What does the rank of Eagle Scout mean to the military?

So, I'm an Eagle Scout, and I'm a life member of NESA. I carry my Eagle Scout ID card with me in my wallet. I am absolutely unashamed of being an Eagle Scout and everyone in my division knows that I am. It was also automatic E-3 when I enlisted, which if you look at the pay charts is a $400/month pay difference tight off the bat.

Last year, I applied to the Navy's Seaman To Admiral program. Part of the process is to interview with a board of three O-3s and my Commanding Officer, followed by an board of three O-3s and the C.O. from another command. My second board was with officers and the captain of the USE NIMITZ (CVN 68). The interview lasted about an hour and a half total. Halfway through, Capt. Ring asked me what sorts of extra-curricular activities I had done in high school, and I told him that I'm an Eagle Scout, we spent the rest of the interview talking about my Scouting experience and what things I learned as a Boy Scout that applied to being a leader in the Navy. Bear in mind, this was now eight years after I earned Eagle Scout and aged out of the program, and I spent 45 minutes of an interview for a commissioning program talking with a senior O-6 about what it means to be an Eagle Scout.

Earning the rank of Eagle Scout as a teenager was the defining achievements of my life at the time; truly, there was little else I could have done to demonstrate personal initiative, leadership, and sticktoitiveness at that level. It is a lifelong achievement, which why it is recognized by the military for immediate meritorious advacement, and numerous other organizations as an honor of immense value. The former supply officer on my ship is also an Eagle Scout and he credits that achievement as the reason why he was accepted to the Naval Academy.

My advice to every Eagle Scout I meet in the military: don't hide it. You earned that title, and it is an immensely important part of who you are as a person. I would be willing to bet that everyone here who is advising to not talk about it probably isn't an Eagle Scout.

Hope this helps

Regardless of the pay grade or entry it allows you, its the raising of a young man giving him all the tools for future success in the military. The successes and challenges to gain Eagle only enhance one's ability to assimilate, succeed and conquer the basics in the military. The community social aspect where the honor code to help others is basic to all things required while treating others with dignity and respect really go a long way. Eagles have a solid foundation/base that allows them to exceed the performance of their peers regardless of rank (PVT-PFC, WO1, 2LT). .02

*I am not an Eagle Scout due to my father thinking it cost to much $$$ to go to BSA.

As others have said, the rank gives you an immediate promotion (at least in the Army). While that promotion comes with essentially no practical authority, it is a nice bump in pay and puts you further on your way up the ranks. The military itself doesn't care past that.

The experience behind it (and Scouting in general), though, gives you an immense personal benefit, though. I'm an Eagle Scout, and much that I had learned in those years (first aid, land nav, etc) gave me a good foundation to build off of in Basic and later on. Not having to learn those skills from scratch made life much easier, and I was also better prepared for some of the living & working conditions I encountered in the military compared to my some of my peers.

Most people, other than fellow Scouters, won't care. Having that skill and leadership foundation, though, can set you on a good path when you build on that as you go along.