Welcome to
Boy Scouts of America
Omaha, NE
Guide For New Families
2001
Purpose of The
Boy Scouts Of America
It is the purpose of the Boy Scouts Of America to provide an effective program designed to instill within the youth desirable qualities of character, to train them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to help develop their personal fitness, providing this country with citizens who:
1. Are physically, mentally and emotionally fit.
2. Have a high degree of self-reliance as evidence in such qualities as initiative, courage and resourcefulness.
3. Have personal and stable values firmly based on religious concepts.
4. Have the desire and skills to help others.
5. Understand the principles of the American social, economic, and government systems.
6. Are knowledgeable about and take pride in their American heritage and understand America's role in the world.
7 Have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people.
8. Are prepared to fulfill the varied responsibilities of participating in and giving leadership to American society and in other forums of the world.
Boy Scouts of
America
Mission
Statement
It is the mission of the Boy Scouts Of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, to prepare them to make ethical choices during their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Scout Oath and Law.
The Scout Oath Or Promise
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
The
Scout is:
Trustworthy
Loyal Helpful Friendly Courteous Kind
Obedient
Thrifty
Scout Motto
Be Prepared
Scout Slogan
Do a Good Turn Daily
Aims and Methods of the Boy Scout Program
Aims
Boy Scouting works toward three aims. One is growth in moral strength and character. We may define this as the what the boy is himself: his personal qualities, his values, his outlook.
A second aim is participating citizenship. Used broadly, citizenship means the boy’s relationship to others. He comes to learn of his obligations to other people, to the society he lives, to the government that presides over that society.
A third aim of Boy Scouting is development of physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Fitness includes the body (well-tuned and healthy), the mind (able to think and solve problems), and emotions (self control, courage and self-respect).
The methods are designed to accomplish these aims.
Methods
Advancement- Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps to over come them through the advancement process. The Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he overcomes each challenge. More is discussed about Advancement later in this guide.
Adult Association- Boys learn from the examples set by their adult leaders. Troop leadership may be male or female and association with adults of high character is encouraged at this stage in a young man’s development.
Personal Growth- As Scouts plan their activity, and progress toward their goals, they experience personal growth. The good turn concept is a major part of the personal growth method of Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service projects and do good turns for others.
Ideals- The Ideals of Scouting are spelled out in the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan. The Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve. The goals are high, and as he reaches for them, he has some control over what he becomes.
Patrols- The patrol method gives Scouts an experience in group living and participating in citizenship. It places a certain amount of responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method allows Scouts to act in small groups where they can easily relate to each other. These small groups determine troop activities through their elected leaders.
Outdoors- Boy Scouting is designed to take place in the outdoors. It is in the outdoors that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with each other. It is here where the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive. More is discussed about the outdoor program later in this guide.
Leadership Development- Boy Scouting encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills. Every Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership situations. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership roles of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.
Uniform- The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force of good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Scout identity in a world brotherhood youth who believe in the same ideals. More is discussed about the uniform later in this guide.
Troop
Organization
Troop 366 is a boy-run troop. Leadership is one of the methods of Scouting. Every boy will have an opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership. The meetings are planned and carried out by the patrol leaders' council. All duties for patrol activities are assigned by the patrol leader. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps the boy accept the leadership of others and helps him to grow into a more responsible adult. The troop organization chart on the following page outlines the complete organization of the troop. The following is an outline of the duties of the key leaders within the troop:
Scoutmaster:
The Scoutmaster is the adult leader responsible for the image and program of the troop. The Scoutmaster and his or her assistant Scoutmasters work directly with the Scouts. The general responsibilities of the Scoutmaster include:
• Train and guide boy leaders.
• Work with other adult leaders to bring Scouting to boys.
• Use the methods of Scouting to achieve the aims of Scouting.
Assistant
Scoutmasters:
Assistant Scoutmasters are recruited by the Scoutmaster and approved by the troop committee to assist the Scoutmaster in the operation of the troop. Assistant Scoutmasters are assigned program tasks by the Scoutmaster and provide guidance to the boy leadership. He or she also provides the required two deep leadership ( two adult leaders present at every Boy Scout activity).
Senior Patrol
Leader:
The senior patrol leader (SPL) is the top boy leader in the troop. He leads the patrol leaders' council and, in consultation with the Scoutmaster, appoints other junior leaders and assigns specific responsibilities as needed.
Assistant
Senior Patrol Leader:
The assistant senior patrol leader (ASPL) fills in for the SPL in his absence. He is also responsible for training and giving direction to the quartermaster, scribe, historian, librarian and instructors.
Patrol Leaders:
The patrol leaders (PL) are responsible for giving leadership to the members of their patrols. They are their representation on the patrol leaders' council. The PL is also responsible for holding monthly patrol meetings outside of the regular troop meetings.
Assistant
Patrol Leaders:
Assistant patrol leaders help the PL run the patrol and fill in for him in his absence.
Scout Uniform
Scouts in uniform are conscious of their rank and make a greater effort to advance. Only the uniform provides a place for display of badges - important symbols of achievement. Scouts have more fun, stay longer, feel greater pride in advancement.
How the uniform
can help a boy:
It is not the purpose of the Scout uniform to hide the differences between the boys or make them feel that they are all the same.
But there is one way in which all Scouts are alike. Whenever a Scout sees another person in a Scout uniform he knows he is like that person because both have committed themselves principles of the Scout Oath and Law. The Scout Oath and Law bind all Scouts of the world together in a common purpose.
By wearing the uniform, Scouts give each other strength and support.
Beyond accenting the common bond between Scouts, by wearing the uniform Scouts are declaring their faith and commitment to some important beliefs that bind them to all people. It is a way of making visible their belief in God, their loyalty to our country and their commitment to helping other people who need them.
How the uniform can help the troop:
1. When smartly worn, the uniform can help build good troop spirit.
2. By investing in a uniform, a Scout and his parents are really making a kind of a commitment to take Scouting seriously.
3. The uniform makes the troop visible as a force for good in the community.
4. When properly worn on the correct occasions, it can attract new members.
5. Scouts in uniform create a strong, positive, youth image in the neighborhood, thus helping to counteract the negative feeling some adults have about youth.
The troop
uniform:
The following is the official uniform of Troop 366 is:
Provided
by the boy:
Provided by the troop:
Hat ( ball cap style) optional Neckerchief
Shirt (official tan w/red shoulder tabs) Registration
Flag, Council and Troop 366 patches Neckerchief slide
Belt (official khaki web belt) optional Rank badge and badges of office
Pants/Shorts (official khaki) optional
Stockings (official khaki) optional
Handbook
Official placement of insignia may be found on the
inside front and back cover of the Scout
Handbook.
Advancement
Advancement is the process by which youth members progress through the ranks in the Scouting program by the gradual mastery of Scouting skills. Ranks are simply a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Everything boys do to advance and earn these ranks, from the day they join until the day they leave the program, should be designed to help boys have an exciting and meaningful experience.
Boy Scout advancement, a four step process:
1. The Boy
Scout learns.
A Scout learns by doing. As he learns, he grows in ability to do his part as a member of the patrol and the troop. As he develops knowledge and skill, he is asked to teach others. In this way, he begins to develop leadership.
2. The Boy Scout is tested.
A Scout may be tested on requirements by his patrol leader, Scoutmaster, assistant Scoutmaster, a troop committee member or a member of his troop. The Scoutmaster maintains a list of those qualified to test and pass candidates..
3. The Boy
Scout is reviewed.
After a Scout has completed all requirements for a rank, he has a board of review. For Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle Palms, the review is conducted by members of the troop committee. The Eagle board of review is conducted by members of the district advancement committee.
4. The Boy
Scout is recognized.
When the board of review has certified a boy's advancement, he deserves to receive recognition as soon as possible. This should be done at a ceremony at the next troop meeting. The certificate for his next rank will be presented to him at the next troop court of honor.
Court of Honor
As stated above, when a Scout advances, he should be recognized as soon as possible - preferably at the next unit meeting. He is recognized a second time at a public ceremony called a court of honor.
The main purposes of the court of honor are to finish formal recognition for achievement and to provide incentive for other Scouts to advance.
Troop 366 has formal courts of honor four times a year, at the end of each quarter. All families are asked to attend and guests are certainly welcome. Every boy who advances in a quarter deserves to be recognized in front of his family. The court of honor is the boy's special night.
Outdoor Program
Scouting is effective whenever we take advantage of it's truth: The place where Scouting works best is also the place that boys want the most. The outdoors. There are a number of good reasons why the outdoor program is so special, here are the four that are especially good:
1. The outdoors is the best place for learning outdoor skills. How could it be otherwise? A Scout who tried to boil a potato on the gymnasium floor would be in hot water for sure - not to mention the boy who tried learning to swim by reading a book.
2. The outdoors is a great place for learning something about living with others. When Scouts walk on the same trail, cook and eat together, and share triumphs and troubles together, they are going to find out some important things about, say, patience, respect for other points of view, doing their full share, making a friend more easily, and saying no without losing one. Skills like these are among the "personal growth" skills we want from every Scout. The outdoors is where they grow up best.
3. On the trail or in camp, the boy's leaders will be challenged by the real thing - getting their patrols fed and sheltered, keeping them warm and safe, solving the problems they can solve, and knowing how to get help for those they can't. It's a time when leadership skills can deepen, patrols grow closer, and the troop grows stronger.
4. The outdoors is also a place where a Scout can get closer to the natural world around him - the land, the forests and their wildlife, the lakes and rivers, the mountains and the seas. Here, in the outdoors, he will learn of the "land ethic" - the understanding and respect for the environment we all share, and he will develop an active concern for it's health and a willingness to work to keep it healthy.
Troop 366 and
the outdoor program:
Troop 366 has a very active outdoor program and all boys are encouraged to participate. Our program includes monthly weekend campouts, annual long term summer camp (1 week), day hikes and other outdoor activities. Troop 366 also sponsors an annual family campout where all families are encouraged to participate. Families are welcome on monthly campouts, if space allows. However, the troop will still function as a unit.
What
to bring on a campout:
à Sleeping bag à Mess Kit à Sewing Kit Do Not Bring
à Foam Pad à Cup à Flashlight · Radios
à Sweater à Soap à Scout Knife · Snack Food
à Rain gear à Toothbrush à Watch · Electronic Games
à Clothes à Toothpaste à Personal ID · Firearms
à Canteen à Comb à Notebook · Sling Shots
à Silverware à Washcloth à Pen / Pencil
à Towel à Boy Scout Handbook
Youth Protection
Program Summary
Child abuse is a major problem affecting our society. Each year more than 2 million cases of suspected child abuse are reported. This means that 1 percent of American children are experiencing physical abuse, 1 percent are experiencing sexual abuse, and 2 to 5 percent are experiencing emotional maltreatment or some form of neglect. Because of the significance of this social problem, The Boy Scouts of America has declared child abuse as one of the "unacceptables" to receive special attention by those involved in the Scouting program.
The BSA has developed a five-point plan to combat child abuse and to improve the environment in which young people live. The key elements of this strategy include the following points:
• Educating Scouting volunteers, parents and Scouts themselves to aid in the detection and prevention of child abuse.
• Establishing leader-selection procedures to prevent individuals with a history of child abuse from entering the BSA leadership ranks.
• Establishing policies that minimize the opportunities for child abuse to occur in the program of the Boy Scouts of America.
• Encouraging Scouts to report improper behavior in order to identify offenders quickly.
• Swiftly removing and reporting alleged offenders.
Parents guide
The Boy Scouts of America has developed materials for use in the Scouting program that provide essential information to members and their families. A detachable booklet in the front of The Boy Scout Handbook, "How to Protect Your Child from Child Abuse and Drug Abuse: A Parents Guide," provides information to help families to increase self-protection skills.
Troop 366 and
the Youth Protection Program
Troop 366 is committed to following all guidelines of the Youth Protection program. Any suspected offenses of the Youth protection program must be reported to the Committee Chairman, the Scoutmaster or the Council Executive. All incidents reported to the Committee Chairman or the Scoutmaster will be reported to the Council Executive. All reports are taken seriously and appropriate action is taken to ensure the safety of the youth.