A Scout patrol is a small group of six to eight Scouts where they will learn skills together, share responsibilities and take on leadership roles. Each patrol has a Patrol Leader who will usually have an Assistant Patrol Leader to help them manage the patrol. Scouts BSA are led by the scouts themselves and the adult leaders are there for guidance. Patrol Leaders will work with the Senior Patrol leader and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader who manages the overall troop. The Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters are there to help train them and guide them through the process of managing the troop.
The troop will adjust Patrols over time and may vary in which patrols are Mixed Aged or Same Age Patrols. The goal is to make sure the Scouts are in a Patrol that they can grow and have positive learning experiences, making it not too large or too small.
Scouts BSA bring unique opportunities to the scouts participating in the troop. Each Scout can have the opportunity to learn how to become a leader. They will work together to pool resources and as a patrol or troop, function successfully in all kinds of circumstances. For most Scouts, being in a patrol will be the first time they have to rely upon themselves and their peers to follow an array of necessary steps to satisfy objectives that requires a wide range of life skills.
Like any team, a patrol will function well only as long as everyone successfully fulfills their particular responsibility pertaining to the completion of a task. Because of its size, this gives every Scout an opportunity to participate. Making a contribution to the patrol’s success provides the Scout with a sense of belonging, of being appreciated, and a feeling of competency resulting in self-esteem. The patrol method models good citizenship and develops servant leadership.
There are times that having all the scouts around the same age in a patrol are beneficial. It can be when new scouts join and need to have others around them that are on the same level until they are comfortable to join a Mixed Age Patrol. Older scouts, who want to challenge themselves more, may find it beneficial to be in a Patrol with other scouts on their same level so not to exclude those who are not as advanced. Same age Patrols may adjust as the Troops membership fluctuates overtime; in some cases, the number of Scouts may require Mixed Age Scout Patrols.
As the name implies, a new-Scout patrol is one with Scouts who have just joined the troop. The patrol elects its own leader, just like other patrols, but usually for a shorter term—perhaps one month instead of six months. Depending on the number of Scouts we have in the Troop, an older Scout called a troop guide may be assigned to work with the Scouts to help them get acclimated to Scouting and to reach the rank of First Class. Backing up the troop guide is an assistant Scoutmaster whose main responsibility is to work with new Scouts.
Scouts typically remain in a new-Scout patrol for their first year in the troop or until they reach First Class rank (whichever comes first). At that point, members can either choose which regular patrol they want to join or opt to stay together as a regular patrol. In some cases, Scouts may join a patrol together and stay together throughout their time in the troop.
Scouts in a regular or traditional patrol have similar interests and abilities. They enjoy spending time together and may well be friends outside of Scouting. Ideally, they have chosen to be in the same patrol. The only time a Scout should be assigned to a patrol is when he first joins the troop. Traditional patrols typically serve Scouts who have reached First Class rank or completed the seventh grade. However, a new Scout should join a traditional patrol if there are not enough newcomers to form a new-Scout patrol or if he was invited to join the troop by an older buddy. Many troops assign an assistant Scoutmaster—called a patrol advisor—to each patrol. The patrol advisor advises and supports the patrol leader but does not take over his responsibilities in any way.
Older-Scout patrols serve those older Scouts who want to pursue more challenging activities while in the troop. These Scouts often have more experience, so their patrol activities offer them new challenges while keeping them involved in troop leadership. An Assistant Scoutmaster is assigned to the older-Scout patrol to help the members turn their outing ideas into action. The Assistant Scoutmaster ensures that patrol activities complement, rather than conflict with, troop activities and may also guide the members along the trail to Eagle Scout rank.
Historically, patrols were made up of Scouts of all ages and ranks. This approach offers several advantages:
