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Parts Of the Scout Uniform
Here are the requirements of the uniform:
- Scouts BSA uniform shirt, long or short sleeve
- Forest Green (Olive) shoulder loops
- Patches:
- American Flag
- San Diego-Imperial Council
- 709 numerals
- Patrol Patch
- Rank Patch
- Position patch (if applicable)
- Black and Silver Troop neckerchief and Troop neckerchief slide
- Specialty or handcrafted slides are acceptable
- Namebadge
- Scouts BSA hat or Troop 709 hat
- Scouts BSA pants, or Scouts BSA shorts with Scouts BSA socks
- Scouts BSA belt with Scouts BSA buckle (or national camp belt)
- Scouts BSA Handbook
- Items in your pocket:
- Band Aid
- Safety Pin
- Pencil
- Pocket notebook
Field uniform checklist
Pro tip: If you need to explain something to new scouts, figure out where a new patch goes, or just want to challenge your friends, the official rules are in the Guide to Awards and Insignia. That page is also where you can find current uniform inspection sheets.
Troop Organization Chart
Scout Leadership Positions
Boys are elected into key leadership roles. Only active Scouts will be eligible for leadership roles.
- To be eligible for Assistant Patrol Leader: A boy must be Second Class rank or above.
- To be eligible for election to Patrol Leader: A boy must have reached First Class rank, completed ILST (Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops), and completed a term as Assistant Patrol Leader of a regular Patrol.
- To be eligible for election to Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL): A boy must be at least Star rank and have completed a term as Patrol Leader.
- To be eligible for election to Senior Patrol Leader (SPL): A boy must have completed a term as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader .
In addition to the elected leadership positions, there are appointed leadership positions. The Senior Patrol Leader appoints eligible Scouts to the positions of:
- Bugler
- Chaplain Aide
- Historian
- Librarian
- Quartermaster
- Order of the Arrow Representative
- Instructor
- Scribe
- Den Chief
The Scoutmaster may also appoint one or more boys to the positions of:
- New Scout Patrol Leader
- Troop Guide
- Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
In order to ensure that all boys have an opportunity to hold leadership positions, no boy may hold the same position more than twice until all other eligible boys have held the position once.
Learn More
To learn more about the details of each position, please read Appendix B and Appendix C of the Troop 709 Handbook. A copy is available in the FORMS tab under 'other forms'.
You may also see the official charts and descriptions on Troop Positions.
Scouts who are ready to serve next term need to submit a Leadership Nomination Form. This needs to be signed by both the Scout and parent, and turned in before the end of the current term.
Scouts who have served need to submit a Leadership Credit Form at the end of each term.
These are also found on the FORMS tab.
Merit badges
So many to choose!
138 are available! A total of 21 are needed to earn the rank of Eagle. Of those 21, there are 14 that are required for Eagle, and the rest are electives based on what things you are interested in or want to learn. You can work on Merit Badges at anytime throughout your time in scouting. They actually become part of rank requirements beginning with Star.
Find a Counselor
Buddy System
You must have another person with you at each meeting with the Merit Badge Counselor (applies to virtual and in-person). This person would ideally be another Scout, but could be your parent or guardian.
How
Scouts are responsible to find and contact a Merit Badge Counselor to work with for the badge that they want to work on. The council maintains an up to date list of counselors, and which badges they are qualified in. Below is the link for San Diego-Imperial Council Merit Badge Counselors. * You will need to sign into ScoutBook in order to use the MB Counselor search (you may need to click this button again after signing in).
Who
We have some Counselors in the Troop, but not for all badges. ASMs in uniform are the obvious choice, but many Committee Members in plain clothes are also Merit Badge Counselors! It is too difficult to maintain our own published list, so the Council page is your best resource. You can ask around in the Troop at any meeting to see which adults are registered as a Counselor, and which badges they are qualified for. You could also search on the Council page for Counselors near you and look for familiar names. For rarer merit badges, you may need to widen your search and work with a Counselor remotely.
Contact / Communication
Do not use Band to communicate with Counselors, please follow the correct process by using a phone call or email. Remember to follow youth protection rules and cc your parents on all Scout related emails or texts, and have them with you when making phone calls.
Library
The troop maintains a library of Merit Badge books (also known as pamphlets). You may check them out rather than buying your own copies.
If you own any MB books that you are finished with, give them another life and donate them to the Troop Library.
Worksheets / Workbooks
Aside from the pamphlet, many Merit Badges have worksheets too. These are helpful to take notes or show your work. Most Counselors will ask you to complete the worksheet, and most 'Merit Badge Days' will require you to bring the worksheet with you for each class you will take. A good resource to download these is usscouts.org, download the pdf and then print it at home.
Blue Cards
Ask an ASM or your Advancement Chair how these work.
Do not lose them! They are your proof of progress or completion. If lost, you will need to repeat the Merit Badge. Keep them safe, only carry them when needed.
Pro tip: Create a 3 ring scouting binder, use baseball card holders for blue cards as well as the pocketcards you get for ranks or trainings.
FAQs
Submit your MB questions to the webmaster. We can provide answers here so everybody benefits.
