“The patrol system is not one method in which Scouting can be carried on. It is the only method.”

—Lord Baden-Powell, Scouting’s founder

A Scout patrol is a small team of normally six to eight members where Scouts learn skills together, share responsibilities and take on leadership roles.

THE PATROL METHOD

As a member of a patrol, youth are afforded opportunities that are hard to find anywhere else. Unlike a sports team,  a Scout patrol carries out a wide range of tasks that require pooling resources and working together to function successfully in all kinds of circumstances. 

For most young people, being in a Scout patrol will be the first time they have to rely upon themselves and other young people 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 all the particular responsibilities pertaining to the completion of a task are carried out successfully. Because of its size, this gives every member an opportunity to participate, and this in itself results in some positive outcomes. Making a contribution to the patrol’s success provides a welcome sense of belonging, of being appreciated, and a feeling of competency resulting in self esteem. 

As an illustration, let’s take the example of preparing a full course dinner on a campout. To accomplish this undertaking effectively, under the direction of their patrol leader, all members of the patrol get to plan the menu. One or two get to accomplish the shopping, According to their prepared duty roster, and hinging on how the food will be prepared, one or more can organize getting the water for cooking and cleaning, and prepare the fire or setup the stove(s). Others will be designated to do the actual cooking, lead the blessing, serve the food, and oversee the cleanup. Of course the whole patrol gets to eat the meal. It’s a patrol enterprise, requiring cooperation, the sharing of responsibilities and leadership, working for the collective good, and putting skills into action. The patrol method models good citizenship and develops servant leadership.

WHAT B.-P. SAID

Referring to his original Brownsea Island Scouting “experiment,” Baden-Powell said, “The troop was divided up into “Patrols” the senior Scout in each being patrol leader. This organization was the secret of our success. Each patrol leader was given full responsibility for the behavior of his patrol at all times, in camp and in the field. The patrol was the unit to work or play, and each patrol was camped in a separate spot. The Scouts were put “on their honor” to carry out orders. Responsibility and competitive rivalry were thus at once established, and a good standard of development was ensured throughout the troop from day to day.”

In his Aids to Scoutmastership, B-P says, “The Patrol System is the one essential feature in which Scout training differs from that of all other organizations, and where the System is properly applied, it is absolutely bound to bring success. It cannot help itself! The formation of the Scouts into patrols of from six to eight and training them as separate units each under its own responsible leader is the key to a good troop. The patrol is the unit of Scouting always, whether for work or for play, for discipline or for duty. An invaluable step in character training is to put responsibility on to the individual. This is immediately gained in appointing a patrol leader to responsible command of their patrol. It is up to them to take hold of and to develop the qualities of each Scout in their patrol. It sounds a big order, but in practice it works. Then, through emulation and competition between patrols, you produce a patrol spirit which is eminently satisfactory, since it raises the tone among the Scouts and develops a higher standard of efficiency all ’round. Each member of the patrol realizes that they are in themselves a responsible unit and that the honor of their group depends in some degree on their own ability in playing the game.”

“My ideal camp is where everyone is cheery and busy, where the patrols are kept intact under all circumstances, and where every patrol leader and Scout takes a genuine pride in his camp and his gadgets.” — Lord Baden-Powell

Patrol Duty Roster

Types of Patrols

MIXED AGE PATROLS

Historically, patrols were made up of Scouts of all ages and ranks. This approach offers several advantages:

• Each patrol always has members who need to learn Scouting skills and members who are able to teach those skills.

• Each patrol always has experienced leaders and members who need leadership experience.

• Patrols thus are fairly evenly matched for games and skill competitions.

• All members don’t “age out” at the same time.

SAME AGE PATROLS

1. New-Scout patrols

As the name implies, a new-Scout patrol serves 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. An older Scout called a troop guide works 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), although the transition happens sooner in some troops. 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 troops, Scouts join a patrol together and stay together throughout their time in the troop.

2.  Regular patrols

Members of 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 they were 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.

3.  Older-Scout patrols

Not to be confused with Venturing crews, older-Scout patrols serve older Scouts who want to pursue more challenging high-adventure outings and sports activities while remaining in the troop. These Scouts often have a been-there-done-that attitude, so their patrol activities offer them new challenges while keeping them involved in troop leadership. You might think of the older-Scout patrol as a safety valve; it lets older Scouts blow off steam and then willingly re-engage with the troop.

An assistant Scoutmaster is assigned to the older-Scout patrol to help the members turn their outing ideas into action. They work to ensure that patrol activities complement, rather than conflict with, troop activities and may also guide the members along the trail to Eagle Scout rank.

For more information see Scouting America publication, Troop Leader Guidebook.