Cranford Boy Scout

TROOP 75

Handbook

Cranford United MethodistChurch

Cranford, New Jersey

Munsee District

Patriots Path Council

Our Troop website

Revised 5-26-15

January 7, 2008

Boy Scout Troop 75

Cranford,NJ 07016

Dear Scouter/Scout Parent:

This Troop 75 Handbook is a compilation in writing for all of us to refer to of the policies, practices, and procedures that have been evolved at least during the time that I have been with this troop. It’s what we do today to prevent or handle problems, and how we do it.

This Handbook is the result of the joint efforts of the Troop 75 adult scouters both now and in the recent past. All of the current adult scouters have had a chance to read every section; in its present form, the Handbook has been approved by the Scoutmaster and his Assistant Scoutmasters, and by the Troop 75 committee.

A handbook of this nature is never finished. BSA regulations change; BSA insurance requirements change; federal, state, and local laws change; old scout leaders leave and new scout leaders join the troop; all of these changes can result in changes in what we do and how we do it in the troop. Consequently, this Handbook is in a loose leaf format, so that, as changes need to be made in the Handbook, we can rewrite or add a section and send it to you without having to repost the entire Handbook.

Finally, please share this Handbook with your scout son. There are sections that apply primarily to parents/guardians, others to adult scouters, and others to boy scouts; however, if we are to work together harmoniously and cooperatively, we all need to know what each other are – or at least should be – doing.

Sincerely,

Troop 75 Committee

Troop 75 Handbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Organization

Adult Responsibilities and Duties

Advancement

Camping: Scout’s Responsibilities and Parent’s Role

Discipline

Finances

Government

Medical

Service Project(s)

Patrol Leaders’ Council Duties and Responsibilities

Position of Responsibility

Scout Spirit

Training

Uniforms

INTRODUCTION

The Purpose of this Handbook is to provide Troop 75, including the parents and guardians, adult leaders, and Scouts, with the information that will help the scouts in their advancement and experience in Scouting. This Handbook does not replace the Boy Scout Handbook and other BSA publications. It is solely intended to serve as a quick reference in which to find the answers to the most commonly asked questions and solutions to problems that may arise.

The Aims of Scouting, (as listed in BSA literature). These are the traits that the adults hope to foster in scouts through the use of the Boy Scout program:

  1. To build character
  2. To foster citizenship
  3. To develop fitness

The Methods of Scouting, (as listed in BSA literature). These are the parts of the Boy Scout program that attract and hold scouts:

  1. The Patrol Method (scouts leading scouts and planning their own program in a safe environment)
  2. The Outdoor Program (hiking, camping, swimming, fishing, canoeing, and other nature-oriented activities)
  3. The Advancement Program (recognition of accomplishments)
  4. The Uniform (which fosters a sense of belonging to a group)

Each of these methods cultivates one or more of the aims of Scouting.

The Scout Oath:On my honor I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country and

To obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong,

Mentally awake, and morally straight.

The Scout Law: A Scout is: TrustworthyObedient

LoyalCheerful

HelpfulThrifty

FriendlyBrave

CourteousClean and

KindReverent

The Scout Motto:Be Prepared

The Scout Slogan:Do a Good Turn Daily

ORGANIZATION

Basic Organization: The basic organization of Boy Scout Troop 75, Cranford, is as follows:

CranfordUnitedMethodistChurch (“CUMC”): This is the “Chartered Organization” which sponsors Troop 75.

Troop Committee, which reports to the CUMC, includes:

Committee Chairperson

Treasurer

Scoutmaster

Council Liaison

Advancement Chair

Eagle Scout Advisor

Function Chairpersons

Scoutmaster, which reports to the Troop Committee, includes:

Scoutmaster

Assistant Scoutmaster(s)

Quartermaster

Junior Assistant Scoutmasters

Adult Volunteers, who report to the Scoutmaster

Senior Patrol Leader, who reports to the Scoutmaster

This is the Senior Boy Scout leader

Patrol Leaders’ council, which consists of

Senior Patrol Leader

Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders

Patrol Leaders

Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster as advisor to Council

Patrols, which usually consist of 6-10 scouts each

All Adult Leaders are volunteers, whose applications have been approved by the Troop Committee, the Patriots Path Council of the BSA, and the national Boy Scouts of America. All adult leaders must complete all required BSA training and keep all training requirements current.

All Boy Leaders listed above eitherare elected by their peers or are appointed by the Scoutmaster; there are a number of other leadership positions (e.g., troop guide, scribe, quartermaster, librarian, instructor and other eligible leadership positions) which may be filled either by election by the scouts, or by appointment by the scoutmaster.

Troop Committee

Troop Committee Organization and Responsibilities

The Troop Committee is the troop's board of directors and supports the troop program. But you ask, "What does the troop committee do?" The troop committee does the following:

  • Ensures that quality adult leadership is recruited and trained. In case the Scoutmaster is absent, a qualified assistant Scoutmaster is assigned. If the Scoutmaster is unable to serve, a replacement is recruited.
  • Provides adequate meeting facilities
  • Advises the Scoutmaster on policies relating to Boy Scouting and the chartered organization
  • Carries out the policies and regulations of the Boy Scouts of America
  • Supports leaders in carrying out the program
  • Is responsible for finances, adequate funds, and disbursements in line with the approved budget plan
  • Obtains, maintains, and properly cares for troop property
  • Provides adequate camping and outdoor program (minimum 10 days and nights per year)
  • Serves onBoards of Review and Courts of Honor.
  • Supports the Scoutmaster in working with individual boys and problems that may affect the overall troop program.
  • Provides for the special needs and assistance some boys may require.
  • Helps with the Friends of Scouting campaign.
  • Assists the Scoutmaster with handling boy behavior problems.

Calendar: The committee and Scoutmasters shall prepare an annual Troop 75 calendar of events, including dates, locations, and themes for the monthly troop campouts; dates for special events such as courts of honor; preferred dates for the long-term summer camp and the high adventure trip (these dates are subject to change based both on adult leader and camp space availability); dates for service project; others as needed. This plan should reflect the interests of all the scouts in the troop. Either during or after its preparation, it should be discussed in detail to ensure its compliance with BSA guidelines and health and safety concerns. It should be prepared in August, approved by the scoutmaster, and submitted to the troop committee for approval at the September committee (normally the first Monday in September). The calendar shall cover the period 1 September of the current year through 31 August of the following year.

SCOUT RESPONSIBILITIES

Joining the Troop: Boys between the ages of 11 and 18 years, or those who have completed the fifth grade are welcome to join our Troop. Candidates can obtain copy of the BSA applications from the Scoutmaster and should return the completed form to him.

There is a membership fee to cover costs and provide some of the equipment and Troop activities

The primary responsibility for his advancement rests with the individual scout. The troop committee includes an advancement chairperson who will counsel scouts who are not advancing at a reasonable pace; however, it is up to the individual scout to seek out instruction in scout craft skills from older scouts (or scouters, if necessary), and to contact merit badge counselors. Any scouter will gladly help any scout who asks for help; however, the onus is on the scout, not the scouter.

It is the Scout’s Responsibility to Read and understand the Official Scout Handbook:

Parent responsibility: There are at least two ways in which a parent can help a scout on the trail to Eagle Scout rank:

  1. Encouragement: Boys take their cues from the adults who are close to them. If the parent is interested in the scout’s progress, in the scout’s activities, and in the troop generally, and lets the scout know this by question and encouragement, the scout will tend to give a higher priority to scouting than to some of the other demands on his time.

2.Involvement: If a parent feels that scouting is sufficiently important to lay claim to part of his time, the scout will give increased importance and prominence to scouting in his active schedule. This involvement may be no more than attending courts of honor and providing transportation to and from campouts and other scout events; it can involve active work on the troop committee, helping at summer camp or on the high adventure trips, or becoming a member of the scoutmaster’s corps.

SCOUTS ARE EXPECTED TO LIVE BY THE SCOUT OATH AND LAW IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES

ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Primary responsibility: At any scout function, the primary responsibility of the adult leaders present is to ensure the health and safety of the scouts. To this end, there shall be a minimum of two (2) adult leaders present at all times during any scout function, including but not limited to troop meetings, campouts, hikes and other activities, long term camps including High Adventure trips. If two adult leaders cannot be present, the activity will be cancelled. There can be NO exceptions to this requirement.

Duties of the adult leaders include but are not limited to the following:

  1. Approval of all scout-developed plans, including but not limited to the annual calendar; campout plans such as location, duration, and activities; troop meeting plans including program items, games, special openings and/or closings; service and Eagle project plans; plans for special day activities.
  2. Scrutiny of provisions for personal safety during any scout activity, such as ensuring that an adequately stocked first aid kit is available, providing for adequate warning in the event of severe weather, monitoring the suitability of the planned activities taking into account the age, experience, and qualifications of the individual scouts concerned.
  3. Training Junior Leaders, utilizing both the NYLT program developed by the Boy Scouts of America, and through example and counseling during all scout activities
  4. Disciplining scouts whenever the senior patrol leader or his representative needs support from the adult leadership, remembering, however, that whenever and to the extent possible, the patrol leaders’ council members should be allowed to maintain good order and discipline. The adult leaders should only exercise this duty when the boy leadership is unable or unwilling to handle a disciplinary problem. All disciplinary actions will adhere to BSA guidelines and absolutely no abusive behavior or hazing will be tolerated.

ADVANCEMENT

General: The BSA ranks are fully described in the current Scout handbook, which each Scout is required to maintain throughout his tenure in Scouting. The advancement program can be divided into three, sometimes overlapping and not easily separated parts:

  1. Basic scout skills: These include such skills as camping, cooking, first aid, physical fitness, and swimming. These basic scout craft skills are the ones a scout must master in his progression from Scout through First Class ranks.
  2. Merit badge program: There are over one hundred widely diverse merit badges offered by the Boy Scout program. In his advancement to Eagle rank, a scout must complete 21 of these badges; of these, eleven are specified by the Boy Scout program, leaving ten others, which the scout can choose from among the hundred-plus that are available.
  3. Personal growth/character development: Throughout his scouting experience (and the rest of his life), a scout is expected to live in accordance with the Scout Oath and Scout Law. He and a scoutmaster periodically review the scout’s “scout spirit”; as one of the last steps before completing any rank, a scout must have a “scoutmaster’s conference” during which a scoutmaster reviews the scout’s compliance with the requirements of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.

It is the Scouts responsibility, after completing any advancement or Merit Badge (all Blue Cards need to be handed to the Advancement Chairman and the Scout needs to retain his copy as a permeate record of his Merit Badge), to report that advancement to the Troop Advancement Chairman.

Teaching staff: There are three teaching environments in the Boy Scout program:

  1. Older scouts: The more experienced scouts (usually those who are at least first class rank) in the troop and at long term BSA camps teach the basic scout craft skills to the scouts who are still working on tenderfoot through first class ranks. This instruction is an integral part of the troop meetings. (Swimming requirements are the notable exception – the instruction and test are administered under the supervision of a certified lifeguard.)
  2. Adult scouters provide the role models for the scouts, by exemplifying the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their personal lives. At least two of these adult scouters, including at least one registered scoutmaster, are present at all scout functions; they are available as leaders, teachers, and support/resource personnel for the older scout instructors.
  3. Merit badge counselors are adults in the community who are qualified by the BSA and have volunteered to share their expertise in a particular subject with interested scouts. Merit badge counselors are as carefully chosen and screened as is any other adult scouter (see Handbook section “Organization”). Note: All merit badge counselors must be approved by the Council Advancement Chairman; also, BSA regulations specify that no individual may be a counselor for more than six merit badges.

Teaching forums: Whenever a boy and an adult are together, be it at home, in school or church, or in a meeting such as a scout troop meeting, teaching/learning takes place. In this sense, any time there is a scout function, the scouts are learning from other scouts and from the two or more scouters present. More formal teaching/learning forums include a merit badge counselor’s home or office; a troop meeting to which a merit badge counselor is invited by the patrol leader’s council; summer camp, which provides an opportunity for younger scouts to complete most of their scout craft skills, and older boys to work on outdoor oriented merit badges.

Advancement Chairman

Job Description
Advancement and recognition are central to the Scouting experience. Without timely advancement recognition, the Scout will lose interest and not enjoy a rewarding experience. The Advancement Chairman ensures that Scouts and Scouters receive recognition for their accomplishments.

Duties

  • Encourage Scouts to advance in rank
  • Work with the Troop to maintain all Scout advancement records
  • Develop and maintain a merit badge counselor list
  • Make a prompt report on the correct form to the Council when a troop board of review is held Secure badges and certificates
  • Report to the Troop Committee at committee meetings

Boards of Review

The members of a Board of Review should have the following objectives in mind:

  • To make sure the Scout has completed the requirements for the rank.
  • To see how good an experience the Scout is having in the unit.
  • To encourage the Scout to progress further.

Additionally, the Board of Review provides "quality control" on advancement within the unit, it provides an opportunity for the Scout to develop and practice those skills needed in an interview situation, and it is an opportunity for the Scout to review his accomplishments.
The Board of Review is NOT a retest; the Scout has already been tested on the skills and activities required for the rank. However, the chairman of the Board of Review should ensure that all the requirements have been "signed off" in the Scout's handbook. Additionally, the chairman should ensure that leadership and merit badge records are consistent with the requirements for the rank.
The Board of Review is an opportunity to review of the Scout's attitudes, accomplishments and his acceptance of Scouting's ideals.

Composition of a Board of Review:

For all ranks (except Eagle) and Eagle palms, the Board of Review consists of three to six members of the Troop Committee. The Troop Advancement Chairperson typically acts as the chairperson of the Board of Review. Relatives or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout's Board of Review. Unit leaders (Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, Varsity Coach, Post Advisor, etc.) should not participate in a Board of Review unless absolutely necessary.
For the rank of Eagle, the Board of Review consists of three to six members drawn from Scouting and the community. The members of the Board of Review are selected by the District Advancement Committee; at least one member of the District Advancement Committee must be a member of the Board of Review for Eagle, and serves as chairperson of the Board of Review. Unit leaders from the Scout's unit, relatives, or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout's Board of Review for Eagle. A Board of Review for Eagle may contain members of the community who are not registered Scouters; however, they should be knowledgeable of the principles of Scouting. For example, a representative from a chartering organization, an adult Eagle Scout (even if not currently registered), or a religious leader are frequently asked to assist with an Eagle Board of Review. The Scout may request an individual to be a member of his Board of Review. As a general rule, no more than one member of an Eagle Board should be associated with the Scout's unit.