Leadership & Equipment Responsibilities

SPL & ASPL

Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) and Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL) hold the most important youth leadership positions in the troop. They are responsible for the overall leadership of all troop activities and for supporting other scouts in their leadership roles.

Senior Patrol Leader (SPL)

With three green bars behind the Scout emblem, the SPL’s patch represents one of the oldest and most respected youth positions in Scouting.

Responsibilities:

• Leads all troop meetings, activities, and events.
• Runs Patrol Leaders' Council (PLC) meetings.
• Coordinates with Patrol Leaders and supports them in their roles.
• Appoints other troop youth leaders (with Scoutmaster guidance).
• Oversees the annual planning conference.
• Assigns responsibilities to youth leaders and ensures their accountability.
• Supports the Scoutmaster with youth leader training.
• Maintains updated contact lists (in coordination with ASPL).
• Represents the troop to the adult leadership and addresses any issues raised by Patrol Leaders.

Character Expectations:

• Sets an example in conduct, attendance, and initiative.
• Wears the uniform properly.
• Lives by the Scout Oath and Law.
• Demonstrates Scout spirit consistently.

Election Process:

The Senior Patrol Leader is elected twice a year through a scout-led process, supervised by adult leaders (who do not vote). All scouts are encouraged to take part. The process includes open nominations (up to three peers), selection of top nominees, short speeches by candidates about their goals and readiness, and a final vote by secret ballot.
Learn more about the SPL Elections Process.

Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (ASPL)

The ASPL works directly under the SPL and steps in when the SPL is unavailable. This is a critical role for supporting the troop’s operations and ensuring leadership continuity.

Responsibilities:

• Supports the SPL in leading troop activities.
• Runs meetings or events in the SPL’s absence.
• Helps coordinate communication across all Patrol Leaders.
• Works with Quartermasters, Librarians, Historians, and other leadership positions to ensure responsibilities are met.
• Monitors RSVP procedures and scout engagement (see RSVP section).
• Keeps track of leadership participation and readiness.
• Assists in troop communications and documentation when needed.

Note: Not being present at a meeting or activity does not absolve any leadership responsibilities. Both SPL and ASPL are expected to plan ahead and delegate when necessary.

Quartermaster / Equipment

Quartermasters role is to maintain inventory of troop equipment, track check-in/check-out equipment for trips/demos

• Maintain list & keep up to date
  • Physical/Electronic list
• Check-in equipment validations
  • Clean
    • If dirty assign scout to clean and return next meeting
  • Unbroken
    • If broken,notify Adult leaders for repair/replacement
    • Keep track of broken/due for repair equipment
  • Lost/Missing
    • If lost/missing,notify Adult leaders for replacement
    • Keep track of missing/lost equipment, and when replacement will come
  • Need part/supply e.g. battery, propane tanks
    • If needs part/supply, notify Adult leaders for re-supply
    • Keep track of part/supply and when will arrive

Two weeks before trips, consult with Tripmasters, Scout leaders on what equipment they will need for trip

• Send scouts to pull equipment and set aside
  • Note any equipment for trip that needs
    • Cleaning
    • Repair
    • Replacement

Weekly during meetings, assign 2 older scouts to take out pieces of equipment to check

• Does it need to be:
  • Cleaned
  • Fixed
  • Need supply
  • Disposed of/thrown away
• List current condition, date, and enter on Equipment list

Twice a year, setup and announce Troop Equipment inventory cleanup and check

• Can be a Saturday morning/afternoon
  • 2 or 3 hours
• Reconcile equipment list with actual inventory
  • Note any equipment that needs
    • Cleaning
    • Repair
    • Replacement
• Update adult leaders with results

Not being present at a meeting or activity does not absolve the responsibility

Troop Guide

What is the role of troop guide in Troop 23?

What can they contribute to every meeting?

• They don’t have to physically be at a meeting to prepare something to contribute

What can they contribute to a trip/event?

• They don’t have to physically be at a trip/event to prepare something to contribute

How will their contributions be accounted for at a BOR?

Not being present at a meeting or activity does not absolve the responsibility

Librarian

Detail role of troop librarian

• How, and where does Troop 23 keep/store troop information, documents and artifacts?
• How do they make Troop 23 aware of resources available?
  • MB and advancement information
  • Troop history and lore
  • References for troop resources
  • Adults that are MB counselors;
  • Adults leaders that have specific scouting skills that can offer guidance/instruction
  • Scouts that have specific scouting skills that can offer guidance/instruction
  • Committee members that have specific scouting skills that can offer guidance/instruction

Not being present at a meeting or activity does not absolve the responsibility

Historian

Detail role of troop historian

• Convert any oral history to a written document
• Write and continuously update a troop history
  • Include timeline of notable dates and events
  • Archive trip/event write-ups
  • If the historian cannot make an event, he is responsible for working with another scout to execute
• Create and “elevator pitch” of Troop 23 history
  • Promote a proud history to the troop, especially new/younger scouts
• Scoutmaster project

Not being present at a meeting or activity does not absolve the responsibility

What Makes a Good Historian Report?

A good historian report should:
✅ Provide a clear and engaging summary of the event, including key details such as date, location, and activities.
✅ Include reflections on the experience—what was learned, what was fun, and what could be improved.
✅ Be shared with all scouts, not just those who attended, so that everyone can learn from and be inspired by the event.
✅ Contain a link to the photo archive for easy access to event pictures.
✅ Be published on the troop website so it becomes part of the troop’s history.
✅ Highlight contributions from different scouts, especially those in leadership roles.

A report that needs improvement might:
❌ Lack key details about the event, making it unclear what actually happened.
❌ Be too short or vague, missing important aspects of the trip.
❌ Only be sent to those who attended rather than shared with the entire troop.
❌ Have no photo archive link, making it harder for others to see what the event was like.
❌ Not be published on the website, preventing it from being part of the troop’s permanent record.

Examples of Historian Reports

A historian report is more than just a recap — it's a chance to document our troop’s shared memories and highlight scout achievements for everyone to see. A well-written report helps those who couldn’t attend feel connected, and it strengthens our troop’s history and spirit. Here are examples that show the difference between a strong report and one that could use improvement:

✅ Example of a Good Report

  📅 Event: Klondike Derby – February 1, 2025 
  📍 Location: Coney Island Beach 
  📝 Summary: Troop 23 had an amazing time at the Klondike Derby, competing against other troops in various   scout skills challenges. Despite the cold weather, scouts worked together to navigate obstacles, build fires, and complete first aid tasks. Our team placed third overall, which was an incredible achievement!
  📸 Photos: [Link to Photo Archive]
  🌐 Published on Troop Website: Yes
  📢 Sent to: Entire troop, including those who didn’t attend

❌ Example of a Report That Needs Improvement

  📅 Event: Camping Trip – March 8, 2025
  📍 Location: Camp Alpine
  📝 Summary: We went on a camping trip. It was fun.
  📸 Photos: None included
  🌐 Published on Troop Website: No
  📢 Sent to: Only the scouts who attended

Webmaster

• Keeping the Troop website content up to date with information needed by the Troop.
• Ensuring that the information posted on the website is correct and that members’ and leaders’ privacy is protected.
• Working with the Historian, Librarian, Outdoor Activities Coordinator, Troop Committee, and others to publish stories and keep information up to date.
• Posting Troop photos for at least one event per month to the Troop website.

Not being present at a meeting or activity does not absolve the responsibility