Troop/patrol Activities Requirement

[Dedicated Dad]

 

Im looking for mainly patrol activities suggestion's that would fulfill this requirement for First Class. Do patrol bike/hike day trips, on a well-known trail, need a to have some kind community service attached to fulfill the prerequisite? What kind of patrol activities do you recommend, fund raisers, fun-stuff, fellowship building, I assume a trip to Six Flags doesnt count?

 

[andrews]

My oldest son got together with his patrol for a bike hike around the neighborhood several times. At least one counted toward that requirement if I recall correctly.

 

For my youngest son, normal campouts, along with fundraising events (selling popcorn in front of a store) and Scouting for Food covered the activities.

 

Brad

[Chippewa29]

What I usually tell my Scouts is that the events must be separately planned from both troop meetings and other events in their lives. For example, if they go on a field trip with school where more than half the troop goes (this can happen in our troop), then I wouldn't count it. Also, I tell them that is must include at least half of the troop and be approved of ahead of time by the adult leadership in the troop and the invitation is open to everyone in the troop/patrol. For example, four Scouts in our troop are really good friends, so if they camp out together in their back yard one night take a day to go with their parents to an amusement park, it doesn't count.

[andrews]

Note that it can be a patrol activity, but applying the same criteria (while counting 1/2 the patrol) would seem reasonable.

 

Brad

[eisely]

I would consider any activity sponsered by the unit, or a patrol, properly endorsed by the committee other than a routine meeting or court of honor to qualify. Things you didn't mention: working on someone's eagle project, scouting for food, organized visits to museums, participating in rock climbing at an indoor facility, visits (including overnights) to retired naval vessels such as the Intrepid in New York or the Hornet in Alameida, CA, participating in training, participating in camporees, participating in summer camp, participating in conservation projects.

 

I would have to look again, but I don't think there is any requirement to include service hours with a hike. Service hours can be accumulated in a variety of ways. Of course, incorporating service hours into a hike kills two birds with one stone. (PETA forgive me for this metaphor. No actual birds were ever stoned.)

 

If your unit has computerized its records, the software will probably track such events. We routinely require adult leaders to submit a roster of youth and adult participants, the location, nights camped, and miles hiked. Our advancement chair enters this into the system and the records are valuable for a lot of reasons, beyond just First Class Rank. Since the handbook does not have a space for recording these events, I also recorded in the margins those events for my own sons. If your unit does not maintain good records, these marginal notes become the only record.

[Rooster7]

Chippewa29 said, "Also, I tell them that is must include at least half of the troop and be approved of ahead of time by the adult leadership in the troop and the invitation is open to everyone in the troop/patrol."

 

In my troop, only patrol members must be invited for patrol events. Why would you demand that the whole troop be invited (if it's a patrol event)?

 

Chippewa29 also said, "For example, four Scouts in our troop are really good friends, so if they camp out together in their back yard one night take a day to go with their parents to an amusement park, it doesn't count."

 

I agree with this. The entire patrol must be invited for it to be a legitimate patrol outing. However, if the whole patrol was invited and only the four showed up, I would count it.

 

Andrews said, "Note that it can be a patrol activity, but applying the same criteria (while counting 1/2 the patrol) would seem reasonable."

 

I disagree with this because otherwise a boy could limit the invite to his "friends" only. This would alienate the rest of the patrol and cause a lot of hurt feelings. It certainly would not be Scout-like behavior for the patrol leader. All patrol members should be invited (but not necessarily attend) for it to be a legitimate patrol outing/event.

 

[Dedicated Dad]

Also, I tell them that it must include at least half of the troop and be approved of ahead of time by the adult leadership in the troop and the invitation is open to everyone in the troop/patrol. Note that it can be a patrol activity, but applying the same criteria (while counting 1/2 the patrol) would seem reasonable. Im assuming Chippewa29 meant patrol and not troop as the requirement clearly includes patrol activities all though its only polite to invite anyone else interested, including leaders. I agree with the friends clause, it has merit and should be scrutinized for the requirement. My question still remains what BSA characteristics need to be attributed to the activity to qualify? I mentioned Six Flags jokingly but if included a bike hike to get there I would assume it would meet the requirement. Does a trip on the metro to see the Smithsonians and the Mall need to include a visit to the Baden-Powell exhibit (if there was one)? Does a bike hike need to include a community service like picking up trash on the way or exceed a certain mileage? I think that any patrol activity outside of meetings (agreed that it should have 1/2 of the patrol) shouldnt need to be any more involving than a bonding experience with a goal achieved. All IMHO.

 

 

 

 

 

[andrews]

Rooster,

 

I was referring to 1/2 the patrol as to turnout, the whole patrol should be invited or it would not be a patrol activity, and percentage wouldn't matter.

 

Watching my oldest try to organize patrol things as patrol leader, even that 1/2 seems high at times. Though he does have a "small" patrol of only 5-7 boys.

 

Brad

[Dedicated Dad]

Here is the only reference (I could find) on the BSA site that addressed any parameters for meeting the activities requirement. I found this cite listed under the Patrol Method.

 

Patrol Activities

Most patrol activities take place within the framework of the troop. However, patrols may also conduct day hikes and service projects independent of the troop, as long as they follow two rules:

h The Scoutmaster approves the activity.

h The patrol activity does not interfere with any troop function.

 

It would appear that there are no true standards other than approval is at the discretion of the scoutmaster. It seems this rule, like many others in the BSA, is equivocal in interpretation allowing each troop to make its own policy. This reminds me of my churches official position on certain controversial matters, we call it Blessed Ambiguity.

 

 

[eisely]

Patrol activities also must be in compliance with all BSA safety policies, including two deep qualified adult leadership presence, and tour permits. If a unit enforces the tour permit requirement, the committee will automatically be in the position of being aware of and approving patrol activities.

[Bob Russell]

Eisely, do patrol outings actually require 2 adults present? Our troop has not had patrol outings where 2 adults were not present, but I remember scout outings I went on as a scout, too many years ago, where only the scouts were present, no adults. This included day hikes of considerable distance.

[eisely]

I don't know when the two deep requirement began. Concerning the two deep adult presence, either it didn't exist when I was a scout, or our unit ignored it. We too had patrol outings and explorer post events where the adults present were either one or zero. Upon reflection, that was rather foolish.

 

The only time that we ignore the two deep adult requirement today is for patrol and troop meetings. Multiple youth are at these meetings and no dangerous activities occur, so this is fine. As far as I know the two deep requirement kicks in for anything other than a routine meeting at the troop or patrol level.

[andrews]

All my son's patrol activities are just the boys, no adults other than parents, around. The bike hikes have been in the neighborhood, without a tour permit.

 

If we had to provide two deep adult leadership, or even any adult leadership, most patrol meetings wouldn't happen.

 

Please point out where this is wrong, if it is.

 

Brad

[Dedicated Dad]

I thought tour permits were only needed for activities where auto-transportation is involved. Its part of the insurance release, isnt it? And, I also thought patrol activities were scout supervised and didnt involve adults. If there is no need for group transportation, there is no need for adults, ipso facto there is no need for a tour permit. Can anyone cite the regs. On this?