TROOP BASICS

Whether you are a brand new scout to Troop 14, a scout parent of the Troop or a growing scout, perhaps interested in understanding more about rank advancement or responsibilities as a new Patrol Leader—this section lays out the basics.

MEETINGS

Troop or patrol meetings are held on every Tuesday evening of every month, at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore Street at Jackson, San Francisco. One Tuesday of each month is reserved for Patrol meetings, usually held at the home of the Patrol Leader. The calendar of meetings is published every week in the Clarion and announced at every troop meeting. The meeting time is from 7:30 PM to 9PM, sharp. Meetings are not held in the summer months or during the Christmas break. Patrol Leaders should obtain a Junior Leader Handbook.

DUES

The dues for the troop are currently $400/year per Scout, which includes Parent dues of $25/year per adult. These dues fund the Troop dues with the national organization, insignia and awards for the Scouts, equipment owned and maintained by the troop, and other expenses. Individual outings may have a cost associated, which will be announced prior to the outing. These costs usually are associated with camping access fees, equipment rental (e.g., canoes), or other one-time expenses.

Financial Aid

It is the intention of the troop to ensure that all Scouts can attend all activities of the Troop, regardless of the financial situation of the family. If there are financial challenges, you should discuss these directly with the Scoutmaster. All conversations will be held in confidence.

Patrols

The Troop is organized into Patrols, with about 6-8 boys in each patrol. When your son joined the Troop, he was placed in one of the patrols. Each patrol is headed by a Patrol Leader, who is responsible for the Scouts in his patrol. His responsibilities include advancement for each member of the patrol, planning and leading patrol meetings and outings, accumulation of points toward the Patrol Trophy Skin award, maintaining discipline in Troop meetings, reporting attendance, and keeping track of his patrol members on Troop outings. The Patrol Leader is the primary point of reference for your Scout. He should know the name address and phone number of his Patrol Leader.

Outings

Troop 14 generally plans one overnight outing per month on a weekend. In many months, additional weekend day outings are planned, either by the Troop or by Patrols. The outdoor program is designed to build skills, improve self-reliance, develop respect for nature, and to enable Scouts to HAVE FUN. Parents and Scouts should go over the Troop Outdoor Calendar that is published each year in September. (See Calendar under Troop Support.) This full-year calendar is usually unchanged throughout the year. Scouts indicate whether they are going on an outing by signing up 1-3 weeks in advance, using the sign-up sheets at Troop meetings. Last minute changes to signups make planning very difficult. Please be clear about the commitments your Scout makes, and communicate to the Scoutmaster and Patrol Leader early if changes need to be made. Encourage your Scout to attend all outings.

Some outings require an extra charge (canoeing, skiing, whitewater rafting, boating) and signing up is a commitment to pay for the fees. For camping trips, the Patrol Leader will plan the menu, or delegate it to a “Grubmaster,” who will purchase the food and bring it to the outing. In the end, the cost is divided amongst the Patrol and each Scout is expected to pay his share, usually $7 to $15.

Attendance

A Scout is expected to attend all meetings and outings. While it is recognized that absences are inevitable at times, attendance is tracked, reported to the Troop leadership, and impacts patrol “points” earned each quarter. Regular attendance helps a patrol win the “Trophy Skin,” a Troop 14 award given to the patrol with the most points. If a Scout is unable to attend a meeting or outing, it is his responsibility to notify his Patrol leader in advance. Awards are also given quarterly for perfect attendance (defined as one unexcused absence in a quarter).

Advancement

Advancement is measured in two ways: by completion of individual requirements for each rank and by accumulation of Merit Badges. In the early ranks (Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class), there are no explicit requirements for merit badges. After First Class, each rank requires a minimum number of merit badges, some required, in addition to leadership responsibility in the troop and hours of community service. Many merit badges are earned at Camp Royaneh. During the rest of the year, the Scouts earn merit badges on their own. To earn a merit badge, a Scout must complete a set of requirements and satisfy his Merit Badge Counselor that he has completed them. The requirements are spelled out in a Merit Badge book (the troop has a library of them, or he can get his own at the Scout Shop). The Assistant Scoutmasters maintain a list of Merit Badge Counselors; many Troop 14 parents are counselors. The Scout gets the name of the counselor and a “Blue Card” for the badge from the Assistant Scout Master, contacts the counselor, and begins the process. When it is complete, he turns the signed Blue Card in to the troop. Merit Badges are awarded at Troop meetings. Badges of rank are awarded at four special troop meetings called Courts of Honor. (For list of Merit Badges see links to BSA website under Resources) Prior to a Court of Honor, a Scout appears before a Board of Review, a committee made up of Troop Committee members, which validates the completion of the requirements. At the Board of Review, the Scout presents his completed “sign-off sheet” and answers questions from the committee. All parents are expected to help staff Boards of Review, when held. They are typically held on a Tuesday evening, one or two weeks before a Court of Honor.

Patrol Leaders

The duties of the Patrol leaders are as follows:

• Plan and conduct Tuesday evening patrol meetings. These dates will be listed in the Clarion, and are generally the third Tuesday of the month.

• Organize their patrol by giving each member a job.

• Attend meetings of the Patrol Leaders’ Council (PLC). The PLC usually meets at Calvary Church 7:30-9:15, Thursday evenings before a patrol meeting. If a Patrol Leader cannot make it, he should make every effort to have another patrol member represent the Patrol at the meeting.

• Help patrol members advance in rank. Patrol Leaders are authorized to sign off on advancement requirements.

• Plan, with his patrol members, patrol activities. An activity can be a bike ride, hike through the Presidio, picnic, overnight trip (camping out at someone’s home), bowling, or any other activity which brings the patrol together. The activity should be fun and should provide opportunities for advancement if possible.

• Lead the Patrol during Camp Royaneh.

Scout Values

The Scout is expected to behave in accordance with the tenets of the Scout Oath and Law. This is what governs acceptable behavior at all Scout functions.

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.

Scout Law: A Scout is: Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Fun! —To have FUN while Scouting is the basic requirement, without which the others won’t matter.

Summer Camp

Summer Camp is the crown jewel in the Scouting year. Each summer, Troop 14 spends two weeks at Camp Royaneh, in Cazadero, California. The Troop has been going to Camp Royaneh since the camp’s inception, and has occupied the same campsite during the first two weeks of camp since then. Camp is usually the last two weeks of June and sometimes includes first few days of July. Most Troop 14 families plan their summer schedule around Royaneh. Camp is the quintessential scouting experience. Moreover, camp provides a concentrated environment in which the Scouts can complete a myriad of requirements for advancement. Many 14ers not only go to camp, but go on to be camp staff members later on.

Conflict Resolution

At times, conflicts will arise within the Troop. If your Scout is having problems, his first line of support is his Patrol Leader. If that avenue is not fruitful, the staff leadership should be able to help him. One of the strengths of Troop 14 is the large number of staff members (boys 16-18) who provide a wealth of experience and leadership to younger Scouts. If the problem persists, the Scout should contact the Scoutmaster directly. Encourage your son to take the steps to resolve his issues within the Troop if possible. Of course, any concerns you might have regarding safety or youth protection should be brought to the attention of the Scoutmaster or the Chair of the Troop Committee immediately.