A Boy Scout Troop is "owned" by a Charter Organization. The National Organization of the Boy Scouts of America grants a charter to an organization which then sponsors the Boy Scout Troop. This organization becomes the “Charter Organization.” While the Charter Organization is referred to as “owning” the Troop, the arrangement is closer to a franchise with right of revocation if the franchisee fails to abide by BSA Policies and Procedures.

At the troop level, the essential concept to understand that the Troop is a boy-led organization. One of the goals of Scouting is allow the boys to develop management and leadership skills by performing these management tasks. The adults are supposed to guide the scouts from a watchful distance after having provided the requisite training. The Scoutmaster works directly with the youth leadership and the Troop Committee performs those administrative functions which the scouts cannot perform.

YOUTH ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE TROOP

Boy Scout Troops are divided into groups of scouts called “patrols.” Each patrol elects its “patrol leader.” The patrol leader (PL) selects an assistant patrol leader (APL). The entire Troop elects a “Senior Patrol Leader.” This Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) selects at least one Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL). The SPL is responsible for the tactical operation of the entire Troop. The Patrol Leaders are responsible for the operation of the patrols.

The scouts who have recently bridged over from Cub Scouts form a “new guy” patrol. They are coached by a Troop Guide, an older scout, who is supervised by an assistant Scoutmaster. A committee comprised of the SPL, ASPL, and the Patrol Leaders serve as the planning and operations staff for the Troop. These meetings are called various names such as “the Patrol Leaders Council” or “PLC,” the “Senior Patrol Leaders meetings,” or the “Green Bar Meetings.” The name “Green Bar” is derived from the green bars on the rank patches. These meetings are held at a scheduled time of the month. These are planned, led, and conducted by the Senior Patrol Leader.

The ASPL supervises the “Troop Staff,” which consist of the Quartermaster, the Scribe, the Librarian, the Historian, the Chaplain Aide, and the Instructors. These are the Scouts who perform the administrative functions of the Troop. In the SPL’s absence, the ASPL leads the Troop.

ADULT ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE TROOP

For a Boy Scout Troop, a minimum of five (5) adult leaders are necessary. By position, there these are the Scoutmaster (SM), an Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM), Troop Committee Chairman (TCC), and a minimum of two Committee members are the adult leaders. From the Charter Organization, there must be a Charter Institution Representative, who may also serve in another capacity. Logic dictates that this could not be as the Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster.

CHARTER ORGANIZATION

As stated in the introductory paragraph, the National Organization of the BSA grants a charter to a “Charter Organization.” The Charter Organization selects the initial Troop Committee upon organizing or re-organizing the Troop, provides a meeting place, approves the selection of a scoutmaster, assistant scoutmasters, any new committee members and a Charter Representative.

The executive for the Charter Organization signs the “Annual Agreement” between the Charter Organization (CO) and the local council. (Georgia-Carolina Council). In this annual agreement, the CO agrees to abide by Boy Scouts of America (BSA) policies, guidelines, and procedures. The Charter Organization Representative or “Charter Representative” is a member of the Charter Organization and is a liaison between the Troop and the Charter Organization. The CO must approve all leadership applications before the applications are submitted to the local council. The CO head or Charter Representative, if so designated by the CO, and the Troop Committee Chair must sign all adult leadership applications.