See the Help Wanted Page, which is designed to show who is doing what and where we have nobody doing the tasks (or someone who is doing too many tasks so one or more parents need to step up), and that page will link you to details about how to do the job and succeed at the job, from the Troop Operating Manual. Wanna help?  Email chair@atlanta631.mytroop.us.  Click below for what is on the Help Wanted Page today: 

Adult Leader and Parent Roles:  

• See the Troop Operating Manual for how the Troop Operates (revised in March 2026), and needs Adult Support to provide our Scouts with the program they deserve.
• Job Descriptions (with detail on how to perform functions) is found in the Adult Leader Roles Appendix to the Operating Manual. 

Roles and Vacancies 2026-2027 and Beyond:  Links to those jobs and functions from the Adult Leader Roles Appendix appear below with description about who is performing those functions. Current jobs and those serving are listed below, but many spots remain open.  Contact the Scoutmaster or Troop Chair if you can take any of these jobs, or any part -- NOTE: in many (but not all) cases, the person who has been doing a role will be willing to continue, with help, but in several cases, there will be a change.  

• So if you need to step back, downsize or swap roles, let the Scoutmaster or Troop Chair know. 
• Some roles show possible smaller roles, even though one person may be doing all of the smaller roles now. 
• There is a value in bringing on helpers in smaller roles.
• Also, succession in a “role” does not mean either (a) do everything the last person did, or (b) do it just like the last person did. 
• There’s lots of ways to slice and dice, split off and/or recombine support roles, and we have evolved that over time. 
• The key for all is to communicate among those with a hand in a function or a need to know.  

Youth Facing Roles (Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster and Youth Officer Advisors) -- click links for function descriptions:  

• Scoutmaster -- 2026-2027: Steve Rodgers; 2023-2026: Renee Bottie-Wheeler; 2021-2022: Josh Flannigan;  2016-2021: Rich Taylor; 2007-2016: Jim Waddell  

• Assistant Scoutmasters -- See the Adult Leader Roster.  Among the more active ASMs recently are Robert Wheeler, Teresa Musso, Josh Flannigan (also Council COPE / Caving / Climbing / Allatoona volunteer), Wendy Hansen, Keith Hansen, Geoffrey Brown, Idi Allen. 
• Scoutmaster Apprentice Candidates to become Scoutmaster in future years: _________, _________, _________, Your Name Here: __________  

• ASM Advisors to Patrol Leaders -- 2025-26: ____ (Blue Jays), ___ (Eagle), ___ (Kiwi), ___ (Owl)  

• Advisors to Youth Officers:
• Quartermaster Advisor -- (2025-26: Geoffrey Brown; 2019-21: Josh Flannigan)
• Scribe Guide -- (2026-26: _______OPEN)
• Historian Advisor -- (2026-26: _______OPEN; 2024-25:  Renee Bottie-Wheeler)
• Librarian Advisor -- (2026-26: _______OPEN)
• Adult Chaplain -- (2026-26: _______OPEN)  

Adult Support Roles Roles -- click links for function descriptions:  

• Troop Chair -- 2027: _______OPEN (2008-26: Bender, this role needs to transition to someone more likely to be at campouts and meetings and ideally a Woodward parent in order to have close relations with the Chartered Organization)
• Assistant Chair/Incoming Chair -- 2026: _______OPEN. Should engage one or more roles below to be familiar with Troop Operations. 
• Assistant Chair/Mentoring -- 2027: Bender (if desired by the new Chair)

From Scout Risdon R: "If y'all want us to put advancement of any kind in the October 18 Court of Honor, get it to Mrs. Musso by 10/11 at 11:59 pm or earlier so we can recognize you at the Court of Honor". 

NOTE: the best way for Scouts to report completed advancement (Rank or Merit Badge) is by email to ateam@atlanta631.mytroop.us. 

See this Photo Page for Galleries of Troop Members in Action.  Let's add to it. "Photo Uploads" has a list of Upload Links for quick and easy uploading. Recent or upcoming galleries that could use content include ... 

• Canoe Campout September 2026: https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/MctB3n/Canoe
• Scout Skills Campout September 2026: https://pack631.smugmug.com/upload/swwHCm/Skills
• Troop Meetings 2026-27: https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/3xsN8B/Meetings
• Back to School Pool Party: https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/D4LPGw/Pool 
• National Jamboree: https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/xVBpch/Jambo
• Camp Daniel Boone Summer Camp 2026: https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/x8kBXt/CDB2026
• June 2026 Allatoona Campout: https://pack631.smugmug.com/upload/PKVFHj/June2026 
• Troop 631 at April 2026 Atlanta Area Council Fundraiser: https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/X55qg9/FOS
• April 2026 Court of Honor:  https://Pack631.smugmug.com/upload/QTGt56/AprilCOH  (A few Pix now ... Yet So Many Cameras?!?!)

See this page for how Scouts BSA Troop 631 applies the Advancement Method of the Scouting program.

Key Topics are Listed below -- click on the link to jump to that Section:

• Advancement Overview 
• Four Steps of Advancement (A Scout Learns, is Tested, is Reviewed, is Recognized)
• Rank Requirements 
  
• Advancement through First Class 
• Advancement from First Class to Eagle
• Advancement Details, Instruction and Signoff
• Scout Spirit
• A Note about Parent Advancement Signoff
• Merit Badges
• Merit Badge Process
• First: Find A Merit Badge Program or Counselor
• Second: Obtain “Initial Merit Badge Approval” From the Troop
• Third: Attend the Program / Meet with the Counselor
• Fourth: Complete the Requirements – Be Tested
• Fifth: Obtain Signoff of Completed Requirements
• Last: Report to the Troop Your Merit Badge Signoff
• Three Notes about Merit Badge Signoffs
• Advancement Process and Rank Advancement Paperwork
• Scoutmaster Conference
• Board of Review
• Court of Honor
• “Scout of the Year” Award  

Here is the beginning of the content of this Section of the Troop 631 Operating Handbook:

Advancement Overview.  Scouting provides a series of surmountable obstacles and steps in overcoming them – skills to learn and master – through the advancement method.  Scouts plan their own advancement and progress at their own pace as they meet each challenge.  Scouts are recognized and rewarded for each achievement, which helps them gain self-confidence.  The steps in the advancement system help a Scout grow in self-reliance and in the ability to help others.  The Scouts BSA advancement program provides a ladder of skills that a Scout climbs at the Scout’s own pace.  A Scout is assisted by and supported by the Troop in acquiring these skills and moving up through a series of ranks for which badges are awarded.  Upon joining the Troop, one may work not only on the Scout rank, but also Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class because there are similar skill elements at each level; after First Class, a Scout works in sequence towards Star, Life, and, eventually, Eagle.  The higher the Scout climbs, the more challenging the tasks, and the more rewarding it becomes.  All advancement must be completed before the Scout’s eighteenth birthday. 

The Advancement method includes:

• Learning skills that enable the Scout to experience Scouting’s more exciting outdoor challenges.
• Developing body and mind, growing self-confidence, and helping younger Scouts climb the advancement ladder.
• Discovering how it feels to go further than you ever thought you could.
• Becoming a true leader. 

Advancement is a natural outcome of a planned, quality Troop program.  And Advancement is but one method of Scouting, no more important than the Ideals, the Patrol method, Leadership Development, and the Outdoor Program, all of which help meet the aims of Scouting.  

There are four steps of advancement:

1)    The Scout learns

• The Scout learns by doing, and as they learn, they grow in the ability to do their part as a member of the Patrol and Troop.  
• As they develop knowledge and skill, they are asked to teach others, and by this the Scout learns about developing leadership.

2)    The Scout is tested

• The Scout approaches a qualified adult to sign-off on specific requirements.  
• Unit leaders such as the Scoutmaster and trained Assistant Scoutmasters test and pass the Scout on rank requirements.  
• Merit Badge Counselors teach and test them on requirements for Merit Badges.  

3)    The Scout is reviewed

• After a Scout has completed all requirements for a rank, the Scout meets with the Scoutmaster for a Scoutmaster Conference.  
• Once this is completed, the Scout requests a Board of Review with the Advancement Team – the Scout may sign up for a Board of Review (often, on the Troop Website).  

4)    The Scout is recognized

• When a Scout’s advancement has been approved by a Board of Review, the Scout deserves recognition as soon as possible.  This is typically done at the next Troop meeting or event.  
• The certificate for their new rank will be presented later, during a formal Troop Court of Honor.   

More on advancement is found in the links above and in the Advancement Files and Advancement Links on the Troop Website, and in this BSA National page on Advancement and Awards. 

With the interest in more backpacking and the information shared at and after the October Troop Meetings in 2024, see this Camping and Backpacking Resources page under our Menu to the left of our Website that collects the various and sundry emails plus other information that may be useful about camping generally as well as backpacking.  Including Knots.  So yes you can literally text https://atlanta631.mytroop.us/node/10781 to share that information.