Welcome to Troop 828!

Congratulations to all of our new Scouts on their successful completion of Cub Scouts and crossover to Boy Scouts. We know your sons are excited to be here. We also know that it’s a big step for them and for you, and that you may have a lot of questions about Boy Scouts in general, and about Troop 828 specifically. We’ve tried to anticipate and answer some of your questions with this information sheet. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask any adult member of the Troop!

1. How is Boy Scouts different from Cub Scouts?

There are a number of differences in the two programs, but most notable are the following:

• Boy Scouts follow a more individualized path through the ranks to Eagle. Unlike Cub Scouts, the rank and merit badge requirements allow each boy to progress at his own pace, rather than in lockstep with the rest of his age group or patrol.

• While Cub Scout packs are organized into dens of boys all of the same age and rank, a Boy Scout Troop is made up of patrols. The boys in a patrol may be of different ages and ranks, although we try to group boys in the same age group together in one or two patrols.

• In Cub Scouts, each den follows its own program of meetings and activities, and the dens come together once a month for a Pack Meeting. In Boy Scouts, the Troop meets together each week. (Troop 828 meets on Monday nights at 7:30, although this may change from time to time to accommodate after-school activities.) Outings and campouts are planned as a troop, with each boy and/or each patrol assuming certain responsibilities. One meeting per month may be designated as a patrol meeting, during which the patrols will meet individually.

• On campouts in Cub Scouts, each boy will generally sleep with his parent, although boys are allowed to share a tent. In Boy Scouts, the boys choose tentmates, and they pitch their tents and eat and sleep with other boys in their patrol. Parents are encouraged to attend campouts but form their own “parent” patrol, pitching their tents apart from the boys, and planning and cooking their own meals.

2. What are the ranks in Boy Scouts?

As noted above, Boy Scouts advance individually through several ranks in order to reach the highest Scout rank, the rank of Eagle. Each boy enters the Troop as a Scout. He then works to complete rank achievements and merit badges to advance to Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. Troop 828 is very proud of the large number of its Scouts who have achieved Eagle Rank over the years of the Troop’s existence.

3. How does rank advancement work in Boy Scouts?

In Cub Scouts, the den leader or leaders monitor the boys’ progress and award rank advancements and other awards, and parents can “sign off” on completed items. In Boy Scouts, the boys follow a more formalized program of rank advancement. The Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster checks and initials each Scout’s handbook as rank advancement requirements are met. This can be done before, during or after meetings, on campouts, at summer camp, or at another time and place agreed upon. After a Scout completes the requirements for rank advancement for a particular rank, he will schedule a Scoutmaster Conference with the Troop’s Scoutmaster. After he passes his Scoutmaster Conference, the Scout schedules a Board of Review. These are held once a month, usually on the third Monday night during the Troop meeting. The Scout is required to pass his Board of Review to advance to the next rank. (At a Board of Review, the Scout comes before three to four adults, who conduct a uniform inspection and ask him a series of questions to evaluate the Scout’s maturity level and his interest and involvement in Scouting. Boards of Review for the Eagle rank are held at the District level, not within the Troop.) About once every three months, the Troop holds a Court of Honor, during which badges are awarded and the Scouts are recognized for their rank advancements and merit badges.

4. How do Boy Scouts earn merit badges?

Almost as soon as he starts attending troop meetings, your Scout will have opportunities to earn merit badges. Twelve merit badges are specified as “Eagle” merit badges, and some of these must be earned at each of the First Class, Star, and Life ranks in order to advance to the next rank. A large number of non-Eagle merit badges are also offered. Some badges are offered by merit badge counselors within the troop and are taught in a group setting, at meetings or campouts. Other badges are offered during Merit Badge Universities (which are run at different times during the year by the Alamo Area Council or other Boy Scout councils), at summer camp, or on special outings. For example, Troop 828 boys recently had the opportunity to attend an outing at the South Austin Rock Climbing Gym and earn their Climbing merit badge. Scouts can also work on merit badges individually. Many of the adults in Troop 828 are merit badge counselors for various badges, and we encourage new parents to apply to be merit badge counselors as well.

5. Who leads Troop 828?

We in Troop 828 are committed to the concept of a “boy-led” troop, which allows the Scouts to learn leadership skills, as well as to develop public speaking, organizational, and other skills they will use throughout their lives. Every six months, in May and November, we hold troop elections, during which the Scouts elect their Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Scribe, Historian, Instructors, Patrol Leaders, and other Troop positions. The Senior Patrol Leader (“SPL”) works with the Scoutmaster to plan Troop meetings, and the SPL conducts the Troop meetings (with some adult guidance). Once a month, the SPL and Scoutmaster hold a Patrol Leader Conference (“PLC”), during which they plan the next month’s activities with the Patrol Leaders in the troop. Harry Williams is our current SPL.

This does not mean that parents have no involvement! Parent volunteers also hold various positions in the troop. Scott Schmitz is our current Scoutmaster, and we have several Assistant Scoutmasters as well. Gary Massey, former Scoutmaster, now serves as our Committee Chairman. Other parents serve on the Troop 828 Committee, handing such responsibilities as obtaining permits and reservations for campouts, managing the Troop roster, documenting rank advancement and reporting achievements to Council, monitoring troop registration and other required paperwork, serving on Boards of Review, helping with fundraising activities, and other duties. The Parent Committee meets once a month, usually on the first Tuesday following Roundtable. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend.

6. What equipment will my son need for campouts?

Campouts are an integral part of the Boy Scout program, and you will want your Scout to have the equipment he needs. However, you don’t need to rush out and buy him a deluxe tent, a camp stove, or a sleeping bag rated for -20 degrees. The Troop maintains a variety of camping equipment, including tents, ground covers and tarps, lanterns, cooking equipment and utensils, and a troop first aid kit. Your Scout will need a sleeping bag, a mess kit, eating utensils, a flashlight, and a backpack. We will talk about the types of equipment that are recommended before the boys go on their first Troop campout.

7. What one piece of equipment should my Scout keep up with throughout his time in Troop 828?

Your new Scout should have received an official Scout handbook prior to the Crossover ceremony. He should always bring his handbook to meetings and campouts, especially when he needs an adult to sign off on a completed requirement, or when he is sitting for a Scoutmaster Conference or a Board of Review. Even when he sits for his Eagle Board of Review, he will need to have his Scout handbook with him. Your Scout should always know where his handbook is! Not only does his handbook provide important information about Scouting, it will serve as his individual record of rank advancement. If there is ever a question about completion of a rank, the Scout’s handbook should contain a full record of the date of completion of every rank requirement.