Chippewa_Dan

I have not seen your post but leaders are not supposed to do what is convenient for them, rather to do what is best for the boys. True the patrol method may not be convenient but it accomplishes the task of creating patrol identity. He/she can be responsible for many patrols by delegating to the ASM's.

WOW! 3 responses already! Thank you all so much for your feedback. My situation is that I am a new committee chair (3 months) and I have a SM who believes that you can effectively execute the patrol method with all of the patrols being together. My Woodbadge training (Beaver-C-26-05)tells me otherwise. Our patrols lack individual identity and I am having a difficult time getting the SM to buy into this idea. Consequently I am looking here and other places for confirmation that I am correct. I would love to have our patrols 100 yards apart but many of the places that we go do not have that much room. We normally have 10-20 boys (sometimes 30) and at least 4 adults go on every campout. I guess my view of patrol method is more of a "purist" view vs. a "morphed" view (combo of troop method and patrol method). I firmly believe that the patrol method is the ONLY way to run a troop.

When setting up camp how does the troop set up the patrols? Are they physically separated? If there is a pavilion is it OK to have all of the patrols underneath it even though they may cook separately? If the troop has a large garage, should all of the patrols set up their chuck boxes under it and cook and clean all together? My opinion is that patrols should be physically separated. Even if it is only by 25 feet or so. Each patrol should have their own separate area. Having their own table, 5 feet away from another patrol, does not constitute having their own area. My opinion again, this is NOT patrol method. Am I wrong on this? Is there any written documentation on how to "execute" the patrol method?