New Scouts

Patrols

As youth join our Troop, they are placed in a “Patrol” with other scouts that are nearly the same age and are at about the same point in their scouting career.  When a large number of new scouts join at the same time, we most often form a brand new patrol to receive the new scouts.  If only one or two scouts are joining, they will likely be put in an existing patrol that best fits their progress in scouting.  Patrols are a subdivision of the Troop as a whole and are a way for scouts to advance together as a group.  Patrols also give the scouts an opportunity to learn to work together as a team and gain leadership skills.  Patrols will hike together, camp together, cook together, work together, and plan together.  Every Monday night meeting includes a time for each patrol to meet and attend to various patrol responsibilities.  Although a variety of activities are planned for the Troop as a whole, each individual patrol is also encouraged to plan additional activities especially designed for the needs of the scouts in that patrol.  For more information about patrols, see the Boy Scout Handbook.

Getting the “New Patrol” Started

When 5-10 new scouts join the Troop at the same time, a new patrol will be formed.  This new patrol will have a number of tasks to complete.  These tasks introduce the scouts to the Boy Scouting Program and begin to build an identity for the patrol.

Attend Meetings in Uniform:  Each patrol member is expected to attend all Monday night meetings wearing a properly outfitted scout shirt.  Troop 7 t-shirts may be worn on some outdoor events.

Bring Scout Handbook to Each Meeting:  The Boy Scout Handbook contains nearly everything a scout needs to know about their scouting experience so it is important to have whenever we are “scouting.”

Choose a “Patrol Name”:  The scouts in each new patrol will discuss the name that their patrol will be known by.  The name will be theirs for their entire scouting career, so it should be chosen carefully.  Although any “appropriate” name may be chosen, most new patrols choose a name for which patrol patches are available through the council office.  A list of available patches will be available for the scouts to review.

Create a “Patrol Yell”:  Each patrol will write a yell that can be used at large scout gatherings to identify and introduce themselves.  The yells are generally 4 to 8 lines.  Patrol yells may be changed from time to time as the patrol sees fit.

Design and Build a “Patrol Flag”:  Like the name and yell, the patrol flag should identify the patrol and display their accomplishments.

The “Scout” Rank

The first official rank in the Boy Scouting program is the Scout Rank.  As soon as the scout has completed the requirements, he or she will be awarded this first rank and then can continue his scouting adventure.