Parent Guide: Troop Organization

The key unit within the troop is the patrol. Patrols are 12 to 15 scouts and have established identities. To the maximum extent possible, all activities are geared to be conducted by the Scouts from within their patrols. Each patrol is led by an older scout elected as the Patrol Leader for a six month period.

A Troop Leadership Council (TLC) is made up of scouts that lead the troop, including the Patrol Leaders. Troop elections are held every September and March for each patrol to elect their patrol leaders and to nominate two of their members for the troop level leadership positions; in particular, the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) position. The SPL is the leader of the TLC and he works with the rest of the TLC, including Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders (ASPL), Quartermaster, Librarian, Scribe, and so on to execute the troop’s program.

Scouting is a scout-led activity! Troop meetings and camp-outs are run by the SPL and their assistants based on agendas formed with the TLC and the Scoutmaster. There is a theme for each month that determines the types of activities the troop and the patrols will be working on.

Patrols learn to work together as teams that bridge age and experience. New scouts are assigned to a patrol and they will be supported by the older members of the patrol in their advancements and scouting experience. The Scoutmaster will make the initial assignments with an eye towards keeping the patrols balanced in size.

For Scouts 14 and older, Troop 777 offers Venture activities geared more specifically for them. Venture Crews may meet separately from the general troop, and there are a number of activities that are designated as “Venture Only” because of special training or skill requirements.

Roles for Adults. In a troop as large and as active as ours, adults play a crucial role in running the Troop, although the emphasis is on letting the boys lead. The primary adult leader of any Scout troop is the Scoutmaster, who is responsible for leading the boys in executing the Boy Scout Program.

The Scoutmaster depends on several groups of adults for help, the Assistant Scoutmasters (ASM), the Troop Committee, Troop Mentors, and Troop Merit Badge Counselors. The ASMs, mentors, and merit badge counselors are typically more involved with the boys at meetings and on treks, while the Troop Committee manages and administers key functions within the Troop, such as finances, equipment purchase and maintenance, registration, and Scoutmaster selection.

Parents are strongly encouraged to register with the BSA and participate in one or more of these roles. The more volunteers we have, the stronger our program will be and the more event and treks can be offered!