.
The Young American Award is an award of the Boy Scouts of America for outstanding college students ages 19 through 25 who have achieved excellence in the fields of art, athletics, business, community service, education, government, humanities, literature, music, religion, and science; and have given service to their community, state, and/or country.
The William T. Hornaday Awards were a series of awards presented by the Boy Scouts of America for service in conservation and ecology. The program is designed to encourage learning about natural resource conservation and the environment, teach sound stewardship of the natural resources and the environment, and recognize those who are outstanding in this field. Considered to be the highest service award a youth could earn in the Boy Scouts, it was a rare and highly prized medal, with only 1,200 medals being awarded in its more than 100 year history. In an effort to distance itself from the controversial history of Dr. Hornaday, the Boy Scouts of America formally retired the William T. Hornaday awards in October of 2020, creating the BSA Distinguished Conservation Awards in its place.
It is important to distinguish between awards,honors, and membership levels in the Order of the Arrow – the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America. The Founder's Award, the Red Arrow Award, and the Distinguished Service Award are all awards. Any of the awards of the Order of the Arrow (OA) may be presented to an individual regardless of which membership level they have achieved. The Vigil Honor may only be bestowed upon Brotherhood Members.
The NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). It is awarded to an Eagle Scout by the National Eagle Scout Association for distinguished service to his profession and community upon the recommendation of his local BSA council NESA committee, Scout executive and council president.
Ann W. Nally was a noted leader and author in the Boy Scouts of America from the state of Virginia.
The Venturing Summit is the highest rank for youth in the Venturing program of the Boy Scouts of America. It requires Venturers to earn the Pathfinder Rank, participate in adventures, and demonstrate leadership, service and personal growth.
↑ Rowan, Edward L (2005). To Do My Best: James E. West and the History of the Boy Scouts of America. Las Vegas International Scouting Museum. ISBN0-9746479-1-8.
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