Frequently Asked Questions
| Question/Answer |
|---|
| Q: Are girls allowed to join? A: Yes, girls were officially allowed to join in February 2019 at which point of time the program was renamed to Scouts BSA. Please click here to find a Girls Troop near you. |
| Q: What is a Court of Honor? A: A Court of Honor (aka COH) is when the Troop celebrates the scouts achievements and other successes like trips, events, etc. throughout the year. Generally speaking, most Troops hold COH's a couple times of year (Fall & Spring); but can hold more if necessary. |
| Q: What is the Patrol Method? A: The Patrol method is when 6 to 7 scouts are combined in a group with one scout leader (aka Patrol Leader), this group of scouts stays together at meetings but not always on camping trips since not all scouts always attend camping trips. Read more about the Patrol method here, scouts will also learn more about Patrols from the Troop leadership. |
| Q: What do we need once we join a Troop? A: After you have selected a Troop and are officially registered, your scout will need a scout uniform and scout handbook. You can view the items here, you don't necessarily need to purchase them online as we have a local scout shop in Mountainside or Cedar Knolls you can order from. |
| Q: When are BSA medical forms required? A: Any camping trip the Troop takes, medical forms part A, B1 & B2 for any scout or adult attending the trip are required; they will be held by one of the adult leaders attending the trip. **Note: Medical form Part C (requires a physical from a doctor) is required for trips lasting 72 hours or more** |
| Q: When is the BSA consent form required? A: When the Troop is hosting its own camping trip/event the consent form should be collected, it is not necessarily needed for a Council or other BSA events unless otherwise stated. |
| Q: Where are the scout patches placed on the uniform? A: You can see where the patches should be placed here. |
| Q: How do scouts earn their ranks? A: There are seven ranks a scout can earn (Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle). The scouts don't necessarily need to earn them in order of the rank, they can earn a requirement in Scout, Tenderfoot or even Eagle before completing any of the ranks 100%; review the requirements here. Also, you can view all advancements & awards that can be earned here. |
| Q: How do scouts earn Merit Badges? A: Scouts can earn any merit badge they like, if they desire to earn their "Eagle" rank, they will need the 13 required "Eagle" badges, plus an additional 8 badges. You can view the merit badges and other information here. Also, you can view all advancements here. |
| Q: How can I volunteer with the Troop? A: We are always looking for help in the Troop as it is a volunteer led organization, you can reach out to the Troop Committee Chair to find out what we need help with. |
| Q: Who needs to take Youth Protection Training? A: Any adult 21yrs or older who would like to be a Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Advancement Chair, Merit Badge Counselor or would like to volunteer helping a troop, must complete Youth Protection Training (aka YPT). |
| Q: How can I become a Merit Badge Counselor? A: To review all of the requirements and fill out the application, click here. |
| Q: How do you prepare for Winter Camping? A: Check out the following Winter Camping Handbook |