This page contains more facts and figures dealing with our troop. Check around in here and you might find something useful for your group.

Table of Contents:

1. Troop Committee
2. Patrol Method
3. Troop Dues
4. Troop Fund Raisers
5. Council & District Involvement
6. Camping
7. Permission Slips and Medical Forms
8. Tour Permits

Troop Committee. We strongly encourage all of our parents to join our troop committee. It meets on the 1st^th Monday of each month at 7:00 PM. Our committee is responsible for all boards of review, except Eagle, and conduct them during the third troop meeting of each month. There are enough members in our committee to form sub-committees for advancement, outdoor programs, transportation, public relations, and merit badge counseling. Each program area chairperson, as well as the secretary and treasurer, reports on their progress/status at the committee meetings. Committee members are always invited to all troop functions and projects. The Scoutmaster and assistant Scoutmasters are not voting members of the troop committee but are invited to participate at committee meetings as well as the Senior Patrol Leader. The strong working relationship between the committee, the troop, and the Scoutmasters has helped Troop 86 maintain an excellent Scouting program.

Patrol Method. It was Baden-Powell's desire that troops utilize the patrol method in their operation. This means the troop is boy-led and boy-run. The adult leaders provide safety, security, and advancement opportunities. The youth leaders are elected (or re-elected) every six months. They hold patrol leaders' council meetings once per month to discuss current plans, projects, outings, and future events. Each patrol leader possesses a locally developed Patrol Leader's Notebook to help him with his patrol leadership. Patrols, of course, are made up of no less than three nor more than eight members. As many youth leaders as possible are sent through the council's junior leader training conference each year. (NOTE: Look for this to become a future Eagle requirement!!!) Other training sessions are conducted by the Scoutmaster, as needed. We want our troop and patrol leaders to be as effective as possible and training is the key.

Troop Dues. We currently do not require dues from each Scout. But in the future we might ask each Scout to bring 50 cents to each scheduled meeting for troop dues. This money would be collected during the patrol meetings by the patrol scribes, then turned over to the troop scribe, who will record the information and gives the total sum to the troop committee treasurer. A Scout will be responsible for paying the amount required for any scheduled troop meeting he misses. These funds will be used to purchase the materials needed for awards and advancements. Any boy who is behind on his dues by the time the monthly campout occurs cannot attend that campout. By having the youth take responsibility in this fashion rather than letting the parents pay an annual one-time dues fee, they will become better money managers.

Troop Fund Raisers. As with all troops, there are expenses in running the program. We repair and replace troop equipment as needed. Each year we try to offset the cost of summer camp as much as possible to reduce the load on the parents. We also share the costs of sending a youth to the junior leader training conference. And there are dozens of other smaller expenses that crop up that could nickel and dime a treasury to death unless the funds are replaced. How does our troop get these funds? First of all, we do NOT have car washes! Oh, we used to, but they were much more work than we wanted for the amount of money generated. Our fund raising takes many different forms for many different purposes. Car washes have been replaced with the sale of Christmas Tree's on Osan Air Base (generates enough money to take the place of three or four car washes a year). Future fund-raisers we are looking at include a bowling tournament, and the sale of camp/trail patch's (Designed by the Scout's) for a possible historical trail here on Osan Air Base to name a few. And, we file a Unit Money-Earning Application (BSA Catalog No. 34427) with the council service center for each and every fund-raiser. We will leave the car washes to all of the other organizations for now.

Council & District Involvement. We take advantage of all council, and district, events and programs. The spring and fall camporees allow our troop to socialize with other troops during friendly competition. The district conducts training that we would not be able to equal on our own. Our older Scouts are encouraged to become Den Chiefs for our feeder Cub Scout pack's (or the pack of their choosing) Webelos dens. Our boys also assist with Cub Scout Day Camp each summer. Service projects such as the Scouting for Food always include Troop 86. If our council or district needs it done, Troop 86 gets out there and does it!

Camping. We go camping at least once a month. Summer camp is our only scheduled long-term campout, as a troop. Our other campouts are short-term, usually beginning on a Friday afternoon or evening and ending on Sunday afternoon. We camp at parks, on private property, and in Korean National Forests. Whatever the weather, Troop 86 is out there, having fun, working on advancement requirements, exploring, racking up hiking and/or backpacking miles, and keeping the mosquitoes from starving to death. We will require each Scout to have his dues paid up to go on a campout. Along with whatever fee might be needed to get into certain camping locales, the troop collects a dollar from each boy to help replace expendable items such as lantern/stove fuel and Kool-aid. Those adult leaders who provide transportation are responsible for their own gasoline expenses ('sigh'- but, its tax deductable). Patrols collect money from their members to purchase the food needed for their camp meals (usually between $5.00 and $7.00 per campout [enough for 4 meals]). They generate their own menus as well as schedule patrol duties. Depending on how far we have to travel, the Scouts are asked to eat before we depart and bring money for a lunch at a fast-food establishment on the return trip.

Permission Slips and Medical Forms. The Scoutmaster gives information sheets, with permission slips attached, to the Scouts to take home to their parents well in advance of each campout. The permission slips help the Scoutmaster avoid possible kidnapping charges (so far so good!) as well as provide proof that the parent is knowledgeable of the requirements of the campout. Class 1/Class 2 Personal Health and Medical Record (BSA Catalog No. 34414) and Class 3 Personal Health and Medical Form (BSA Catalog No. 34412A), whichever is required for the event, as well as Special Powers of Attorney (designed to cover a year's worth of camping), are carried along by the Scoutmaster on every outing.

Tour Permits. As required by Scout policy, we file a Local Tour Permit (BSA Catalog No. 34426) with the council service center for every function Troop 86 gets involved in that takes place anywhere other than our regular meeting place. We pre-fill a year's worth of local tour permits immediately following our annual planning meeting with the PLC and file them all at once at the service center. If details change, we call in amendments to the particular permit.