Welcome to

Troop 92 
Boy Scouts of America
Milpitas, CA

Guide For New Families

1997

Purpose of The Boy Scouts Of America

It is the purpose of the Boy Scouts Of America to provide an effective program designed to instill within the youth desirable qualities  of character, to train them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to  help develop their personal fitness, providing this country with citizens who:

1. 	Are physically, mentally and emotionally fit.
2. 	Have a high degree of self-reliance as evidence in such qualities as initiative, courage and resourcefulness.
3. 	Have personal and stable values firmly based on religious concepts.
4. 	Have the desire and skills to help others.
5. 	Understand the principles of the American social, economic, and government systems.
6.	Are knowledgeable about  and take pride in their American heritage and understand  America's role in the world.
7 	Have a keen respect for the basic rights of all people.
8. 	Are  prepared to  fulfill the varied responsibilities of participating in and giving leadership to American society and in other  forums of the world.

Boy Scouts of America
Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Boy Scouts Of America to serve others by helping to instill values in young people and, in other ways, to prepare them to make ethical choices during their lifetime in achieving their full potential. The values we strive to instill  are based on those found in the Scout Oath and Law.

The Scout Oath Or Promise	
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

The Scout is:
Trustworthy
Loyal  
Helpful 
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Scout Motto
Be Prepared

Scout Slogan
Do a Good Turn Daily

Aims and Methods of the Boy Scout Program

Aims
Boy Scouting works toward three aims. One is growth in moral strength and character. We may define this as the what the boy is himself: his personal qualities, his values, his outlook.
A second aim is participating citizenship. Used broadly, citizenship means the boy’s relationship to others. He comes to learn of his obligations to other people, to the society he lives, to the government that presides over that society.
A third aim of Boy Scouting is development of physical, mental, and emotional fitness. Fitness includes the body (well-tuned and healthy), the mind (able to think and solve problems), and emotions (self control, courage and self-respect).
The methods are designed to accomplish these aims. 

Methods
Advancement- Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps to over come them through the advancement process. The Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he overcomes each challenge.  More is discussed about Advancement later in this guide.
Adult Association- Boys learn from the examples set by their adult leaders. Troop leadership may be male or female and association with adults of high character is encouraged at this stage in a young man’s development. 
Personal Growth- As Scouts plan their activity, and progress toward their goals, they experience personal growth. The good turn concept is a major part of the personal growth method of Scouting. Boys grow as they participate in community service projects and do good turns for others. 
Ideals- The Ideals of Scouting are spelled out in the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan. The Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve. The goals are high, and as he reaches for them, he has some control over what he becomes.
Patrols- The patrol method gives Scouts an experience in group living and participating in citizenship. It places a certain amount of responsibility on young shoulders and teaches boys how to accept it. The patrol method allows Scouts to act in small groups where they can easily relate to each other. These small groups determine troop activities through their elected leaders.
Outdoors- Boy Scouting is designed to take place in the outdoors. It is in the outdoors that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with each other. It is here where the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings come alive. More is discussed about the outdoor program later in this guide.
Leadership Development- Boy Scouting encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills. Every Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership situations. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps a boy accept the leadership roles of others and guides him toward the citizenship aim of Scouting.
Uniform- The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as a force of good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Scout identity in a world brotherhood youth who believe in the same ideals. More is discussed about the uniform later in this guide.

 Troop Organization

Troop 92 is a boy-run troop. Leadership is one of the methods of Scouting. Every boy will have an opportunity to participate in both shared and total leadership. The meetings are planned and carried out by the patrol leaders' council. All duties for patrol activities are assigned by the patrol leader. Understanding the concepts of leadership helps the boy accept the leadership of others and helps him to grow into a more responsible adult. The troop organization chart on the following page outlines the complete organization of the troop. The following is an outline of the duties of the key leaders within the troop:

Scoutmaster:
The Scoutmaster is the adult leader responsible for the image and program of the troop. The Scoutmaster and his or her assistant Scoutmasters work directly with the Scouts. The general responsibilities of the Scoutmaster include: 
•	Train and guide boy leaders.
•	Work with other adult leaders to bring Scouting to boys.
•	Use the methods of Scouting to achieve the aims of Scouting.

Assistant Scoutmasters:
Assistant Scoutmasters are recruited by the Scoutmaster and approved by the troop committee to assist the Scoutmaster in the operation of the troop. Assistant Scoutmasters are assigned program tasks by the Scoutmaster and provide guidance to the boy leadership. He or she also provides the required two deep leadership ( two adult leaders present at every Boy Scout activity).

Senior Patrol Leader:
The senior patrol leader (SPL) is the top boy leader in the troop. He leads the patrol leaders' council and, in consultation with the Scoutmaster, appoints other junior leaders and assigns specific responsibilities as needed.

Assistant Senior Patrol Leader:
The assistant senior patrol leader (ASPL) fills in for the SPL in his absence. He is also responsible for training and giving direction to the quartermaster, scribe, historian, librarian and instructors.

Patrol Leaders:
The patrol leaders (PL) are responsible for giving leadership to the members of their patrols. They are their representation on the patrol leaders' council. The PL is also responsible for holding monthly patrol meetings outside of the regular troop meetings.

Assistant Patrol Leaders:
Assistant patrol leaders help the PL run the patrol and fill in for him in his absence.

Scout Uniform

Scouts in uniform are conscious of their  rank and make a greater effort to advance. Only the uniform provides a place for display of badges - important symbols of achievement. Scouts have more fun, stay longer, feel greater pride in advancement.

How the uniform can help a boy:
It is not the purpose of the  Scout uniform to hide the differences between the boys or make them feel that they are all the same.
But there is one way in which all Scouts are alike. Whenever a Scout sees another person in a Scout uniform he knows he is like that person because both have committed themselves principles of the Scout Oath and Law. The Scout  Oath and Law bind all Scouts of the world together in a common purpose.
By wearing the uniform, Scouts give each other strength and support.
Beyond accenting the common bond between Scouts, by wearing the uniform Scouts are declaring their faith and commitment to some important beliefs that bind them to all people. It is a way of making visible their belief in God, their loyalty to our country and their commitment to helping other people who need them.

How the uniform can help the troop:
1. 	When smartly worn, the uniform can help build good troop spirit.
2. 	By investing in a uniform, a Scout and his parents are really  making a kind of a commitment to  take Scouting seriously.
3. 	The uniform makes the troop visible as a force for good in the community.
4. 	When properly worn on the correct occasions, it can attract new members.
5. 	Scouts in uniform create a strong, positive, youth image in the neighborhood, thus helping to counteract the negative feeling some adults have about  youth.

The troop uniform:
The following is the official uniform of Troop 92 is:

Provided by the boy:	Provided by the troop:
Hat ( ball cap style) 	Neckerchief
Shirt (official tan w/red shoulder tabs)	Registration and Handbook
Flag, Council and Troop 92 patches 	Neckerchief slide 
Belt (official khaki web belt)	Rank badge and badges of office
Pants/Shorts (official khaki)
Stockings (official khaki)

Official placement of insignia may be found on the inside front and back cover of the  Scout Handbook. 

Advancement

Advancement is the process by which youth members progress through the ranks in the Scouting program by the gradual mastery of Scouting skills. Ranks are simply a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Everything boys do to advance and earn these ranks, from the day they join until the day they leave the program, should be designed to help boys have an exciting and meaningful experience.

Boy Scout advancement, a four step process:
1. The Boy Scout learns.
A Scout learns by doing. As he learns, he grows in ability to do his part as a member of the patrol and the troop. As he develops knowledge and skill, he is asked to teach others. In this way, he begins to develop leadership.

2. The Boy Scout is tested.
A Scout may be tested on requirements by his patrol leader, Scoutmaster, assistant Scoutmaster, a troop committee member or a member of his troop. The Scoutmaster maintains a list of those qualified to test and pass candidates..

3. The Boy Scout is reviewed.
After a Scout has completed all requirements for a rank, he has a board of review. For Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life and Eagle Palms, the review is conducted by members of the troop committee. The Eagle board of review is conducted by members of the district advancement committee.

4. The Boy Scout is recognized.
When the board of review has certified a boy's advancement, he deserves to receive recognition as soon as possible. This should be done at a ceremony at the next troop meeting. The certificate for his next rank will be presented to him at the next troop court of honor.

Court of Honor

As stated above, when a Scout advances, he should be recognized as soon as possible - preferably at the next unit meeting. He is recognized a second time at a public ceremony called a court of honor.
The main purposes of the court of honor are to finish formal recognition for achievement and to provide incentive for other Scouts to advance.
Troop 92 has formal courts of honor four times a year, at the end of each quarter. All families are asked to attend and guests are certainly welcome. Every boy who advances in a quarter deserves  to be recognized in front of his family. The court of honor is the boy's special night.

Outdoor Program

Scouting is effective whenever we take advantage of it's truth: The place where Scouting works best is also the place that boys want the most. The outdoors. There are a number of good reasons why the outdoor program is so special, here are the four that are especially good:
1.	The outdoors is the best place for learning outdoor skills. How could it be otherwise?  A Scout who tried to boil a potato on the gymnasium floor would be in hot water for  sure - not to mention the boy who tried learning to swim by reading a book.
2.	The outdoors is a great place for learning something  about living with others. When Scouts walk on the same trail, cook and eat together, and share triumphs and troubles together, they are going to find out some important things about, say, patience, respect for other points of view, doing their full share, making a friend more easily, and saying no without losing one. Skills like these are among the "personal growth" skills we want from every Scout. The outdoors is where they grow up best.
3.	On the trail or in camp, the boy's leaders will be challenged by the real thing - getting their patrols fed and sheltered, keeping them warm and safe, solving the problems  they can solve, and knowing how to get help for those they can't. It's a time when leadership skills can deepen, patrols grow closer, and the troop grows stronger.
4.	The outdoors is also a place where a Scout can get closer to the natural world  around him - the land, the forests and their wildlife, the lakes and rivers, the mountains and the seas. Here, in the outdoors, he will learn of the "land ethic" - the understanding and respect for the environment we all share, and he will develop an active concern for it's health and a willingness to work to keep it healthy. 

Troop 92 and the outdoor program:
Troop 92 has a very active outdoor program and all boys are encouraged to participate. Our program includes monthly weekend campouts, annual long term summer camp (1 week), day hikes and other outdoor activities. Troop 92 also sponsors an annual family campout where all families are encouraged to participate. Families are welcome on monthly campouts, if space allows. However, the troop will still function as a unit.

What to bring on a campout:

à	Sleeping bag	à	Mess Kit	à	Sewing Kit	Do Not Bring
à	Foam Pad 	à	Cup	à	Flashlight	·	Radios
à	Sweater	à	Soap	à	Scout Knife	·	Snack Food
à	Rain gear	à	Toothbrush	à	Watch	·	Electronic  Games
à	Clothes	à	Toothpaste	à	Personal ID	·	Firearms
à	Canteen	à	Comb	à	Notebook	·	Sling Shots
à	Silverware	à	Washcloth	à	Pen / Pencil 	
		à	Towel	à	Boy Scout Handbook	

Youth Protection

Program Summary
Child abuse is a major problem affecting our society. Each year more than 2 million cases of suspected child abuse are reported. This means that 1 percent of American children are experiencing physical abuse, 1 percent are experiencing sexual abuse, and 2 to 5 percent are experiencing emotional maltreatment or some form of neglect. Because of the significance of this social problem, The Boy Scouts of America has declared child abuse as one of the "unacceptables" to receive special attention by those involved in the Scouting program.
The BSA has developed a five-point plan to combat child abuse and to improve the environment in which young people live. The key elements of this strategy include the following points:
•	Educating  Scouting volunteers, parents and Scouts themselves to aid in the detection and prevention of child abuse.
•	Establishing leader-selection procedures to prevent individuals with a history of child  abuse from entering the BSA leadership ranks.
•	Establishing policies that minimize the opportunities for child abuse to occur in the program of the Boy Scouts of America.
•	Encouraging Scouts to report improper behavior in order to identify offenders quickly.
•	Swiftly removing and reporting alleged offenders.

Parents guide
The Boy Scouts of America has developed materials for use in the Scouting program that provide essential information to members and their families. A detachable booklet in the front of The Boy Scout Handbook, "How to Protect Your Child from Child Abuse and Drug Abuse: A Parents Guide," provides information to help families to increase self-protection skills.

Troop 92 and the Youth Protection Program
Troop 92 is committed to following all guidelines of the Youth Protection program. Any suspected offenses of the Youth protection program must be reported to the Committee Chairman, the Scoutmaster or the Council Executive. All incidents reported to the Committee Chairman or the Scoutmaster will be reported to the Council Executive. All reports are taken seriously and appropriate action is taken to ensure the safety of the youth.

Troop 92
Boy Scouts of America
Milpitas, California

Troop By-Laws Adopted October 29, 1996

GENERAL

1.	Parents or Guardians of all applicants must meet with the Scoutmaster, an Assistant Scoutmaster or the Committee Chairman for a personal interview before a boy will be registered with the Troop.  The Troop cannot function without the active involvement of every parent.  Accordingly, the Troop must ask each parent to volunteer for a committee or adult leader position, participate in at least one outing or activity annually in a supervisory capacity and sit on monthly Boards of Review for the Scouts on a rotating basis.

2.	An annual Parents Meeting will be convened by the Troop Committee Chairman in late October.  The purpose of the meeting is to approve plans for the ensuing year, including the next year's Activity Calendar, proposed budget and associated fund-raising activities, approve key Committee officers, adult leaders and Troop By-Laws.  This meeting is mandatory for the parents/guardians of all boys currently registered with the Troop.  Anyone who is unable to attend the meeting must notify the Committee Chairman in advance.

3.	Key Committee Positions include the following: 
1)	Troop Committee Chairman; 
2)	Treasurer; 
3)	Secretary; 
4)	Fund-Raising Chairman; 
5)	Membership Coordinator; 
6)	Advancement Chairman; and
7)	Campout Coordinator.  

	Persons to fill these positions will be elected at the annual Parents' meeting.  There shall be no limit to the number of terms for any of these positions.

4.	Other Committee Positions.  In addition to the Key Committee Positions, the Troop Committee Chairman will seek persons to carry out numerous other tasks such as: Uniform Exchange, Ceremonies Coordinator, Awards/Incentives, Transportation Coordinator, Summer Camp Coordinator, Leader Training Coordinator, Data Processing Coordinator.

5.	Committee Meetings.  The Key Committee Officers shall meet regularly to discuss Troop Business.  Meetings shall be scheduled by the Troop Committee Chairman who will provide a written agenda at least 10 days in advance.  The meetings shall be open to parents, registered members of Troop 92 and non-key Committee officers, however, only the key Committee personnel -- as defined in Rule 3 above -- will have the authority to vote.  A quorum will exist when any four of the seven key committee officers are present.

	Meetings are permissible without a quorum, however, no matters requiring a vote may be decided.

6.	A vote of the key committee members will be necessary to approve any expenditure of Troop funds beyond the discretionary $50.00 allotted to the Scoutmaster.  Additionally, the committee must approve the Troop's Scout of the Year nominee and any interim changes to the Troop's By-Laws.

7.	Should a need arise to obtain committee approval of an expenditure on an expedited basis, the Committee Chairman shall be authorized to contact the other key committee officers by telephone to discuss the matter and conduct a vote.  In any such instance where a telephone vote has been conducted, the results of that vote shall be ratified at the next regular Committee meeting.

8.	Interim amendments to the By-Laws may be made by majority vote of the key Committee officers after introducing the amendment at one Committee meeting and publishing the proposed amendment in the Troop newsletter.  The amendment will be voted upon at the next committee meeting after the newsletter is distributed.  Any interim amendment passed in this manner shall remain in effect only until the next Annual Parents Meeting, at which time it will be offered as a permanent change.

9.	Camping permission slips and campout money shall be collected by the Scout coordinator for that event and turned in to the appropriate adult leader one week prior to the activity.

10.	Parents shall be responsible for ensuring the transportation of their sons to campouts and other Troop activities.  Carpools will be coordinated wherever possible, however the ultimate responsibility will lie with the parents.  All drivers must carry liability insurance of at least $50,000 (each person), $100,000 (each accident) and $50,000 (property damage).  All riders must wear seat belts while traveling as required by California law.  Parents and adult leaders must provide updated information about their vehicle(s) and associated insurance to the Troop annually.

11.	The Scoutmaster shall have the authority and discretion to suspend any boy who refuses to carry out the instructions of the Scoutmaster or his designated representative.  In the event such a suspension occurs, the parents/guardians of the boy will be contacted immediately and will be required to make arrangements to take custody of the boy.  The Troop shall not be liable for any costs involved; these will be solely the parents/guardians' responsibility.  Any boy who has been suspended may be reinstated at the discretion of the Scoutmaster, but only after the boy and his parents have discussed the situation in detail with the Scoutmaster and are prepared to recommend a course of action to ensure that the behavior will not be repeated.

12.	The parents are responsible for picking up their sons after a Troop activity or, at least, to be home when the Scout is dropped of f by the Troop.  The Troop will not leave a Scout at home after a Troop activity unless a responsible adult is present.  If a boy is to be dropped off somewhere other than his residence address or to be picked up by someone other than a family member or the parent of another Scout in the Troop, the adult leader must be informed by the parent in writing prior to the Troop activity (e.g., a note on the permission slip for that activity).

EXPENSES:  SCOUT

1.	Weekly dues shall be $0.50 (fifty cents).

	-	Any Scout in arrears by more than $2.00 may be suspended.
	-	A suspended Scout may be readmitted when he pays all back dues he owes.

2.	Uniform--shirt, pants, socks, belt: $45-55.00

	-	The Troop maintains a uniform exchange.
-	Parents and Scouts are encouraged to donate used uniform items to the Troop (with the appropriate patches still sewed on-the Troop will supply the patches for the new shirts)

3.	Summer Camp costs approx.  $165.00.  Each Scout will be encouraged to earn this money himself through participation in Troop fund raisers or his own enterprise.

4.	 Each Scout shall pay for his own food for each campout or other activity.  Patrols will assume responsibility for purchasing their food for campouts.  One person shall buy the food and the other patrol members shall reimburse him for the expense before the campout.  The Troop shall not be involved in reimbursing Scouts for food expenses.
5.	The parents of each new Scout registering with Troop 92 shall pay a fee of $18.00.  Additionally, as explained below, each Scout and his family will be required to contribute $100.00 toward the Troop's operating expenses.

6.	Each Scout shall be strongly encouraged to acquire his own tent as soon as possible.

EXPENSES:  TROOP

The Troop shall be responsible for paying the following expenses:

1.	Troop Registration (annually)
2.	Boy's Life (annually).
3.	Troop Insurance (annually)
4.	Troop equipment (as needed).
5.	Advancement pins, merit badges, etc.
6.	Summer Camp fee for adult leaders.
7.	Leadership Training Costs for selected Scouts from the Troop.
8.	Blue neckerchief, Troop and Council Uniform insignia for new Scouts.  The blue neckerchief will be exchanged for the Troop Green and Gold neckerchief when the boy makes Tenderfoot.
9.	Order of the Arrow Ordeal fees after completion and annual membership dues for all adult and Scout OA members in the Troop.

FUND RAISING

1.	Fund raising sufficient to support the Troop is the responsibility of each Scout and his parent.  Each Scout and his family must undertake an obligation to contribute $100.00 annually to enable the Troop to carry out its program.  This obligation shall be separate and distinct from a Scout's weekly dues requirement.  Scouts may choose to satisfy the obligation by participating in Troop fund-raisers, through their own or their family's contributions or some combination of these alternatives.

	The $100 obligation shall be divided into quarterly installments; each Scout will be expected to contribute $25 on or before the Troop's first meetings in September, December, March and July.  This works out to approximately $8.50 per month or $2.15 per week.  A new Scout joining the Troop will simply start making payments the next due date after he joins.

2.	All Scouts in the Troop will be afforded ample opportunities to participate in fund raisers and other projects to earn enough money to meet this requirement, thus ensuring the Troop's ability to meet its obligations.  Fund raising activities shall be supervised by the Fund Raising chairman and will be conducted as needed.  These activities will include recycling drives, sales of home safety items, hike-a-thons, car washes and other activities agreed to by the key Troop Committee officers.

3.	Profits from fund raising activities shall be apportioned as follows: until a Scout has satisfied his $100 annual contribution obligation, all profits he generates shall go directly to the Troop.  Once he has satisfied that obligation any additional profits he earns will be credited in their entirety to his individual Scout fund.

4.	Individual Scout's Fund moneys are Troop moneys designated for use by individual Scouts for summer camp, other campout fees, weekly dues payments and, with the written authorization from a parent and Scoutmaster approval, for other camping or Scouting related expenses.	Individual Scout Fund money earned by any Scout and not used by the time that Scout leaves the Troop shall be returned to the Troop Fund.

SCOUTMASTER'S FUND

1.	A fund of $50.00 may be maintained by the Scoutmaster out of Troop funds as working capital.

2.	This fund shall be replenished by the Treasurer only upon presentation of receipt(s)

INQUIRIES AND COMPLAINTS

All complaints and/or inquiries shall be directed to the Committee Chairman.

The By-Laws as set forth above were reviewed by the Troop Committee and approved by a majority vote during the Annual Parents Meeting on October 29, 1996 as mandated by General Rule 2.