Troop Meetings are Monday nights from 7-8:30pm.  We meet at Fort Settlement Middle School during the school year.  During the summer, we meet at an alternate location.

Patrol Leader Council meetings are typically held the Monday after a campout in lieu of a troop meeting.

The troop goes camping monthly except during Summer months (due to the heat!).  During the summer, the troop goes to a long term camp, high adventure camp and outdoor activities (boating, hiking etc).

The troop holds a Court of Honor quarterly when scouts are recognized formally for their achievements.

Introduction

As parents of Cub Scouts, you will notice similarities and differences in the Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs.  The primary difference between the two programs is that the boys themselves plan and conduct their own activities both on a troop, patrol and personal level.  The role of the Adult Scouters is to guide, mentor and support the Scouts.

Troops are run this way because this is a big part of the leadership lessons boys learn in the Scouting program.  So seeing a troop for a first time may seem "chaotic" but that is actually a sign of a good troop.  If you see a well run troop, especially if adults are doing alot of the talking, you don't have a boy-led troop and the boys are not getting that leadership experience.  The objective of the Boy Scouts of America and this Troop is to help youth develop skills for adult life, through a step-by-step program.  The methods used are the Boy Scouts ideals, the patrol system, outdoor programs, advancement, leadership development and the uniform.

Meetings

We open every troop meeting with the Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan and Outdoor Code as a reaffirmation of the ideals of Scouting.  We close every meeting with a Scoutmaster's Minute and the Troop sing of Vespers.

Scouts are expect to wear the Field uniform (Class A) which consists of the Scout shirt (with the appropriate patches), Scout pants, Scout belt and Scout socks.  The Field uniform is to be worn to all meetings and while traveling to/from a Scout function.  During the summer months, the Activity uniform (Class B) iwhich consists of the Troop T-shirt, Scout pants, Scout belt and Scout socks and is worn to troop meetings.  For a Court of Honor, the Field Uniform is supplemented by the merit badge sash.

Patrols

New Scouts entering the Troop (typically in January, but can be at any time) are organized into Patrols of all new scouts and will remain in these patrols for six months.  These patrols will have no more than six members and will rotate patrol leader for one month.  New Scouts have older Scouts as Troop Guides and Advisors and an adult Scoutmaster for this six month period.

After the first six months, scouts are then moved to regular patrols.  Each Scout will be asked to list two or three scouts they want to be in a patrol with, Scouts will be then be put in a patrol of Scouts in the 5th, 6th, 7th and the fall semester of 8th grade.  Any older scout who is not of at least the First Class rank will remain in these patrols.

Each year we offer a summer merit badge camp, a summer high adventure camp and and a winter camp.

Our monthly camping includes locations chose by the Scout (Boy) Leadership and each campout has a theme with scouting skills and rank advancement as the focus.  Each campout is attended by many Assistant Scoutmasters.  All dads (and moms!) of new scouts are welcome to camp with the troop.  The boys pitch their own tent and cook their own meals.  Scouts help one another with cooking, camp set up and activities.  Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors.

Troop 1631 camps monthly in BSA-approved camp sites.  These campsite are typically "primative".  The Scouts complete most of the outdoor skills requirements on these campouts.  In addition to our monthly camping, the troops plans one to two summer experiences which include Merit Badges and High Adventure programs.  These may be at the same or different camps.

Troop fees do not cover Summer Camp, Winter Camp, High Adventure Camp or any weekend campouts or activities.  Each activity is self-funded and scouts will be charged.  Campout fees typically cover meals, transportation and activity fees.  For adults going camping on weekend campouts, they are not charged.  For Winter, Summer and High Adventure Camping, other fees may be required

Boy Scouting works toward three aims:

1. One is growth in moral strength and character. We may define this as what the boy is; his values; his outlook.  The values we strive to instill are based on those found in the Scout Oath and Law.
2. The 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 in, and to the government that presides over that society.
3. The third aim 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 the emotions (self-control, courage, and self-respect).

To accomplish these aims, Boy Scouting has developed its program using eight methods:

1. IDEALS. The ideals of Scouting can spelled out in the Scout Oath, Law, Motto and Slogan.  The scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve.
2. 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.
3. OUTDOORS. Boy Scouting is designed to take place outdoors.  Its is in the outdoors that Scouts share responsibilities and learn to live with each other.  It is here the skills and activities practiced at troop meetings comes alive with purpose.
4. ADVANCEMENT. Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps to overcome them through the advancement method.  The Scout plans his advancement and progresses at his own pace as he overcomes each challenge.  The Scout is rewarded for each achievement which helps him gain self-confidence.  The steps in the advancement system help a boy grow in self-reliance and the ability to help others.
5. ADULT ASSOCIATION. Boys learn from the example set by their adult leaders.  Troop leadership may be male or female, and association with adults of high character is encouraged at this stage of a young man's life.
6. PERSONAL GROWTH. As Scout plan their activities and progress toward their goals, they experience personal growth.  The Good Turn concept is a major part pf the personal growth method of Scouting.  Boys grow as the participate in community service projects and do Good Turns for others.  The religious emblems program is also a large part of the personal growth method.
7. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. Boy Scouting encourages boys to learn and practice leadership skills.  Every Scout has the opportunity to participate in both shared 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.
8. UNIFORM. The uniform makes the Scout troop visible as force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community.  Wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Scout's commitment ot the aims and purposes of Scout.