It’s always remarkable to witness a piece of advice that was offered about a century ago and find that it still works today. Scouting's founder, Robert Baden-Powell, once put the point of this Journal post in the clearest of terms: “The Patrol Method is not a way to operate a Boy Scout Troop, it is the only way. Unless the Patrol Method is in operation, you donʼt really have a Boy Scout Troop.” Agreed.
On a recent overnight outing (October 18-19, 2014) at Pohick Bay Regional Park near Lorton, Virginia, I saw a lot of very encouraging signs that our Scouts are really embracing the Patrol Method.
More than 60 Scouts, parents, and siblings attended what we called a "Cub-Friendly Outing." Sixteen fine young Webelos from three local Cub Scout Packs joined Troop 1916 as our guests. The outing was a way for the Cubs to experience what it’s like to take the next step and become a Boy Scout.
With that many people to entertain and feed, several dozen tents to set up, ensuring that everyone remained safe and accounted for, and the need to make outing a learning experience for the Cubs required some form of organizational structure and strategic planning. Without it, total chaos would have inevitably ensued.
The Patrol Method, however, gave the troop and our guests that structure, and, more importantly, the method was carried out by a group of 14-and-15-year-old boys, who ran the event spectacularly. Ironically, these Boy Scouts are the same guys who often seem incapable of logical thought and actions when they are at their homes!
The Patrol Method, Properly Implemented...
By following the Patrol Method, our plan for such a complicated event was both simple and strategic in its objectives: 1) Successfully get everyone to the campsite as a group; 2) Have our two patrols, the Bulldogs and the Yetis, show the Cubs how to set up their tents in their respective camps; 3) Ensure that the scouts in our troop would effectively share with our Cub Scouts guests some important skills that they will need to learn when they cross the bridge and become Boy Scouts; 4) Play some touch football to burn off youthful energy; 4) Prepare some tasty food for 60 adults and kids; 5) Wash the dishes and clean up after dinner; 5) End the evening with some traditional Boy Scout entertainment around the campfire.
To say everything worked perfectly would be pushing the realms of all reality. Considering the opportunities for some sort of disaster to occur, however, the Patrol Method proved its merits again. The outing was a huge success for our troop and the Cubs Scouts, as well as the adults who joined us.
A delicious chocolate cake prepared using a Dutch Oven.
The evidence was obvious, for example, when our four young Grubmasters (Ian, Peter, Gabe, and Kai), who are 11-and-12-year-old boys, and who, with a little help, managed to prepare some excellent food, including desserts (Monkey Bread and three fresh cakes baked in Dutch Ovens) for more than 60 people. How many adults do you know who could accomplish that task?
They did a great job and made even this grumpy 48-year old Scoutmaster smile. Their success simply would not have been be possible without the the Patrol Method at work.
Another adage from Baden-Powell still prevails: “Training boy leaders to run their troop is the Scoutmasterʼs most important job.”
I agree completely!
What the Patrol Method Provides to a Scout Troop
The Patrol Method provides a troop with structure and hierarchy. It teaches young boys organizational and leadership skills that will serve them well as they grow up. And the fact that the patrol leaders are selected by a vote of their fellow Scouts makes it possible to avoid a lot of the typical distractions, temptations, and emotional reactions that teenage-boys might otherwise find appealing when given the chance.
Finally, the Patrol Method reinforces a spirit of responsibility and camaraderie among the Scouts. With time and experience, they inevitably come to respect what the Patrol Method offers and recognize its enduring wisdom as a means to get the most out of scouting.
The Patrol Method in Today's Culture
With all the outside, distractive noise that young people encounter in today's culture, understanding and living by the Patrol Method will, I'm confident, teach them some important lessons and a set of valuable skills. They will learn how to develop a detailed plan and then execute it with their friends. And they'll realize that this applying this approach to some of life's many challenges will help them succeed when they head off to college and choose their own paths.
For the moment, however, following the Patrol Method certainly provides for a more enjoyable and learning experience for all of them.
Finally, I must note that when the Patrol Method is employed successfully at a troop outing, it allows more time for the Scouts to goof off, which, given the fact they are teenage boys, is a "skill" at which they all seem to excel.
Matt Salt -- Scoutmaster, Troop 1916
A "Cub-Friendly" Camping Trip with Troop 1916
Parents and Friends of Troop 1916,
This weekend, the troop hosted a great bunch of Cub Scouts from three local Packs for what we called a “Cub-Friendly Outing.” The goal was to introduce the Cub Scouts to what it’s like to move up the ranks and be part of a Boy Scout Troop. Many of our Cubs will be making that big decision in the near future, and this was a great way to give them a sense of how our Troop operates on an overnight outing.
We set out from the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer just a little after our target time of 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, for the short journey (about 30 minutes from the church) to our campsite at Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton, VA. We had 27 Scouts from Troop 1916, 12 Scouters, and we were very pleased to host 16 Cub Scouts and several of their parents from three different Packs in the McLean, Virginia. Our Cub-Friendly Outing had a grand total of 64 Scouts and adults!
The campsite at Pohick Bay turned out to be spacious enough for all of us, and, as soon as we arrived, the Scouts quickly got to work setting up our tents. The Bulldogs patrol took one side of the road, and the Yetis patrol took the other side. As usual, Troop 1916’s parents raised our tents in the “Adult Village.” Our guests, the Cub Scouts and their parents, set up their tents among the Bulldogs and Yetis according to their assignments.
The weather was perfect: a bright, sunny day with a cool breeze. After an excellent lunch of sandwiches, chips, and fruit, the Scouts took off for a busy afternoon of fun activities that included an Orienteering game that required each patrol and several Cub Scouts to find their bundles of fire-making supplies that were hidden in the woods nearby. The boys also played some touch football on the playing field. Thanks go to Tommy, Ethan C., and Tristan for leaving early in the morning to set up the Orienteering adventure.
Later in the afternoon, after the Yetis and Bulldogs had each started their fires, Scoutmaster Salt delivered a splendid presentation to the Cub Scouts on the best techniques for getting a campfire under way.
The Grubmasters at Work
Meanwhile, the two “Grubmasters” for each patrol got started preparing excellent dinners for our group of happy campers. As any Scout will tell you, serving as the chef at overnight outing is a big (and important) job.
The Grubmasters for both patrols had carefully planned and practiced making their meals before the outing, so they were ready to go when the time came. And their leadership, ingenuity, and cooking skills were on full display. A big thanks and congratulations to Ian and Peter from the Bulldogs, and to Gabe and Kai from the Yetis, for all of their hard work and creativity. The food was delicious!
Dutch Ovens at work.
The Bulldogs and their Cub Scout guests were treated to some excellent burritos that were cooked in Dutch ovens, along with “Monkey Bread” for dessert.
The Yetis were served some superb mac-n-cheese with bits of hot dogs and ham that were cooked foil containers on the campfire.
For dessert, we were treated with three cakes (fudge chocolate, milk chocolate, and vanilla) that were also baked in Dutch ovens.
Scoutmaster Salt had given the chefs a small guide on exactly how many pieces of charcoal should be placed under and on top of the Dutch ovens to make sure that the temperature was perfect and everything was cooked just right.
By the time the dinners were over, the sun was going down, and the Scouts who served on our Kitchen Patrols got their important job done—dishes were washed and dried, and the picnic tables cleaned. I think that the Cub Scouts and their parents were as impressed as the troop’s parents were with the great jobs that our Grubmasters and KP Scouts accomplished, especially given the size of our group!
Troop 1916's "Evening Entertainment"
Then, by tradition, our group was treated to an entertaining campfire show by the usual suspects: Max and Nino, with help from Charlie, Felix, Joseph, Ethan C., Matthew, Aaron, and Tommy. (Tristan and Will C. made cameo appearances in one skit.) It was a lot of fun for everyone around the campfire.
A little after 9:00 p.m., we all started getting ready to turn in, as the wind picked up and the temperature took a bit of a plunge throughout the night.
So, the coffee and hot chocolate were a very welcome way to start the morning on Sunday. The Yetis prepared French toast for breakfast, while the Bulldogs were served oatmeal and bagels. We then did, as always, a thorough clean up at the campsite and, as we like to say, “left no trace behind.”
Once the campsite was spotless (No trace left behind!) and the cars and trucks loaded up, our group of Boy Scouts and, we hope, future Boy Scouts, from the local Cub Scout Packs started the trip home. There were some tired eyes, but it was a great overnight outing, and we are all proud of the Boy Scouts and their Cub Scouts guests. We hope to see some of them join Troop 1916 next year!
Thank you to everyone for doing your part to make our Cub-Friendly Outing such a big success!
Dawn Alexander -- Boy Scout & Cub Scout Parent
How Cub Scouts Can Learn From Boy Scouts
Last weekend, I had a great time assuming the role of three people at the same time: A Boy Scout mom; a Cub Scout mom; and as one of the two attending Webelo II Den Leaders from our Cub Scout Pack from McLean, Virginia.
My sons and I were treated to a wonderful weekend with the Boy Scouts and adults of Troop 1916 to learn more about the way this excellent troop operates.
We met up with our hosts for the overnight camping trip at The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer (Troop 1916’s sponsor organization) on Saturday morning. The Scouts, their Scoutmaster, Matt Salt, several Assistant Scoutmasters, and some the Scouts’ parents were very welcoming. But it was clear that the troop’s Senior Patrol Leader, Max Miller, was really in charge of the event. As Mr. Salt notes above, this is how the Patrol Method works. And it does, indeed, work well.
Every Cub Scout and his parent(s) who went along for the trip were given name tags so that everyone would know who everyone else was. Before leaving the parking lot to head for our camping destination, Pohick Bay Regional Park, the Cub Scout parents were told which of the troop’s two patrols—the Yetis and the Bulldogs—their Cubs would be hanging out with for what was called, appropriately, a "Cub-Friendly Outing."
One of the Boy Scout's mothers, Dawn Alexander, did an amazing job organizing an event with 64 people participating. We thank her for all of her hard work! She has a great post above that I urge you to read.
The camping trip's goal was to give our Cub Scouts an idea of what it's like to take the next step in scouting and move up to the rank of Boy Scout. It’s a big decision—and a big commitment—for any young boy to make, so this outing was the perfect way to let our sons know what they can expect. Without a doubt, the generous, friendly, and helpful Scouts from Troop 1916 accomplished their goal.
When we arrived at the campsite, we were told where the Yetis and the Bulldogs patrols would be setting up their separate camp areas.
We all unloaded and started to set up our tents. It was very nice to have the Boy Scouts offer to help the Cub families set up our tents and give us some idea of what was planned for the day and evening ahead in the woods of Virginia.
After the tents were raised and lunch was over, the Boy Scouts split the Cubs into two groups and assigned them to spend most of the afternoon learning some new skills from the Troop's two patrols, the Yetis and the Bulldogs.
The Boy Scouts took the younger guys on an Orienteering exercise where they learned how to use a compass. Their final goal was to use their compasses to find clues that brought them back to the campsite.
Cub Scouts learn the art of building a campfire from two of Troop 1916's Scouts.
Building a Campfire
Upon their return, the Boy Scouts proceeded to teach the Cub Scouts how to build a campfire—an essential skill for any Boy Scout, to be sure.
While the boys were off in the woods, the Troop Committee Chair, Karen Miller, Scoutmaster Salt, and the Troop's Senior Patrol Leader, Max, spoke with the Cubs' parents and answered our questions about what it means to become a Boy Scout.
We talked about how the scouting rank structure is set up; how, with hard world and dedication, the Scouts can rise in the ranks and, eventually, earn the Eagle Scout Badge; and how Troop 1916 is set up and works to make the scouting experience one that our sons will remember for a lifetime.
Just as importantly, our hosts explained the important role that parents play in the scouting process. This was important information that we all appreciated knowing as our sons start to think about becoming Boy Scouts.
Troop 1916's Chefs--The Grubmasters
Later, when dinner time rolled around, the Cubs had the chance to see the Troop's "Grubmasters" go to work. It was quite an amazing operation to watch. These were four young boys (all of them about 12 years old) who, with some help from the adults, developed their own menus and prepared some excellent food for more than 60 people. To say the least, it was an impressive achievement!
After the dishes were done (again, washed and dried by the Scouts themselves), we settled around the campfire to watch some pretty hilarious skits and hear some legendary songs from the senior Boy Scouts.
It was no surprise that the Boy Scouts are still just as goofy as the Cub Scouts when it comes to campfire entertainment! But as any parent could see, being in the Boy Scouts is a big deal, and it's an experience that can help young boys grow into outstanding men.
A Boy Scout from Troop 1916 demonstrates how to use an axe safely and effectively.
A Learning Experience for Cubs
What made this weekend different—and very special—for the Cub Scouts was that, in addition to all of the fun, they learned a great deal asThey watched the Boy Scouts use their compasses; they learned how to use an axe safely when chopping wood; and the got a lesson in how to set up a tent, no matter how complicated it might seem at first. It was really amazing, and I think all of our Cubs were impressed with, and inspired by, what they saw our hosts accomplish.
The Cub Scouts were glad to have some fun playing touch football at a nearby field, but they also had the chance to observe the Boy Scouts working together in their two, separate patrols, as well as one, united Troop.
It seemed clear to both the Cubs and their parents that these Boy Scout outings are run by the boys themselves, not the parents. They benefit from some guidance from the adults, but the Scouts are really in charge and make things happen, which is an excellent way for younger boys to learn important leadership skills and how to take responsibility for ensuring that an outing is a success for everyone.
The Cub-Friendly Outing was a wonderful experience, and I know that I speak for all of our Cub Scouts and their parents in thanking the Scouts and adults in Troop 1916 for their generous hospitality. It was a great weekend that I’m sure will help our Cubs make their own, best decisions about joining the ranks of the Boy Scouts. I was very proud of all of them!
Tricia Falls -- Boy Scout and Cub Scout Parent