Troop Guides

[Greying Beaver]

In our troop, the SPL, ASPL, and TG's all remain in their "home" patrols for all troop activities, including campouts. The TG's help the NSP with cooking from setting up the stove to clean-up, but do not do any of the assignments. The only time I've seen a TG eat with his patrol was when his NSP had a better supper planned than his own patrol! they are also in charge of teaching all of the skills fom T'foot to 1st Class. That being said, please read on.

My son, almost 19 and is now the troop's NSP-specific ASM. He's an Eagle, was a TG, and is going through Scoutmaster Fundamentals next month. According to him, the troop isn't going to have "slacker TG's" any more. TG's have been in name only the past couple of years because the TG's seem to disappear for most troop activities because they are busy with school or falling under the influence of 'fumes. Now get this: He wants his WB beads before he turns 21 (He's going to college here in town - Whew! Less $$$'s!). And he's going to use his position as NSP-specific ASM as his troop position for his ticket work. He was always looking over our shoulders (The Boss is a BobWhite.) while we were doing our ticket work, so he has some idea of what ticket work is all about. This looks like a great way for somebody to get their beads in any troop, especially if the TG program is suffering. Something about two birds and a stone.

 

[LPC_Thumper]

In my troop, the TG are appointed by the SM because of their GREAT scout skills, and attitude. It is known that the good scouts are TGs, the SPL and ASPL or left after the new TG are appointed. Their appointment is only for 6 months, and we have a special campout for them (which includes a trip to our local water park). As the CC, I fix a special BBQ for them the last evening of their training.

 

They leave their regular patrol, but leave their patrol patch on their sleeve. The meet the incoming scouts and help them decide how many new patrols we will have. We keep our patrols aged based, so the patrol that is formed now, stays until they age out. They start teaching during that first patrol meeting, help them decide on their patrol name, flag, yell, everything. They help them organize their patrol box, and get them to the market to shop. Their goal is to work themselves out of a job by the end of the first six months.

 

They and the SPL & ASPL hold 3 campouts over the first year. These campouts are also staffed by adults as needed. We call them advancement campouts, and again they are a big deal. As an older boy, you can't go to our High Adventure trips unless you have served on staff of an advancement campout. (We do trips that older boys like to do).

 

As soon as the NSP, can make a menu that reflects proper nutrition, involves actually cooking food, and involves setting up their patrol camp site, we as adults invite the TG to hang out with us. (Provide his food, pitch his tent, that he gets by himself, etc) When we know that he has accomplished the task, we ask him to remove the TG patch, we also give him a placque that recognizes his contributions to the troop, and invite him to go and join his troop again. It's a big deal that we handle at a campfire, we also tell the NSP, that they aren't a NSP anymore. See NSP need TG, our troop no longer has a TG, therefore we don't have a NSP. We tell them that they are now ready to act like all the other patrols, and don't need a baby sitter anymore. Up to now (only been doing this for about 9 years now) this has worked for us.

 

Hope this helps...