Scouts BSA Troop 457 > Members > Leadership Hub > Troop Positions

Troop Positions

Scouts who are elected or appointed to a Troop Position take on additional responsibilities at Troop meetings and events.  Those responsibilities could be as simple as saying a prayer or playing a bugle call to managing the Troop’s trailer or leading the whole Patrol or Troop.

Leadership positions are held for a six month term starting in January or July (whichever occurs first after the election).

Click on the links below to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of each position.  (Links redirect to Scouting.org)

Elected Positions

The following are the positions elected by the Troop or Patrol which are voted on during each semi-annual election.

These Troop positions comprise the voting members of the Patrol Leaders Council and must be filled during each election in order for the Troop to operate properly.  The Scouts will select who fills these positions by popular vote.

Appointed Positions

These positions are appointed by the newly elected Patrol Leaders Council with the approval of the Scoutmaster.  Not all positions are required to be filled during every election.

Scouts must hold the following rank to run for these positions:

  • Senior Patrol Leader: First Class
  • Assistant Senior Patrol Leader: Second Class
  • Troop Guide: First Class
  • Instructor: First Class

Additional Positions

The Bugler D is an optional position appointed by the Scoutmaster.  Scouts holding this position must hold the Bugling merit badge or have completed all Bugling Merit Badge requirements except for requirement 6 (Serve as bugler in your troop for three months).  The Scoutmaster can appoint this position at any time and the Troop can have multiple Buglers. The position of Junior Assistant Scoutmaster is appointed by the Scoutmaster and is not elected by the Troop. This position is appointed by the Scoutmaster.  The Patrol Leader (Assistant Patrol Leader) or Senior Patrol Leader (all other positions), with approval from the Scoutmaster, will appoint Scouts to fill any Required Elected Positions that:
  • have not been filled during the Troop election, or
  • Are not being adequately performed by the elected Scout
  1. Per the Scout’s BSA Handbook, Assistant Patrol Leader is not an approved position of responsibility for the Star, Life, or Eagle Ranks.  The Bugler position is not an approved position of responsibility for the Eagle Rank.
  2. Scouts holding the Den Chief position must be approved by the Scoutmaster and Cubmaster.
  3. Scout must be an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow to be eligible for this position.
  4. Scout must have earned or working to earn the Bugling Merit Badge to be eligible for this position.
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