ORIENTATION GUIDE FOR PARENTS

BOY SCOUT TROOP 14

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Chartered by

www.starkvilletroop14.org
Revised: January 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE AIMS AND METHODS OF SCOUTING ... 3 GENERAL TROOP INFORMATION .. 4 THE OUTDOOR PROGRAM .. 5 ADVANCEMENT ...... 7 SERVICE PROJECTS ..... 10 THE PATROL METHOD . 10 WEEKLY TROOP MEETING 11 ALL ABOUT MONEY 11 FUND RAISING . 12 STUFF YOUR SCOUT NEEDS .. 13 ADULT LEADERSHIP ......15 YOUTH LEADERS ... 16 YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT... 18 TROOP DISCIPLINARY ACTION . 19 OUR PROMISE TO YOU . 20

THE AIMS, GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF SCOUTING

If you ask a Scout the purpose of Scouting, he's likely to mention things like camping, earning badges, or poking sticks in a fire. Ask a Scout leader, however, and you'll hear answers like character building, citizenship training, and leadership. You see, while camping, earning badges and other fun activities are a big part of Scouting, they're not the purpose of Scouting. Instead, they are the methods we use to get boys interested and to keep them involved long enough that we can teach them about character, citizenship, and fitness. In fact, the mission statement of the Boy Scouts of America doesn't even mention camping. The Boy Scouts of America's mission is to "achieve excellence in fostering the character development, worldwide citizenship, and the moral, mental, and physical fitness of young people, and in other ways prepare them to make ethical choices by instilling the values found in the Scout Oath and Law." The Boy Scout program has both aims and guiding principles. The Aims of the Boy Scout program (as opposed to Cub Scouting, Exploring, or Venturing) are to build character, foster citizenship, and develop fitness. The methods we use to achieve those aims are ideals, patrols, outdoor adventures, advancement, personal growth, adult association, leadership development, and the uniform. These are discussed below. The Guiding Principles for advancement within the Boy Scout program are how we go about achieving our aims. Advancement through the program is not simply the Scout checking off boxes on requirements sheets for ranks and merit badges. Advancement is more holistic than that. Advancement means that the Scout is incorporating into their lives the scouting ideals as they learn leadership, civic and outdoor skills. Here are our Guiding Principles: 1. Advancement encourages Scouting ideals. Scouting teaches a young person how to care for himself/herself and help others. Advancement should reflect the desire to live the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or Venturing Oath in his/her daily life. 2. Personal growth is the prime consideration in the advancement program. Scouting skillswhat a young person knows how to doare important, but they are not the most important aspect of advancement. Scouting's concern is the total growth of youth. This growth may be measured by how youth live the Scouting ideals, and how they do their part in their daily lives. 3. Learning by doing. A Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or Venturer may read about fire building or good citizenship. He/she may hear it discussed, and watch others in

action, but he/she has not learned fire building or good citizenship until he/she has done it. 4. Each youth progresses at his or her own rate. Advancement is not a competition among individual young people, but is an expression of their interest and participation in the program. Youth must be encouraged to advance steadily and set their own goals with guidance from their parents, guardians, or leaders. 5. Just because a group of youth join at the same time, not everyone will earn the same awards at the same time. Let all members earn the awards at their own pace. 6. A badge is recognition of what a young person is able to do, not merely a reward for what he or she has done. The badge is proof of certain abilities, and is not just a reward for the completion of a task. Advancement Policies #33088 The Methods that scouting uses to reach it aims include. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Ideals: The Scout Oath and Scout Law, which boys memorize and try to live by. Patrols: The troop is divided into small, semi-autonomous groups called patrols. Outdoor Adventures: The camping/hiking/canoeing program is what attracts most boys to Scouting in the first place. Advancement: The badges Scouts can earn as they progress in Scouting. Personal Growth: The opportunity Scouts have to grow physically, mentally, and morally in the program. Adult Association: The presence of adults who possess good character to serve as role models. Leadership Development: The many ways boys can learn and exercise leadership in what is essentially a boy-run program. The Uniform: A unique tool that both brings the troop together (since everyone dresses alike) and lets Scouts show off their individual accomplishments (through rank badges and other patches).

GENERAL TROOP INFORMATION

Meeting Time and Location: Troop 14 meets each Monday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Starkville. Exceptions include Christmas / New Year Holidays, spring break, same week of summer camp, and when the winter weather is so severe it is not prudent to travel the roads. If school is cancelled due to severe weather, so is the Troop meeting. Otherwise the troop meeting is held as usual.

Troop Committee: The Troop Committee (the "board of directors" of the troop) meets at the scout hut on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Troop Calendar: A troop calendar is published once a year (usually in February). Each calendar includes all scheduled meetings, activities, campouts and Courts of Honor for the next 12 months. These dates sometimes have to be re-scheduled due to changes in the Council calendar, church activities, and other considerations, so parents should be alert for, and flexible to, such changes. Troop Website: The troop maintains a website which includes its calendar. It can be found at http://www.starkvilletroop14.org/ Troop Sponsorship: Troop 14 is chartered to the Starkville Rotary Club and we meet at First Presbyterian church. Neither Rotary club or church membership is required for participation in the troop. Young boys and their families of all faiths are welcome. Troop Affiliate: Troop 14 is part of the Pushmataha Area Council. located in Columbus, MS. Its headquarters are

THE OUTDOOR PROGRAM

There's an old saying that you can't take the "outing" out of "Scouting." After all, camping is why most boys join scoutingand its the reason that they stay involved. Its on campouts that boys learn not only Scouting skills like cooking, hiking, and orienteering, but also life skills like teamwork, self-reliance and leadership. In Troop 14, we maintain an active and varied outdoor program. We hold a campout or related activity every month and participate in summer camp. The schedule is announced every six months through the Troops calendar. Specific outing dates are subject to change, however, the boys will be provided as much advanced notice as possible. Below is an overview of our outdoor program:

Monthly Campouts
Troop 14 camps monthly throughout the year. In addition, there is summer camp, day trips for caving, canoeing, and service projects. The camping program is integral to the program and all scouts are expected to participate in both the meetings and the outings. Also in addition scouts who are training for High Adventure Trips often have separate training campouts and canoe trips. Those scouts must still participate in regular campouts to remain eligible for the High Adventure Trips. Our monthly campouts generally begin on Friday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. and end on Sunday afternoon around 12:00 pm. An evening meal on Friday night is not planned, so the Scout should eat dinner prior to arriving. The program can involve everything from participating in a

district or council camporee (a multi-troop campout), canoeing, spelunking, backpacking or hiking. Generally, the cost is $10 per scout per night, so most campouts cost the scout $20. This money is used to pay for the food and fuel required for the campout, and to help offset any fees that are charged by an outing destination. It's important that Scouts sign up for a campout at the troop meeting two weeks before the trip is scheduled. This allows the patrol leaders to determine the food requirements and allows us to determine how many drivers / vehicles we will need. On most campouts, each of the patrols cooks their meals as a group. Each patrol is responsible for developing its own menu (at least two weeks before the campout) and assigning shopping responsibilities to a grubmaster for each patrol. Some campouts involve additional cash payments depending on the activity. This information will be provided two weeks in advance as well. Typically, those are less than $15.00 per person. Parents are expected to ensure that a Scouts commitment to participate in a campout is honored because of the planning and logistics involved. Scouts who develop a habit of backing out of trips will not be permitted to participate. Scouts are responsible for cleaning all troop equipment. If your Scout brings home a tent or tarp to dry and clean, it must be hung or set-up immediately to prevent mold and mildew. The tent or tarp must be cleaned and dried. Once dry, your son must repack it properly and return it at the next troop meeting! If your son brings home other wet or dirty equipment, he should immediately clean and condition it to prevent rust or deterioration.

Summer Camp
Each year we spend a week at Camp Seminole, MS and, typically, another week at a different summer camp destination. We encourage our new scouts to attend the Camp Seminole camp because its close to home and most scouts are familiar with the camp, making their first week away from home easier for them. However, scouts can attend both summer camps if they choose. At summer camp, new Scouts can work on their basic ranks and Scout skills, intermediate-level Scouts can earn merit badges (many of which are tough to get at home), and older Scouts can participate in high-adventure activities like rappelling and rock climbing. Each summer camp costs between $150 and $200. This cost may vary slightly year to year.

High Adventure
Your son may have an opportunity to attend one of the four National High Adventure Programs operated by the Boy Scouts of America. For most who attend it is a lifelong memory. Troop 14 tries to attend one of these camps approximately every other year. In addition, there are annual opportunities offered through the Pushmataha Area Council. The four programs are: 1. Philmont National Scout Ranch, located in the Sierra Madras mountains of northeastern New Mexico. This is a 12 day adventure in a high altitude backpacking trip which mixes amazing hikes with daily experiences reliving the lives of the pioneers who settled the region. 2. Northern Tier National Canoe Base is located in northern Minnesota and southcentral Canada in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area10,000 lakes where the French-Canadian trappers lived. It is a 10 day canoe adventure where you may not see another soul until your return to base. The crystal clear waters, fishing and blazing night skies are the highlights of this adventure. 3. Florida Sea Base is spread over three bases in the Florida Keys and the Bahamas. There scouts learn to sail tall ships, scuba dive, snorkel, deep sea fishing and ocean environmental studies over a week long adventure. 4. Bechtel Family National Scout ReservationThe Summit, located in Beckley, West Virginia is the newest base. It features rock climbing, backpacking, white water rafting, zip lines and will be the home of the National Scout Jamboree. These trips are mountain top experiences for the scouts. They stretch the Scouts skills and instill a level of self-confidence that is almost difficult to explain. We highly encourage mature scouts and their fathers to take advantage of these opportunities if at all possible. The planning for each trip takes two years. The scouts form a crew and begin training for their high adventure, and fund-raising. The cost of each trip is about $1000.00-$1,200.00. The crews elects a crew leader, and plan 4-6 training hikes or outings to gel together.

Patrol Activities
On a slightly smaller scale, we encourage individual patrols to plan their own outings. Patrols can plan activities that exactly fit what their members are looking for. Just keep in mind that the same rules apply for patrol campouts as they do for all other outings, including having a minimum of two adult leaders, one of whom is a registered leader of the Boy Scouts of America.

ADVANCEMENT
In sports, progress is judged by your team's win-loss record. In school, progress is judged by your students grades and GPA. In scouting, a Scouts progress is measured through the advancement program. The badges he wears on his uniform and merit badge sash are the external signs of his internal growth and development. The Scout advancement program includes three types of badges: ranks, merit badges, and special awards. Let's take a look at each type.

Ranks
Ranks are the heart of the advancement program. New members earn the Scout badge by completing basic joining requirements. They then work through the ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle. You can divide the ranks into two groups. The first three ranks (Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class) focus on basic Scouting skills, and every Scout must complete the same requirements. New Scouts especially those who join as part of a graduating Webelos den are placed in a special "new-Scout" patrol and work on many of the requirements as a group. The first-year camper program at summer camp also covers many of these basic requirements. A Scout is expected to complete the Tenderfoot and Second Class ranks within his first year in scouting with Troop 14. First Class should be completed within the following year. The remaining senior ranks should be accomplished one year at a time. This advancement time line is dependent on the individual Scouts enthusiasm and drive. The higher ranks Star, Life, and Eagle look completely different. Each requires the Scout to be active in the troop and patrol for a certain period of time, earn a specified number of merit badges, complete service projects, and serve as a patrol or troop leader. Within each of these requirements, though, the Scout gets to make many choices which merit badges to earn, which troop job(s) to hold so each Scout's path to Eagle will be different. Why emphasize the Eagle Scout? Many people ask this. Achieving the rank of Eagle Scout is a major accomplishment, but something that is within the grasp of most scouts who have the desire to achieve success. It is the highest youth award that a young man can earn. It marks the young man as a leader, as a man who is competent, and who has initiative. It retains its importance for the Scouts lifetime, whether it be on college admissions, military enlistment, job applications, or just the general aura that accompanies a person. Troop 14 has been blessed that it has had dozens of young men achieve that honor, which is one of the highest success rates in the entire Blue Grass Council. And we do it without stinting or cutting corners. If you earn it here, you have earned it well. Earning any rank is a three-step process. First, an adult leader must sign off on each requirement (unlike Cub Scouting parents are not permitted sign off advancement). Second, the Scout meets with the Scoutmaster for a Scoutmaster conference, where they discuss his progress (see Guiding Principles above.), future plans, and other topics. Finally, the Scout goes before a board of review, which judges whether he is ready for the new rank. Boards of review involve 2-3 adult committee members from the troop. A Scout schedules his board of review with the advancement committee chair.

Merit Badges
Merit badges are awards that Scouts can earn for learning about a specific subject a Scouting skill like camping or swimming, a hobby like stamp collecting or music, or a career field like engineering or computers. Merit badges let Scouts "get credit" for some things they already do and lets them explore things they've never tried before. A minimum of 21 merit badges are required for Eagle, some of which are required and some of which are electives. Those merit badges required for Eagle have a silver border; all others have a green border. Merit badges are displayed on a sash. Your son is not required to purchase a merit badge sash until he has earned 6 badges. You can find a complete list of the merit badges in the Boy Scout Handbook. For merit badge requirements, see Boy Scout Requirements. To earn a merit badge, a Scout works with a merit badge counselor, who is an individual with special knowledge and interest in the subject. The troop maintains a list of active counselors, and we can usually find additional counselors as needed. (This is a great role for parents to play in the troop.) Before meeting with the counselor, the Scout must get a signed merit badge application from the Scoutmaster.

Special Awards
There are also a whole host of other awards Scouts can earn. These awards are unrelated to the rank program, but are still important. Here are some highlights: God and Country. Virtually every religion and Christian denomination has a series of religious awards for Scouts; they're often referred to as God and Country awards, although that term really just applies to the Protestant awards. To many people, the religious awards are as significant as the Eagle Scout award. Scouts who bring a friend into Scouting receive a Recruiter patch. Aquatics awards include BSA Lifeguard, Mile Swim BSA, and Snorkeling BSA. These are usually earned at summer camp. The World Conservation Award recognizes Scouts who've earned certain conservation merit badges. The 50 Miler Award can be earned by Scouts who complete a backpacking or canoe trek of at least 50 miles in length and 5 days in duration. Lifesaving and meritorious awards honor Scouts for outstanding and unusual acts of heroism, skill, or bravery. Procedures for earning special awards vary considerably. For more information, see Boy Scout Requirements.

A Scouts advancements are recognized within the troop as soon as they're earned. Quarterly, we hold a ceremony called a Court of Honor to formally award Scouts who have advanced. (Eagle Scouts are recognized at a special Eagle Court of Honor.) Parents and other family members are strongly encouraged to attend all Courts of Honor.

Order of the Arrow

The Order of the Arrow serves as Scoutings National Honor Society. The Order of the Arrow is an organization within the National Scouting program. The Order recognizes those Scouts and Adult Leaders who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. Order of the Arrow candidates are nominated by the troop members.

SERVICE PROJECTS
The Boy Scout slogan is "Do a Good Turn Daily." And while doing those Good Turns is an individual responsibility, Troop 14 also gives members several opportunities to work on service projects. Doing service projects of one to six hours' duration is required for the Second Class, Star, and Life ranks. These projects should be approved before starting. Any troop leader can give your son ideas for projects. In addition, Eagle Scout candidates must complete a major community service project. They must plan, carry out, and show leadership in a project to benefit a school, a religious institution, or the community at large. (The project can't benefit Scouting, however.) Other Scouts are asked to participate in Eagle projects and get service hours for doing so. Remember, when you conduct your own Eagle Project, you will want the younger Scouts to participate.

THE PATROL METHOD

Like all troops, Troop 14 is subdivided into smaller groups called patrols. A patrol is a group of 6-10 boys who work together at meetings, camp and cook together on outings, and compete together in games and contests. Brand-new Scouts join a special temporary New Scout patrol, where the Patrol Leader and adult leaders help them get up to speed on basic Scouting skills and advancement requirements. After a period of time, each Scout will be blended into one of the standing patrols by the adult leadership. Troop 14 is a boy-led troop. This means that the leaders call upon the boys to select their outings, organize their outings, and to run the troop meetings. The senior Scout is the Senior Patrol Leader. This is an elected position that rotates every 6 months. The remaining positions of responsibility are determined by elections at planning meetings in January and July of each year. All positions must be approved by the Troop Committee. Positions are
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reassigned every 6 months or as needed. Scout or higher in rank.

A Patrol Leader must be at least a First Class

While most of our activities are conducted at the troop level, we encourage patrols to plan their own activities as well. They could work on a merit badge together, for example, or go on a campout and practice scouting skills that are not pertinent to the other patrols.

WEEKLY TROOP MEETINGS

Scouts are expected to attend the weekly troop meeting. The troop meets every Monday of the month except during the Christmas / New Year Holidays and the week of Summer Camp. The meeting starts at 7:00 and lasts to 8:00. Activities are coordinated between the youth leaders and adult leaders. During this period the Scouts will, depending on the agenda, receive activity information, practice Scout skills, test on Scout skills, perform merit badge requirements, plan for campouts / outings, and will usually play a game. The Scout should study his rank requirements in the handbook during the week and if prepared challenge the requirement with an adult leader during the weekly meeting. If he does not understand the task, he should seek assistance from the older scouts in his patrol or any adult leader. Distractions such as skateboards, video games, CD players, iPods, comics, etc. should not come to the troop meeting. With the exception of Monday meetings immediately following troop outings, Scouts are expected to wear their Class A uniforms to each meeting. For those meetings following troop outings, scouts may wear their Class B t-shirts that they will be issued upon joining the troop.

ALL ABOUT MONEY

Like everything else in life, Scouting costs money. Here are some of the costs you can expect to pay: Dues: The Troop Committee Finance Chairperson collects the annual registration fee of $25.00 each January. This money does not go to the troop but goes to the National BSA office to offset insurance and administrations costs. Additionally, each year we ask each scout to pay annual dues of $30 for the year. Campouts & Registration Fees: Besides the money required to attend outings and summer camps, normally there will be no additional costs. However, there may be an additional charge for some trips. The price varies depending on the length and nature of the activity. Scouts who participate in yearly troop fund raising events can receive deductions in registration fees when voted upon by the Troop Committee. Scouts will be notified of any additional event costs. For more information, see "The Outdoor Program".

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Uniforms, Books, and Equipment: See "Stuff Your Scout Needs". Where does all this money come from? Ideally, a Scout should pay his own way in Scouting. Paying his own way teaches him self-reliance, thrift ("A Scout is thrifty"), and respect for his possessions. After all, a Scout who bought his sleeping bag with his own money will take much better care of it than one who didn't. Of course, most of our Scouts don't have jobs or bank accounts, so paying for Scouting often falls back on their parents. But there are still ways that boys can pay for their Scouting experience - all it takes is a little creative thinking. Here are a few ideas: Annual Popcorn Fund Drive (see "Fundraising / Scout Account") Set aside some allowance money or cash gifts from birthdays or Christmas. Do extra chores for money. Mow yards in the neighborhood. Ask for Scout equipment at Christmas. A final point about money is critical here. Money should never be a barrier to participation in Scouting. If you need help paying for a Scout activity, just speak privately with one of the leaders. We can usually make arrangements to let your son participate.

FUND RAISING
Troop 14, relies primarily on two fundraisers that take care of most of our annual needs. It is important that every Scout participate in the fund raising events. Those who choose not to participate may not benefit from receiving reduced activities expenses paid from the Troops operating fund, and will be ineligible for scholarships for summer camp, high adventure, and leadership training seminars.

MSU Football Game Parking

For each home football game, our troop parks cars behind the Campus Book Mart on East Lee Boulevard. We generally begin parking cars 4 hours prior to the start of the game. Boys are expected to help park cars; those that do will have a portion of the funds raised placed into their individual scouting accounts. They can draw from these accounts to help offset summer camp or other outing costs. Adults are always needed as well; their sons will receive their portion of funds they receive from parking.

Popcorn Sales
Each year starting in September through October the troop participates in the local councils annual fund drive. Each Scout is encouraged to participate in this annual sale to help the troop and council. The Troop Committee appoints a Popcorn Chairperson to focus the effort and coach the Scouts. Through these sales the Scouts earn funds for the troops overall operating budget, individual Scout monies, and prizes from our local council.

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Scout Accounts
Half of the money each Scout returns to the troop from their popcorn sales goes into their individual Scout account, which the troop maintains. The troops Finance Chairperson maintains the records of each Scouts earnings. Scouts can use money from their Scout account for any scouting related expenses: fees for campouts, summer camp, re-charter, uniforms, backpacks, boots, etc. The Troops Finance Chairperson requires receipts for all reimbursement requests. When a boy leaves the troop, any money remaining in his Scout account reverts to the troops operating fund. There are two exceptions to this policy: 1) if a boy transfers to another troop that has a Scout account system, we will send the money to the new troop; and 2) if a boy has a brother who's also in the troop, the money can be transferred to his brother's account.

Donations
If you or anyone you know wishes to make a contribution to the church, it may do so through the First Presbyterian Church. Your donation is tax deductible.

STUFF YOUR SCOUT NEEDS

Scouting can be an expensive activity, but it doesn't have to be. Many of the things a Scout needs can be purchased over time and Scout equipment is great for Christmas and birthday gifts. Here's a rundown of the stuff your Scout will eventually need:

Boy Scout Handbook

The Boy Scout Handbook is the one essential tool of Scouting and the one thing you should buy immediately upon joining. It covers all the skills a Scout needs to know (camping, knottying, first aid, etc.) and also includes some great advice about life in general. The newest edition includes advice on appropriate use of television and the Internet, reading, making friends, and child abuse prevention. Each Scout should bring their handbooks to every troop meeting so their advancement progress may be accurately recorded. We also recommend that you purchase a cover for the book, it will quickly become destroyed. Remember that he will be carrying it everywhere, and that it should last him 6 years or longer.

Uniform
The Scout uniform is the wardrobe of Scouting. It marks a boy as a Scout and serves as a wearable scrapbook of his Scouting achievements. You can purchase these items either through the Councils Scout Store located in Lexington or through online internet sales. Troop 14 requires the following uniform items: Class A Uniform Shirt: (which includes) Council strip Troop 14 number (available from Troop) Universal symbol
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Rank (provided by Troop) Patrol Position of responsibility Green shoulder epaulettes (available from Troop) Merit badge sash if youve earned 6 or more badges. Class B Troop shirt: gray t-shirt (available from Troop) A word on patches: The inside front and back covers of the Boy Scout Handbook include placement guides for most common patches, and a Uniform Guide is available online (Google) or at the Blue Grass Council Website. www.bgbsa.org If you have questions, feel free to ask. Eventually, your Scout will need a merit badge sash as well, but not until he starts earning merit badges, probably at his first summer camp. Merit badge sashes come in two sizes (regular and long), so be sure to get one that fits. This is not required until he has earned six merit badges. (Dont be afraid to tailor it to size if its simply too big.) A full uniform is mandatory for the following additional activities; flag ceremonies, Courts of Honor, National Scout Sunday, summer camp, parades, designated service projects and all campouts. We travel in our Class A uniforms so be sure your son shows up on Fridays in his Class A uniform. Uniforms can become quite expensive, especially for fast-growing boys, so we have some "experienced" uniforms that are yours for the asking. (In return, we ask that you donate your son's outgrown uniforms.) Other good sources for uniforms include thrift stores and consignment shops. When the uniform is not required to be worn during meetings or outings, the Scout will be dressed in a responsible manner that projects Scouting in a positive and wholesome image. Offensive language, slogans or pictures on T-shirts & hats, gang related colors, and/or chains hung from clothing are not to be worn.

Camping Equipment
Your son will need some basic camping equipment, including hiking boots, flashlight, pocketknife, eating utensils, mess kit, sleeping bag, backpack, rain gear, toiletries. If he has a tent, that's fine, but it is not a requirement. The troop maintains quality tents for the Scouts to use. The Boy Scout Handbook includes checklists of equipment he might need. Before you buy any equipment, we HIGHLY recommend that you and your son talk with one of the troop leaders. We can give him advice on what he needs and what qualities to look for in the gear he buys. We can help him get the right gear, and at the right price.

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Please do not purchase a sheath knife (fixed blade). A folding knife with at least one LOCKABLE blade 3 inches long will work just fine while camping. Your son will be required to take a troop safety class prior to being allowed to bring his knife on troop outings. Finally, make sure to mark everything with your sons name and troop number. It is amazing how similar handbooks and uniform shirts can look.

ADULT LEADERSHIP
Troop 14 functions because of the hard work of many people, most of whom have boys in the troop, but others of whom just have a love for Scouting. The most visible leaders are the Scoutmaster and his assistant Scoutmasters. These individuals work with the troop on a weekly basis and participate in weekend outings. Specific responsibilities include coaching new scouts and junior leaders, assisting with advancement, coordinating activities, maintaining troop equipment, and handling other aspects of troop operations. The other group that assists with management of the troop is the troop committee. This "board of directors" meets monthly to set and review troop policies, to make judgments on policy issues, and to assist and advise the Scoutmaster. The training of adults in Troop 14 is strongly encouraged. Adult leadership training consists of taking course in Fast Start, New Leaders Essentials, Youth Protection Training, and Basic Leader Training. These courses teach you about the basic operation of the Troop, Boy Scout policy and how you can contribute to Scouting. You dont have to become an assistant Scoutmaster or troop committee member to attend, we just want informed parents. We take safety seriously. All troop leaders are expected to meet national scouting first aid and safety training guidelines. Training programs include, Youth Protection, First Aid, CPR, Wilderness Medicine, First Response, Safe Swim, Safety Afloat, Climb On Safely, Leave No Trace, Hazardous Weather and other training. This does not mean we are always perfectly safe in all we do. Therefore, if you or your Scout ever sees an unsafe practice, please do not assume it to be safe, instead bring it to our attention as quickly as possible. The sooner we know of an unsafe practice, the sooner we can correct it. Additionally, the Boy Scouts of America offers advanced adult leadership training called Wood Badge. This course is recognized as the premier training program for those parents who are really interested in the Scouting experience. Most of the senior adult leaders in Troop 14 have received this advanced training. Three points are essential relative to adult leadership: 1) there's no such thing as "enough" volunteers; 2) theres a job for everyone in Scouting; 3) most jobs in Scouting dont require extensive, on-going commitments. While we'd certainly welcome people to sign up as

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assistant Scoutmasters, we also need people to join the troop committee, to help transport boys & equipment to campouts, to make phone calls, or help with merit badges. Our goal is to have every parent involved in some aspect of the troop. If you need help finding your niche, give the Scoutmaster or any troop committee member a call! Some parentsespecially those who are also active in sports, PTA, Sunday school, etc. express concerns that their sons don't want them around at Scout activities because theyre always around. Others worry that their sons will hang on them and not develop self-reliance in Scouting. These are both valid concerns, and there's no doubt that a boy's Scouting experience will be different if his parent is involvednot necessarily better or worse, just different. However, given the wide range of jobs available, we can easily find you something to do that won't interfere with your sons scouting experience.

YOUTH LEADERS
Although many adults are involved in training and coaching the Scouts, it is very important that the troop be boy led by using the patrol method. The youth leaders train new Scouts in fundamental skills thereby passing on their leadership skills. Leadership skill development is one of the methods of Boy Scouting, and it's one of the features that really separates Scouting from other youth programs. No other program gives as much leadership responsibility to its young members as scouting! Training is available for youth leaders, ranging from a quick orientation when they first take office to a week-long National Youth Leadership Training program which is modeled on the Wood Badge Program for adults. The troop encourages its senior youth to take this training each year. Often, however, the best training is on-the-job training. This usually means letting youth leaders think and make their own decisions and possibly making mistakes to learn from. For that reason, the troop will never run as smoothly as it (theoretically) would if adults were in charge. The good news is that the youth leaders will learn infinitely more than they ever would. The following leadership positions are determined by the Troop Committee or elected by the scouts: Junior Assistant Scoutmaster: Usually a very senior Eagle Scout. Holds the same status and authority as a troop Assistant Scoutmaster. Senior Patrol Leader: The top youth leader, the SPL runs meetings and campouts. He's an older Scout, usually Star rank or above. He is elected from a slate of candidates chosen by the committee

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Assistant Senior Patrol Leader: They fill in for the SPL when he's absent as well as handling specifically assigned duties. Troop Guide: Responsible for working with the new Scouts Patrol Leader: Each patrol elects its own leader, usually a First Class Scout or better. The patrol leader is responsible for keeping his Scouts informed of troop events, coordinating patrol participation in meetings and campouts, and ensuring that all members are active and advancing. Assistant Patrol Leaders: The APL supports and assists the patrol leader. Quartermaster: Responsible for troop equipment. assigned for the patrols equipment. Each patrol should have one

Scribe: Responsible for attendance records and collecting monthly dues. Historian: Responsible for maintaining troop history. Librarian: Responsible for the troop's library of merit-badge pamphlets and other books. Chaplain's Aide: Responsible for planning worship services on campouts. Den Chief: Responsible for working with a Cub Scout or Webelos Scout den affiliated with the troop. Bugler: Responsible for playing bugle calls on campouts and at troop meetings.

YOUR ROLE AS A PARENT

As a Scout parent, you have an important role to play in Scoutingeven if you never sign up as a leader. By supporting your son, by encouraging him to participate in troop activities and advance in rank, and by attending courts of honor and other special events, you show him that his involvement in Scouting is important to you. Remember, what's important to you will probably be important to him at least until the teenage years! By parents, incidentally, we mean not just biological parents but also stepparents, adoptive parents, legal guardians, grandparents, etc. As the Boy Scout Handbook says (p. 371), a family is made up of people who "care for each other and want to share their lives with you." Here are some general responsibilities you should take on: Provide transportation to troop meetings and activities. Ensure he honors his commitments to attend camping trips. Provide a uniform and basic Scout equipment. Participate in fundraisers to help your son raise money for his Scout activities.

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Attend the quarterly Courts of Honor and other family activities. Encourage your son to advance in Scouting and help him prepare for merit badge sessions and boards of review. Periodically ask the Scoutmaster how you can help with troop activities. Share with the adult leaders any important information about your son that could affect his participation (medical problems, school problems, etc.). Work through the exercises in How to Protect Your Children from Child Abuse in the front of the Boy Scout Handbookthis should happen soon after joining. Stay informed concerning upcoming activities.

Here are some things you really shouldn't do: Sign off on advancement requirements (although you will sometimes be asked to send documentation about things your son has done). Pay for everything he does in Scouting. Pack his gear, waterproof his boots for him Clean and hang his tent or tarp out to dry after a campout. Unpack his backpack after a campout. Additionally, during campouts Scouts are not to bring elaborate card games or electronic items such as video games, CD player, iPods, CD player, or a TV. These items tend to distract the Scouts from the necessities of camping and learning the principles of the outdoors. Cell phones are great in emergencies; however they can become a distraction and are not recommended on campouts. Also, please do not send junk food in your Scouts backpack. Food is provided by each patrol; it creates issues with other scouts, and creates animal nuisance problems with bears, skunks, raccoons, ants and other critters.

PARENTAL GUIDANCE AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

A word about freedom of choice might be appropriate here. Oftentimes, parents say they'll let their son "do" Scouting (or Sunday school or confirmation class or some other noble activity) if he wants to, but they won't force him to participate. When a boy is 11, 12, or 13, however, he still needs his parents to guide his decisions, and help him stay focused. He will take his commitment level from observing you. While we'd never want a parent to force a boy to participate in Scouting, we'd also never want a parent to leave the choice completely up to him. Most Scouts have other activities in their lives. They may enjoy sports, band, academic team, mock trial, church youth group and other extra-curricular activities. Balance is the word here. All too often a coach will tell you your son can never miss a practice or a game or he will be penalized. We believe that scouting must be shared with the other activities. If scouting is wholly ignored for the spring season and then again for the fall season, because of demands by the coach, then the scout will fail in the scouting program. We are willing to share the Scout with the Coach, but in return the Coach must be willing to share the player with the Scouts. Talk to the coach about this, and if he/she is unyielding, consider changing

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teams. Scouting promises a lifelong impact on your sons character. The same cannot be said for little league ball.

TROOP DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The Scout oath and laws are the cornerstones for good behavior. Each Scout learns the oath and 12 points of the law immediately upon entering scouting and is expected to practice them throughout their scouting experience. Occasionally, the adult leaders may need to remind your son of these principles. Disruptive behavior by a Scout will be dealt with in the following progressive manner by the adult leadership: a. Verbal Counseling The Patrol Leader and the Senior Patrol Leader may first seek to correct the Scout. They are the Scouts youth leaders and the Scout is expected to do as they ask. If uncorrected, the SPL will refer the matter to an Assistant Scoutmaster or the Scoutmaster. b. Scoutmaster Counseling If the adult leader is unsuccessful in correcting the disruptive behavior, the Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster will counsel the Scout. c. Parental Notification If all verbal counseling attempts fail, the Scoutmaster will seek assistance from the Scouts parent to correct the disruptive behavior. d. Exclusion from Scouting Events If parental involvement fails, the Scoutmaster will exclude the Scout from the next scouting activity. e. Suspension If the Scouts disruptive behavior continues, the Scoutmaster and Troop Committee may elect to temporally suspend the Scouts membership to the troop. If while on an outing the Scouts misbehavior continues, parental notification may result in having the parent come and pick-up the Scout. A Scout may appeal a disciplinary decision to the Troop Committee. Where appropriate, issues regarding your Scout can be addressed to the Troops charter organization, the Starkville Rotary Club, or to the Pushmataha Area Council located in Columbus.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

The adult leaders of Troop 14 promise to always treat your son with the respect and dignity that they deserve. Each of us is genuinely concerned that they continue to grow, learn, and develop into the best adult that they can be. Many scouting activities occur in the outdoors in challenging conditions where accidents and injuries are possible. We promise that your son will never be purposefully allowed to perform a hazardous activity that is beyond their capability, or to perform an activity without the

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appropriate training or safety equipment. Your sons safety is the single most important priority to us. The Troop attempts to comply with the Guide to Safe Scouting at all times. If a Scout or a parent ever sees a practice it considers unsafe, we ask that you immediately bring the matter to our attention. Do not assume the practice you observe is safe simply because a leader or Scout is doing it, or was told to do it. The sooner we know about an unsafe practice, the sooner we can correct it.

WELCOME TO THE ADVENTURE OF SCOUTING! WERE GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD!

(Version January 1, 2014) DCM/ Scouting / Parent Handbook

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