Senior Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster

The Troop Guide is essentially a Leader for the new Scouts. Though the New Scouts will rotate the responsibility for PL and APL among themselves throughout their first year, they lack the experience and maturity to do it on their own. The Troop Guide helps them learn the standards of the troop, the basics of Scouting, and the fundamentals of leadership, planning, and organizing. He helps them feel comfortable in the troop and works hard to set them up for success and being able to earn their First Class rank by the end of their year. At times, this position is used for special assignments at the discretion of the Scoutmaster.

The first year as a Boy Scout is a critical time with new places, new people, new rules, and new activities. The Troop Guide is a friend to the new Scouts and makes this first year fun and successful. This is an extremely important position to the future health of the Troop.

The candidate must be Star or higher, or as approved by the Scoutmaster.

The candidate must be actively involved in Boy Scout Troop 214 and must have successfuly filled such positions as a Patrol Leader, have a strong desire to lead the New Scouts, and receive a recommendation from the Scoutmaster.

The Guide must attend the troop Junior Leader Training even if he has attended in the past.

The Guide is expected to attend 80% of all troop meetings, Patrol Leaders' Council meetings, outings, and service projects.

The Guide is expected to give the job his best effort.

The Guide will set the example by wearing his uniform correctly. This means that he will wear all of the parts of the troop uniform, shirttail tucked in, with all required insignia in their correct locations. See the Scout Handbook for standards.

The Guide will set the example by living the Scout Oath and Law in his everyday life. He will show Scout Spirit in everything he says and does.

The Guide will set the example by being an active Scout. He will be on-time for meetings and activities. He must contact the Senior Patrol Leader or Scoutmaster if he is not going to be at a meeting or if he suddenly has to miss an outing. He also needs to make sure that someone will assume his responsibilities in his absence.

The Guide acts as a Leader for the New Scouts and mentors the Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders in the performance of their duties.

He introduces new Scouts to troop standards, scouting basics, and leadership fundamentals.

He guides new Scouts through early Scouting activities and works hard to inspire them collectively and individually to set goals for themselves and reach First Class rank by the end of their first year.

He works closely with the Scoutmaster and Assistants Scoutmasters for the New Scout Patrol in developing the training and activities necessary for team building, skill development, and advancement.

He helps the new scouts understand the way things are done using the Patrol Method in Scouting.

He counsels individual Scouts on Scouting challenges.

If the Guide does not satisfactorily perform his duties as indicated in the Performance Requirements and in the General and Specific Leadership Responsibilities, he will not receive credit for his time in office.