Youth Leadership Positions
In Troop 279 and Troop 7279, we stress leadership and developing responsibility. All youth will serve in a leadership position at some point in their journey to Eagle. The first leadership position a youth will serve is usually as the Assistant Patrol Leader of their patrol. From there, they may move up to Patrol Leader, or one of the other troop level leadership positions.
The youth positions are elected by the troop, appointed by the other youth leadership, or appointed by the Scoutmaster, depending on several factors.
Troop Leadership
- Junior Assistant Scoutmaster (JASM) – A Junior Assistant Scoutmaster is one of the most senior youth in the troop and acts as an Assistant Scoutmaster (an adult-level position of responspibility) in situations where specific age is not a requirement. JASM are appointed by the Scoutmaster.
- Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) – The Senior Patrol Leader is the top youth leader of the troop. This Scout is responsible for planning and executing all troop activities – troop meetings, events, campouts, patrol leadership council meetings, and annual planning meetings. With advice from the Scoutmaster (and other adult leadership), the SPL is responsible for appointing other troop leaders.
- Assistant Senior Patrol Leaders (ASPL) – The Assistant Senior Patrol leaders are the next level of youth leadership in the troop. Troop 279 generally has two ASPLs, one who is responsible for the Patrol Leaders and one who is responsible for the non-patrol level leaders. The ASPLs will perform the duties of the SPL when the SPL is unavailable or when duties have been delegated to them.
- Troop Instructor (TI) – The Troop Instructor’s primary responsibility is the teaching of required skills to the troop. Because no single scout will know everything that needs to be taught, the TI’s primary goal is to work with the SPL and ASPLs to determine the monthly training plan and recruit the individual skill instructors.
- Quartermaster (QM) – The Quartermaster is responsible for all troop equipment. The QM ensures that all equipment is in good working order, is packed and stored properly, and reports to the SPL any equipment that needs repaired or replaced. The QM assigns equipment to individual patrols or scouts, and records when equipment is taken and returned. The QM’s primary objective is the safety of the individual scouts when they are using troop equipment.
- Assistant Quartermaster (AQM) – The Assistant Quartermaster assists the QM in the maintenance and assignment of troop equipment.
- Scribe – The Scribe is responsible for maintaining notes and records of troop “business” activities, particularly annual planning council minutes and weekly attendance records.
- Historian – The Historian is responsible for maintaining information about troop “social” activities such as campouts and community service events. The Historian should maintain a scrapbook that contains pictures, newspaper clippings, flags, awards, and other mementos.
- Chaplain’s Aide – The Chaplain’s Aide works with the Chaplain (an adult level position) to see to the religious and spiritual requirements of the troop.
- Troop Guide (TG) – The Troop Guide is responsible for working with new scouts and helping them to feel comfortable within the troop. The TG should help them meet with their patrol and patrol leadership, and help them set a plan to achieve their first few advancements.
Patrol Leadership
- Patrol Leaders (PL) – The Patrol Leader is the elected leader of an individual patrol. The PL is selected by the members of the patrol to represent them at the Patrol Leader Council. The PL is also responsible for ensuring the patrol completes required actions at troop meetings and events, such as setting up and cleaning up the patrol campsite and cooking and cleaning up patrol meals.
- Assistant Patrol Leader (APL) – The Assistant Patrol Leader assists the PL and serves as the PL when the PL is unavailable or when designated. The PL may delegate specific responsibility to the APL as necessary and appropriate.