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Royal Rangers has been shallow in teaching concerning the patrols. I am so glad that they are starting the new module over the Patrol System. Part 1 Patrol Series by Chaplain Jeff Ortner #446
How do you make PATROLS work????? 1. Try to dedicate one week per month for patrol meetings. 2. Possibly dedicate a major part of an Outpost meeting to that cause. 3. Find a place, home, room, and or corner that is a "base" for each patrol. 4. During camping, boys need to tent together as Patrols, get away from pup tents and one man style tents. This causes seclusion and rejection. Have big tents for all Patrols. Team building and Bonding are very important, and we need to think about how our PATROLS are formed and excepted through allowing new members become apart of each Patrol. By staying with a group. 5. Have a ceremony or Patrol induction meetings and welcoming those new into the clan. The Call of the Wolfs, The Bear Claw Clan, The Snake Pit Pile. Etc. This is a sense of belonging. A local campout would work well for such an occasion. 6. Plan a campout with the whole group, but have patrol camp fires, and their own area. Start a Patrol Campout, with each groups doing their part of the work load. Cook, Quartermaster, Leader etc. You just watch and be an advisor with guidance, suggestions, ideas etc. Make certain that all camping, cooking, etc. Is done by PATROLS, not as an individuals or other groupings. Have "PATROL" hikes, fun times, and anything as a patrol group. You have to allow leadership to form within groups. Even LINE UP needs to be DONE in patrols. 7. Make sure that you have a patrol flag, song, yell, and strive to keep them apart of the meetings regularly. 8. Patrol patches , if any apart of the new uniform, "GET THEM" and have them available. If no patch then secure a token , bolo tie or a token to relate their belonging to that patrol.. 9. Do a tent setup contest, races, projects, and everything activity to allow each patrol to setup and allow points, teamwork, and total patrol effort. 10. Begin a patrol of the month. Get any group of boys and during their own time and fashion will form a (gang) "patrol." This is the reason for using the Patrol method, because it’s in the boy’s nature and his desires. This also works well with the goals and aims of the Royal Ranger leadership. "THE ONLY WAY FOR A BOY TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP IS GIVE THAT BOY A CHANCE TO PRACTICE IT. How you judge that the patrol system is working, is through watching. You can’t go by and listen to the patrol corners or you will embarrass them. Plus you sure can’t find it at a formal inspection. You have to notice the "SPIRIT" of each group. A neat flag, a great stunt, real teamwork, volunteering together. Give them a group project. This pulls them closer together, such as helping with a elderly person, guard and flag duties together. All these things help build patrol spirit. But when all is said and done, "DOING THINGS TOGETHER IS WHAT COUNTS THE MOST." Always recognize teamwork and good jobs as Patrols. There is one thing to watch out for. ( CLIQUES). The idea is not in placing so much emphasis on Patrols, that they run off in different directions and become independent of each other. The patrol is a arm of the whole body, a part of a larger group. Just as a family has different members with each with it’s own personality. A band is not a trumpet, a drum or a tuba, but all working together they make a band. If you can get your boys to understand this then those so called (cliques) will not form. |
