Patrol Leader & His Assistant

The top two jobs in the patrol are almost identical. The Assistant Patrol Leader might have some additional duties, but to be a proper assistant, he's got to know the same things you know, and be able to do the same things you do.

The Patrol Leader

As we've been discussing, the Patrol Leader is the primary elected leader of the patrol. He runs the patrol, making sure it's moving in the right direction, and he represents the patrol to The Patrol Leader's Council, which runs the troop. So, the Patrol Leader is the leader of the patrol, and a leader in the troop. All of the responsibilities that belong to the patrol are his. We've talked a lot about what a Patrol Leader does and how he does it already, so I won't go into that here.

The Assistant Patrol Leader

This job is the second most important job in the patrol. The reason should be obvious, but let's take a look. First of all, he's the Assistant Patrol Leader. That means he's your right hand man, qualified and capable of doing your job when you're not around. He's not just another member of the patrol. You should be able to count on him for help in running the patrol, planning the meetings, and everything else you do. Second, he's the Assistant Patrol Leader. That means he has all of the same responsibilities as the Patrol Leader. You guessed it, he needs to be as committed to the patrol as you are, and he needs to be capable of doing all of the things you are expected to do. In short, he should be sitting right there with you as you learn how to be a good Patrol Leader.