The Patrol

You've seen it all your life. Take a big group of kids and put them on a playground, sports field, or gymnasium and you know what happens. Gradually that big group starts to morph into many smaller groups - into gangs - ready to play a game or get into trouble. It's a natural thing.

Gangs aren't always bad. A gang is, in its most basic form, simply a group of kids who play together after school or during the summer. This group of kids comes together for all sorts of reasons. They may be all the same age, live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school, or even have the same interests. It's just a gang with no formal organization, written rules, or even a firm idea of what they want to do. Usually, though, there's a leader - someone who sort of takes charge. The group doesn't really choose a leader, he or she just naturally starts to lead and the rest of the group follows.

The gang organizes itself, sets up its meeting place, and begins to do things. They may gather to go bike riding, play video games, play baseball, or - in the case of bad gangs - steal or bully the neighborhood. The gang develops a spirit, a sense of honor and loyalty that is strengthened by their activity. The gang is, in short, an organism with a life of its own, becoming more than the sum of its parts.

The gang is the natural unit of boys for boy activities. We tend to identify ourselves as part of a group. This gang is the most important unit in Scouting. Sure, we don't call them gangs. We call them Patrols, but they're still a gang. The Patrol is a small, permanent group of boys allied by similar interests, working together under the responsible leadership of one of its number - the Patrol Leader.

There is a big difference between a Scout Patrol and a street-corner gang though. A Patrol becomes more effective and permanent under the guidance of a concerned adult. The Patrol accepts a code of honor handed down by the adult. It is stimulated by working with and competing against other similar groups. Yeah, it's a gang, but a very special kind of gang.

Despite the adult association, a Patrol faces the same problems, the same pitfalls, and the same challenges as that street-corner gang. The difference is a Patrol has a real leader. A gang leader has one primary responsibility - directing the efforts of the gang. He isn't concerned with whether or not the gang members are happy; whether they are having a good time; or whether the gang will stick together. A Patrol Leader, on the other hand has all of those responsibilities and more. He needs to make sure his Patrol is happy, having fun, doing the things they need to do, and that the Patrol sticks together.