Asst Scoutmaster Sam Young, Skipper Ship 378, shares strategies, tactics, and methods for forming a high-performance patrol as well as Scouts who earn 1st Class in 17 months.

1. T2193 New Scout
Patrol, 2017
STRATEGIES & TACTICS

2. New Scout Patrol Mission
 Develop high-performance patrols
 Each member competently performs Scoutcraft tasks
 Patrol effectively & efficiently camps to have more fun on outings
 Train New Scouts in all Rank Scoutcraft Skills by Dec Court of Honor

3. Skipper’s Goals
 Enable Scouts to not be a liability to themselves or others
 Gain competence in Scoutcraft skills before taking leadership roles
 Avoid food-related illnesses
Accomplished by competently performing Scoutcraft skills
developed while earning all ranks through 1st
Class

4. 1st Class Rank Advancement
 Milestones
 Program
 Signature Authority
 High Achievers
 Serial Patrol Requirements
 Merit Badges
 Star
 Role of Parents

5. Scoutcraft Milestones
 Scout
 EOM Mar 17
 Tenderfoot
 1 month after Summer Camp
 2nd
Class
 EOM Sep 17
 1st
Class
 Dec 17 Court of Honor
 Star
 Select merit badges through end of Summer Camp 2018

6. Rank Advancement
Program
 Scheduled Advancement Activities for All Troop & Patrol Events
 Each Scoutcraft requirement formally taught once
 Some requirements are assigned to families
 Relationship Management
 Drug Awareness
 Economics
 Physical Fitness Training
 Service Hours
 Invite Friends to Troop/Patrol Activities
 Some non-Scoutcraft requirements managed after Dec Court of Honor
 Community Environmental Issues
 Responsibilities of Citizenship

7. Missed Scheduled Training
Opportunity?
 100% likely to happen for every Scout!
 Portion of Troop Outings used to make up missed opportunities
 Patrol Leader’s responsibility to track progress for each Scout
 Records maintained in Scoutbook by Skipper (until Dec Court of Honor)
 Process overseen by Patrol’s other ASM: Mr. Brandon
 Each Scout Responsible for their own progress
 Monitor Scoutbook w/ “Parent”
 Coordinate with Patrol Leader to demonstrate open requirements
 Saturday Patrol meetings scheduled when necessary
Note: Until after Dec Court of Honor, Scout Handbooks are not marked!

8. Signature Authority
 Until December Court of Honor
 Patrol Leader & Skipper only
 Delegates report completion
 Advantages
 Patrol Leader, as recognized leader, performs his role
 Instructors perform their role as trainers
 Scoutcraft skill competency standards maintained
 High-performance patrol developed
 Post Court of Honor
 Troop allows Scouts 2 ranks higher to sign off requirements
 Star: Scout-2nd
Class
 Life: Scout-1st
Class

9. What Happens after Dec COH?
 Current Year New Scout Patrol ASM Oversees Advancement
through 1st
Class for all Scouts
 Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL)-Program Manages it
 Informs Patrol Leaders for Activities at Patrol Level
 Coordinated Activities at Troop Level

10. High Achievers
 Coordinate w Patrol Leader “outside” planned advancement activities
 Campouts, After Meetings, Off-Site Meetings, Other Outings
 At least 1-2 Scouts per patrol doing this is desirable
 Patrol elects Patrol Leader from among their ranks in Dec
 No credit for leadership until 1st
Class is earned
Help ensure Son stays engaged w Patrol for completed requirements!

11. Serial Patrol Requirements:
1C Cooking and Gadget Lashing
 1st
Class Cooking
 Menu Planning
 Grocery List
 Purchasing Groceries
 Utensils List
 Preparing 3 Meals: 2 Cooked
 Pioneering
 Construct a sturdy, useful camp gadget
 Use multiple knots and lashings

12. Serial Patrol Requirements
 Obviously not group activities!
 Potential Bottleneck
 1st
Class Cooking & Gadget Making starts at Crossover Campout
 Same Patrol Menu used through Dec COH
 Pre-Trip Cook Creates Utensils List
 Grubmaster Prepares Grocery List
 Pre-Trip Cook & Grubmaster go shopping
 Pre-Trip and Camp Roles rotate every campout
 Duty roster used to rotate cooking, fire prep, water handling, cleanup
 Two Scouts build camp gadget (Water Tower)

13. Merit Badges
 Key to Future Rank Advancement but focus on Scoutcraft Skills First
 Star: 4 Eagle-Required, 2 Elective
 First Scout Camp
 Eagle Required: Swimming
 Elective: Rifle Shooting or Archery, other fun ones as schedule allows
 New Scout Program
 Eagle Required: First Aid
 Elective: Geocaching, Orienteering
 Second Scout Camp
 Eagle Required: Camping, Environmental Science

14. Star
 Patrol Strategy Enables Completing Star within 4-6 months
 6 Merit Badges
 4-Months Active Participation and Leadership
 Buckskin Program at Summer Camp avoided
 New Scout program favors earning 4-5 merit badges at Summer Camp
 Swimming normally earned
 First Aid earned during Troop Meetings
 Camping & Environmental Science MB encouraged for 2nd
Summer Camp
 20 nights of camping should be complete by Summer Camp

15. Role of Parents
 No (very few) Scouts make Eagle without . . .
 Parental Encouragement
 Parental Support
 Parental Cheerleaders Needed
 Provide a performance mirror
 Look for opportunities to meet requirements
 Practice skills at home
 Relate how Scoutcraft skills are modified and used at home
 Teach non-Scoutcraft skills at home

16. Top-Secret Methods for Parents
 Play dumb to make Scout communicate
 Know answers before asking the questions
 Refuse mono-syllable and catch phrases for answers
 Use 20 words for answers (goal ~12-20)
 Let Scout know you will always ask what happened at the event
 Don’t protect Scouts from “falling off logs”
 Praise success, whisper secrets for better performance

17. 1st
Campout
 Tonight, Boy Camping Essentials presented
 Sans 10 Essentials (added when trained to use them)
 One container Scout can carry
 Box, Pillow Case, Drybag, Duffle Bag, Backpack, etc
 If Earned Whittling Chip as a Cub Scout
 Bring Pocketknife
 Next Troop Meeting
 Shakedown (add, subtract, modify contents)
 Crossover Campout: 17-19 Mar 17, Camp Thunder

18. What Do We Need for Camping?
 For Camping
 Permission Slip w/ Paid Fee
 BSA Physical Form: Parts A & B
 For Troop Membership
 BSA Youth Member Application
 Adults

19. Parents & Campouts
 Parents are always welcome and invited
 Part of the Adult Patrol
 Functions
 Safety observers
 Two-deep leadership
 Behind-the-scenes magicians
 Transportation
 Cheerleaders
 There are no “parents” during campouts. Boy Leaders are in
charge
 Bite your tongue until it bleeds!

20. Patrol Formation
 Need to form 2 Patrols from 3 Dens
 All I have is a list of names
 One a piece of paper tonight, briefly tell me about . . .
 Symbiotic friendships
 Brother preferences
 Food allergies
 Special needs
 Dysfunctional relationships
 Other considerations

21. Patrol Communications
 Usually Email Messages from Scoutbook
 References may be made to . . .
 New Scout Blog
 Slideshare
 YouTube
 Records Kept in Scoutbook
 Usually updated after Troop Meetings

22. Tonight
 Provide
 Membership Application
 Physical Form (Parts A & B)
 Relationship Considerations
 Camping Permission Slips
 Take
 Boys Camping Essentials List
 Introduce yourself to each other