Our troop prioritizes leadership by ensuring that the majority of leadership decisions are left in the hands of our capable Scout leaders. These positions are reelected every six months.

Senior Patrol Leader: this is the highest-ranking position in the troop. One Scout is elected by their fellows to lead the troop for a period of six months, taking on responsibilities like organizing and leading meetings and activities, directing the Patrol Leaders’ Council, and presenting awards.

Assistant Senior Patrol Leader: our troop elects one to three assistant senior patrol leaders to serve under the SPL. Their duties include managing patrols and becoming Acting SPL in the Senior Patrol Leader’s absence.

Patrol Leader: under Scouting America’s Patrol Method, our troop is divided into several smaller subunits called patrols, with about 5-8 Scouts in each. Each patrol elects a leader to represent them at Patrol Leaders’ Councils and to manage patrol affairs, including campout shopping and maintenance of the patrol boxes.

Troop Guide: our troop elects one or two Scouts to fill this position each leadership cycle. Troop Guides are senior Scouts (First Class or Above) who take on the responsibility of helping younger Scouts achieve this rank. This includes teaching skills, providing guidance, and monitoring the progress of new Scouts.

Den Chief: this role is given to a Scout with strong connections to our Cub Scout Pack, Pack 31 of State College. The Den Chief is responsible for maintaining relations with the Cub Scouts, including attending Cub Scout events, organizing joint meetings and campouts, and recognizing Cubs who “cross over” into Troop 31.

Quartermaster: one Scout is elected Quartermaster each election cycle. In this role, a Scout is expected to manage Troop belongings, especially the cooking equipment in the patrol boxes. Troop gear, including stoves, portable tables, and a dining fly for campouts, is maintained and inventoried.

Order of the Arrow Representative: the Order of the Arrow is a bit like a Scouting honors society: inducted Scouts are expected to maintain a high standard of excellence and must be elected by their fellow Scouts to join. The Order of the Arrow (OA) Representative represents Troop 31 at OA meetings and leads the OA induction process.

Chaplain’s Aide: in accordance with the final line of the Scout Law – “A Scout is Reverent” – the Chaplain’s Aide leads mealtime prayers and conducts chapel services. These may include the Scouts Own services, when Scouts can learn more about their duty to God through the lens of Scouting.

Outdoor Ethics Guide: this Scout is responsible for understanding and helping our troop to practice the Outdoor Ethics Code in all we do. This may include ensuring that trash and wastewater are properly disposed of, choosing campsites to minimize environmental impacts, and helping to organize outdoor activities.

Scribe: the troop’s Scribe is responsible for keeping an ongoing log of Patrol Leaders’ Council (PLC) meetings to serve as a reference for scheduling. This involves managing and updating the PLC notebook and providing Scouts and adult leaders with information covered in PLC.

Historian: our troop maintains a collection of trophies, articles, and awards relating to former Scouts and their achievements. The Historian’s job is to maintain, catalogue, and update this collection and to make reference materials, including event programs and historical logs, available to troop members.

Webmaster: the Scout in this position is responsible for the maintenance of the troop website, including keeping information up-to-date, ensuring the security of the site, and collecting relevant photos from troop activities to include.