Handbook

1 Welcome
Welcome to Troop 763. We here at troop 763 are glad that you are interested in scouting and in our troop. We want to make everyone's experience with scouting be as terrific as possible. To help you understand how our troop operates and some of the basic necessities of scouting, we have put together this pamphlet. We hope you like our troop and will follow on the long road of scouting.
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3 Operation
The way the troop operates and works follows many guidelines and troop traditions. The first things you will need to know are the essential items for scout meetings. These are listed in the sixth section (Necessities and Gear for Camping). You are expected to have these items and bring them to scout meetings. They are very important to scouts as they are used in many of the scout learning exercises. There will also be a monthly inspection to see if you have the necessary items. You and your patrol will be given points and the patrol with the most points becomes the honor patrol (described later in this section). The troop is divided into groups of people that we call patrols. The scouts in the patrol will elect a patrol leader and assistant patrol leader (described in Leadership). The patrol will often work together on tasks and help each other. The duties of the troop are also divided up by patrol. The names that we give these duties are: Service Patrol, Program Patrol, and the Honor Patrol. The patrol that acts as service patrol receives a shovel that shows they are currently the Service Patrol. The Service Patrol is the patrol that stays to clean up after meetings, and often is given the task of such labors as sorting supplies. The Service Patrol is chosen by going through each of the patrols (selecting a new one each month), and cycling through all of the patrols in this manner. Every patrol will be the service patrol at least once. The Program Patrol is represented by a horn. The Program Patrol is the patrol that sets up the American and Scouting flags and prepares for meetings. This is also the patrol that presents the colors (flags) and occasionally will run a scout meeting. The Honor Patrol is represented by an empty jug. The Honor Patrol is the patrol which earns the most points. Any patrol can become the Honor Patrol. Points are earned by patrols for having a high patrol attendance, having the necessities for meetings, and placing in a patrol competition once a month. The Honor Patrol usually receives some sort of prize at the end of the scouting year-like a trip to Kokomos!
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4 Leadership
Leadership is important to scouting and is a trait that everyone needs at some time during their life. A leader is: responsible, considerate, prepared, sets the example, supportive, not overly bossy, cooperative, knows scout skills, fair, fun, makes everyone feel like they belong.
A patrol leader is a person elected by a patrol who shows the signs of leadership and follows them with his heart. He takes the responsibility of organizing the patrol and giving everyone a fair chance. He is ready and willing to make a commitment to scouting and his fellow scouts. Patrol leaders must come 15 minutes early for all troop meetings and be able to attend above 80% of the meetings. They must attend a monthly Patrol Leader's Council and an annual Troop Planning meeting. They must call the members of their patrol to remind (or notify) them of Courts of Honor and other special meetings. Patrol leaders must be ready to make sacrifices if needed and volunteer for projects that others may not wish to take part in. The patrol leader must be the role model for all the other scouts in the patrol. This is very serious leadership position.
Patrol leaders must also be kind and benevolent because they are elected by their fellow patrol members, if they abuse their fellow scouts, then they will not be elected. The scouts of a patrol vote by secret ballot to elect a patrol leader that they feel fits the leadership qualities. The elected member is then sworn by oath to follow the guidelines of leadership and to do their best to fully act on the duties of the patrol leader.
Another position that holds leadership (and honor) is the Eagle Patrol. To be a member of the Eagle Patrol, a scout must be in one of the following offices: Senior Patrol Leader (or SPL), Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (or ASPL), Quartermaster, and Junior Assistant Scout Master (or JASM). Scouts also qualify for eagle patrol if they are life ranked scouts with approved Eagle projects underway. The Eagle patrol is the scout based group that organizes the troop meetings and controls some of the troop activities.
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5 A Typical Meeting Schedule
Our Troop meets Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. when there is school. A typical meeting schedule for our troop starts off with the setup. The Program Patrol must arrive early to setup for the meeting. During this time everything is organized and put in its proper place. At 7:00 the horn, the symbol of the Program Patrol, is blown. This means that all of the patrols need to line up in order (in formation) and stand at attention so the meeting can begin. Then the opening ceremony starts. During this time, the American and scouting flags are presented. Then we say the Pledge of Allegiance (p.468 in the Scout Handbook), the Scout Oath (p.5 in the Scout Handbook), and the Scout Law (p.7 in the Scout Handbook). Then the Scoutmaster gives the schedule for that week's meeting and gives any new news or announcements. Then scouts go to their various skills instruction. In this time, many people work on merit badges or requirements for advancement to the next level in scouting. If a scout has nothing to do during this time (although most of the time he will) then he might do some work that benefits the troop. This time is also used occasionally to help plan troop events such as camp outs or other outings. The next section of the meeting usually lets the patrols meet and discuss some issue that they must face, or take time to fill out the form that gives them points for having the necessities for meetings. Then the troop usually has a game or patrol competition. The patrol competitions test the scouting skills and knowledge of the patrols. Points are won in the competition that go toward the honor rankings (the patrol with the most honor points, including those won in competitions, is the Honor Patrol). Then we fall back into formation for the closing. The scoutmaster then discusses with the troop how we can be better scouts and improve the lives of everyone we know. After the meeting, the Service Patrol stays after to clean up and make sure everything is back to normal.
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6 The Necessities for Meetings & Camping
The necessities that you should bring to every meeting are: your class A scout uniform (shirt, neckerchief, slide, patches, and pants), a 12 foot long rope called a 'painter', a pencil and paper, your scout handbook, your knife, a compass, and cardholders for any cards (scout registration, merit badge 'blue' cards, etc.) that you have.

The necessities for camping include these plus some additional items. The scout outdoor essentials are:
A Pocketknife
First Aid Kit
Extra Clothing
Rain Gear
Canteen or Water Bottle
Flashlight
Trail Food
Matches and Fire Starters
Sun Protection
A Map and Compass

Gear for overnight outing include:
Mess Kit (knife, fork, spoon, plate, cup, and bowl)
Personal Hygiene Kit (washcloth, towel, soap, toothbrush &
toothpaste, and a comb or brush)
Sleeping Gear (sleeping bag/bed roll, extra blankets optional)
Waterproof Ground-Cloth (6'x8')
Foam Ground Pad
Extra Clothing
Extra Footwear
Rain Gear (poncho, waterproof boots, etc.)

Clothing and overnight gear for outdoor activities can be found on pages 52-55 of your Boy Scout Handbook. It is strongly suggested that you actually read the handbook because it will prepare you for your experiences and teach you many skills that you will need in scouting.
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7 Cost
We know Scouting is not inexpensive. We strive to keep troop and individual costs at a minimum. Not only do leaders volunteer their time, but they may also provide transportation (gas, etc.) for free. Parents are only infrequently asked to provide transportation out of town. The routine cost for activities is a scout's meal expense. A usual guideline is $1.50 per meal while camping.
Annual dues are $31.00, this covers operating costs as follows:
Annual Registration $7.00
Bov's Life (one sub. per family) $9.00
BSA Accident Insurance $1.00
General Operating Costs $14.00
Total Cost $31.00
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 8 Information About the Website

This is mainly for new scouts, who need to know how this website works. Basically, we have an open area of the website that anyone can access. These pages do not require a password, so anyone can view them. However, some pages will require a password, like the troop roster, which is contact info for scouts. For this, you must be logged in. You can login by clicking login on the left of any page. You will be taken to the login page, where you confirm you want to login, and then are prompted for your username and password. (This you can get from the webmaster or scoutmaster). Once you are logged in, you are allowed to access any page that is protected. It is a smart idea to login when you come to the site, to get it out of your way. But if you don't, some pages that you click from public pages may prompt you individually for a password.