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Troop 40
A Boy Scout troop is made up of several patrols of eight or more boys led by a senior Scout who is the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL). He is aided by as many as two Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders (ASPL). The Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster(s) help oversee the troop meetings. The SPL is elected by the Scouts in the troop. He chooses the ASPL(s). Each patrol also elects a Patrol Leader (PL). Each PL will choose an Assistant Patrol Leader (APL) and a Patrol Quartermaster.
The SPL, ASPL, Scribe, and Patrol leaders and other junior leaders meet once a month to plan the troop meetings and campouts at a Patrol Leaders Council meeting (PLC). The program is boy run. With the guidance of the Scoutmaster and assistants, they plan the program, conduct troop meetings and provide leadership among their peers. Learning to be a leader is a very important aspect of the program.
The Troop holds elections for SPL, Patrol Leaders, Scribe and Quartermaster each year. The remaining leadership positions are appointed by the SM. Other leadership positions your son may hold are: Grubmaster, Historian, Librarian, Troop Guide, Instructor and Bugler. He may also decide to work with a Cub Scout Pack as a Den Chief-with the approval of the Scoutmaster. Leadership positions are usually held by Scouts with the rank of First Class and above.
Any Scout in a leadership position who finds he has a conflict that will prevent him from fulfilling the obligations of his position for an extended period of time (greater than 3-4 weeks) is EXPECTED to notify the SM and the SPL. The SM will appoint another Scout to the position.
At the end of each scout year (June), time for all positions of leadership are frozen until the start of the new scout year (September). PLEASE NOTE: all leadership positions and the administering of those positions are at the discretion of the Scoutmaster.
If your son has a question, the first person he should call is his Patrol Leader. Then his Troop Guide and finally the SPL.
Each patrol has an Adult advisor. This is the best person for parents to address their questions to.
Advancement sets a pattern of setting positive goals and reaching for them throughout life. The requirement for the ranks of Tenderfoot through First Class prepare a Scout to take full advantage of all that Scouting has to offer. Star Life and Eagle requirements focus on service to others and developing leadership skills. Requirements each rank are outlined in the Boy Scout Handbook. The Scout MUST bring his handbook (and a notebook or binder with pockets) to all meetings and activities in order for requirements to be initialed and dated ("Be Prepared").
Scouts start by earning the Scout rank. The requirements can be found in the Boy Scout Handbook. These skills must be demonstrated to the Scoutmaster (SM) or Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) who will then initial and date the Scout's handbook. The initials or signature and date are required for the badge to be awarded. Many new Scouts, who have earned the Arrow of Light as a Webelos Cub Scout, can complete these requirements within the first few meetings. The scout is then required to bring his book to the Advancement Chairperson to update the database, without this, a scout may jeopardize his advancement if his book is lost.
Requirements for all ranks are listed in the Boy Scout Handbook. The ranks of Tenderfoot Scout, Second Class Scout, and First Class Scout require skills learned at campouts, hikes, and troop meetings. When a Scout feels he has learned the skills for a particular requirement, he presents himself with his handbook to an ASM or the SM to be tested on the requirement. The SM or ASM will initial and date requirements as they are completed. Parents CANNOT sign off on Scout requirements. It is the scout's responsibility to present his book to the Advancement Chairperson when a requirement is complete. This allows the Advancement chair to record it in the Troop database and know when the Scout has completed all the requirements to advance. It also provides an additional record of accomplishment in case a book is lost. A Scout may work on the requirements for all three ranks in any order, but will receive the ranks in order (i.e. Tenderfoot before Second Class, Second Class before First Class).
The last two requirements for each of these ranks are a Scoutmaster's Conference and Board of Review. At the Scoutmaster's Conference, the Scout and SM review the requirements for that rank and any previous ranks. If the SM feels confident that the Scout demonstrates the knowledge and skills required, he will initial and date the handbook and arrange for a Board of Review. The Board of Review usually consists of two or three adults on the Troop committee. The SM, ASM, and the Scout's parents CANNOT be on the Board. The Scout must present himself in a neat, clean class 'A' and have his handbook. The Board will be postponed if either of the two is missing. The Board will ask him questions about Scouting, the troop, activities he has attended, and advancement requirements pertaining to the rank he is completing. The Board announces the results to the Scout and SM after conferring. All rank awards are presented at a meeting as soon as possible after completion of the requirements or the next Court of Honor. A Court of Honor is held three times a year. Recognition is given for advancement, merit badges, and any special awards that have been earned.
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