How the Troop Runs

Troop 245 follows the traditional Boy Scout Troop organization outlined in the Boy Scout Handbook. Below is a summary of the major positions in the troop.

Scout Organization

Senior Patrol Leader

The Senior Patrol Leader leads the Troop and is responsible for the overall success of the Troop. He runs Troop meetings, events and activities, the annual program planning conference, and Patrol Leaders Council meetings. The Troop elects a Senior Patrol Leader twice a year.

Troop Junior Leaders

The Senior Patrol Leader appoints the other Troop Junior Leaders with the concurrence of the Scoutmaster and assists in their training and assignment of duties. See the Job Descriptions here.

The Patrols

The Troop is organized into patrols, each made up of five to eight Scouts. Each patrol elects a Patrol Leader who helps the patrol operate as a unit, leads the patrol on activities, and represents the patrol on the Patrol Leaders Council.Patrol Leaders serve for four months to give more Scouts an opportunity to lead a patrol.Descriptions of each patrol office are in the Junior Leader Handbook

Patrol Leaders Council

The Patrol Leaders Council is the executive board of the Troop and is ultimately responsible for the functioning of the entire Troop. At their monthly meetings the Patrol Leaders Council plans the weekly Troop meetings and Scout weekend activities. The meetings are planned based on monthly program features determined at the Annual Planning Conference.

The Patrol Leaders Council plans the monthly Troop outing that reflects skills taught during the meetings. The outing provides Scouts with an outdoor experience where they can have hands-on practice with the skills they learned during the month.

Adult Organization

Troop Committee

The Committee normally meets monthly and helps the Scoutmaster deliver the Boy Scout program.The Committee develops annual plans for the Troop and the annual Troop budget based on those plans. The troop committee consists of the following positions:

  • Committee Chair
  • Chartered Organization Representative
  • Mt. Auburn UMC Youth Pastor
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Advancement Chair
  • Fund‑Raising Chair
  • Outdoor/Activity Chair
  • Social Chair
  • Training Coordinator
  • Equipment Coordinator
  • Chaplain
  • Registered Adult Leaders
  • Parents

Scoutmaster

The Scoutmaster supervises the operations of the Troop. The Scoutmaster: trains and guides Scout Junior Leaders to run their Troop, works with and through the Assistant Scoutmasters to bring the Scouting program to all Scouts in the Troop, helps Scouts to develop by challenging them and encouraging them to learn new things, guides the Scouts in planning the Troop program, helps the Troop committee recruit new Assistant Scoutmasters, and conducts Scoutmaster Conferences.

Assistant Scoutmasters

A number of Assistant Scoutmasters help the Scoutmaster develop and run the Scouting program. Several Assistant Scoutmasters (patrol advisors) work with a specific patrol to help the Scouts with advancement, merit badges and activities.They ensure that all benefits of the Boy Scout program are available to each Scout. Training Our adult leaders have completed the following training: Basic Leader Training or New Leader Essentials, Boy Scout Leader Specific Training, and Outdoor Skills Training.These courses train adult leaders in the full Scouting program and provide essential skill training such as outdoor safety, youth protection, and Scout skills.

Several of our adult leaders have completed Wood Badge training, Scouting's highest level of adult training.This is a two-year program of intensive training and service to the Scouting community.