The Patrol Leader's Notebook
 4.
The Patrol Leader and Second
One of your first big decisions is to appoint your Patrol Second.
You will decide on who you think will be your best right-hand man,
and ask your Troop Scouter to let you appoint him.
Your Second will often stand in as leader of the Patrol in your
absence on other duties, so you and he must trust one another and
speak with 'one voice'. He will be someone who is always ready to
help you with the leadership of the Patrol, and with whom you can
discuss problems.
In turn, you will help your Second to learn all he possibly can
about leadership - so in time he will be able to lead his own Patrol
successfully. A good saying in life is 'Learn the job of the fellow
above you, and teach your job to the chap below you.'
What are the duties of the Patrol Second?
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A Patrol Second's Job
Things which the Patrol Second will do:
- Take charge of the Patrol in the absence of the Patrol
Leader
- Assist the Patrol Leader in planning and running Patrol
meetings, activities, camps and hikes
- Take on special duties given to him by the Patrol, e.g.
help to get the Patrol ready for all Troop activities
- Be responsible for the smartness of the Patrol in uniform
- Taking responsibility for training some of the Scouts
in skills
- Set an example in behaviour and attitude, especially in:
- the Scout Law and Promise
- wearing of uniform
- aiming for and working towards the Top Award
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Try to give your Second encouragement, confidence and lots of genuine
experience. It does no harm every now and then to deliberately leave
some of the leadership of the Patrol to the Second while you take
your place as a Patrol member - or busy yourself with training the
new Patrol recruit.
Scouting is very much a matter of learning by doing - so your unselfishness
in really letting your Second have lots of chances to lead will
do him a great deal of good.
Next: Leading the Patrol
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