Chartered April 4, 1924

New Scout's Page


Drew Hagemann, Assistant Scoutmaster


(757) 874-8160 ... home

(757) 879-8638 ... cell

(757) 864-7055 ... work



Information For Parents Of New Scouts


See the Troop 6 Handbook (.docx) for more details.


Table of Contents



No Electronic Gadgets or Cell Phones, Please

Troop 6 does not permit Scouts to use electronic gadgets or cell phones when we're on a camping trip.  We want our Scouts to hear God's Voice when they're in the outdoors and not electronic chatter.  Please make sure that your Scout leaves these distractions at home.

That said, we do make rare exceptions.  When we know that we are going to be traveling several hours to reach a campsite or a summer camp we will permit our Scouts to bring a hand-held game or a music-playing device with them to help them while away the time spent on the journey.  Please make sure that your Scout tells the Scoutmaster that he has brought one of these items before he climbs aboard a vehicle.  Once we arrive at our destination the electronic gadget will remain locked inside that vehicle for the duration of our stay in camp.

If there is a special family situation that requires your Scout to carry a cell phone with him during an outing with us, please let the Scoutmaster know beforehand.  Please give the Scoutmaster your Scout's cell phone, and tell your Scout that his Scoutmaster has custody of it for the duration of our activity.



Knives and Matches

A new Scout may not carry a pocket knife until he has earned a Tote-n-Chip card.  He may not carry matches until he had earned the Fireman's Chit.

Both of these classes are taught on camping trips.  Troop 6 makes a point of teaching these two classes during the campouts that occur immediately after we have crossed-over a new group of Webelos Scouts.

Please wait to give your new Boy Scout a pocket knife until after he has earned his Tote-n-Chip card.  The same goes for matches or a butane lighter.

Until a Scout has reached the rank of First Class Scout he is expected to bring his Tote-n-Chip and Fireman's Chit with him when he goes camping.  Please make sure that you teach your Scout to carefully check the pockets of his Scout shirt for these cards before he puts his shirt into the washing machine.

The Boy Scouts of America discourages the use of sheath knives.  See their Guide To Safe Scouting for details.  Troop 6 asks that you not let your Scout bring a sheath knife with him on one of our activities.  We believe that a lock-blade knife if far safer. 

NOTE: If your Scout is going to take Woodcarving merit badge at a Boy Scout summer camp then he will need a far-better knife than a lock-blade or a Boy Scout-style utility knife.  Purpose-built whittling or carving knives are the way to go.  An R. Murphy Knives carving knife is a fine beginner's whittling knife.  Use caution, however, and be sure to tape a heavy card-stock sleeve around the always-exposed blade to protect your Scout.  Better yet, put the whittling knife in the Scoutmaster's care, and tell your Scout what you have done.

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Camping Gear

Since most of our new Scouts come to us in March or April (that's when graduating Webelos 2 Scouts typically cross-over into Boy Scouts) their first camping trips with us will be cold-weather ones.  Please be sure that you have outfitted your new Boy Scout with the folowing items before he heads off with us into the woods.  Don't forget to check with the Troop Quartermaster to see what we have stored in the Quartermaster's Shed that your son my borrow until he gets his own gear.



Please put your Scout's name on all of his gear.  If it comes apart, please put his name on all of the pieces.



A new Scout also has to have some other essential gear such as:

The Scout Handbook is listed last to help you remember that it must always be part of a Scout's camping gear, especially while he is still working on becoming a First Class Scout.

Here is a Gear Guide (MS Word) that Mr. Hagemann wrote that will help you identify the types of camping gear that your new Scout will need to have with him when he goes out with us on a weekend camping trip.  It contains pictures of the items as well as some suggested sources for them.

See the LINKS page for hot-links to some useful ecommerce sites.

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Protecting Your Scout's Handbook

A Scout's Boy Scout Handbook is the master record of his rank advancement.  Each time he earns a requirement someone signs and dates his book.  Please teach your Scout to keep his Scout Handbook intact and in a safe place.  When he is ready to become an Eagle Scout his Handbook will be invaluable to him, for that is where the complete history of his advancement - especially the all-important dates - will be found.

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Caring For Advancement Cards and Merit Badge Cards

Rank patches and merit badge patches are handed out as soon as a Scout earns them. The authenticating card, however, is not presented until the next quarterly Court of Honor.  Please store your Scout's advancement and merit badge cards in plastic sleeves like those used by people who collect baseball cards.

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Help Us Keep Your New Scout Focused On His Trail To First Class

Please help us keep your son's focus upon his Trail To First Class by not encouraging him to become hot for the persuit of merit badges until after he has become a First Class Scout. 

When he goes to summer camp for the first time we will make sure that he signs up for two or three of the easier-to-earn merit badges. 

Half of his summer camp day will be spent in the Trail to First Class program, where he will be learning the fundamental Scout skills that he will need to become a Second Class Scout and a self-reliant camper.  The other half of his day will be his to persue merit badges like Fishing, Swimming, Leatherwork, Indian Lore, and Basket Weaving.  There will also be time for Free Swim, Free Rifle-shooting, Free Shotgun-shooting, and Free Archery, as well as for hanging out down at the Trading Post.

Once your Scout has become a First Class Scout his entire focus will shift to earning merit badges and performing public service.  So, while he is in the New Scout Patrol (aka Wolverine Patrol) please help us get your Scout to focus his energies on earning the first three Boy Scout ranks within his first year with Troop 6.

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Scout Uniforms

Troop 6 is a "full uniform" troop.  We expect all of our Scouts to take pride in wearing a complete Scout uniform to the troop meetings, and when we are traveling.

We know that uniform parts are expensive.  That's why we have an "experienced" uniform locker in the Quartermaster Shed.  Perhaps you will be able to find a pair of Scout pants that fit your new Scout.  All we ask is that you bring them back to us when your Scout out-grows them.  Please donate all of your Scout's out-grown Scout uniform parts.

There are two classifications of the Scout Uniform: a Field Uniform (aka Class A) and an Activity Uniform (aka Class B). 

We wear a Field Uniform most of the year.  When hot weather arrives the Senior Patrol Leader will announce when we may switch to wearing the Activity Uniform.

We always switch back to wearing the Field Uniform in September, and always on the day of our Fall Court of Honor.

Please do not let your Scout wear "message T-shirts" as part of his Activity Uniform.  Any T-shirt that may offend parents, teachers, preachers, or Scoutmasters are not to be worn.

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Weekend Camping Fees

The $20 weekend campout fee is always due the Monday prior to the monthly camping trip.

Please be sure to give your Scout cash or a check that Monday evening.  Please make checks payable to Boy Scout Troop 6.

$10 of the campout fee is used by your Scout's Patrol "Grub Master" to purchase your Scout's share of his Patrol's groceries.  The remainder is used to pay for the gasoline that the adult leaders use to haul your Scout and his gear to our destination.

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Summer Camp Fees

We must submit our full summer camp fee to the Boy Scout Camp that we are attending several months in advance of our July arrival date.  Please pay your summer camp fees promptly.


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Troop Fund-raising Activities

See FUND-RAISING in the Members' Page.

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The Green Neckerchief

We put green neckerchiefs on all of our new Scouts to identify them as "green horns," and to maintain a link to the green '70s-era Troop 6 neckerchief.  As soon as a boy becomes a Tenderfoot Scout we replace his green neckerchief with the black Troop 6 neckerchief.  Please return any un-needed green neckerchiefs to our Quartermaster.

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Troop Dues

Troop dues are $52 a year per Scout, payable in two installments.  This money is used by the troop to buy rank patches, merit badge patches, propane, and replacement globes and mantles for our propane lanterns.

Please help us maintain our treasury by paying your Scout's dues promptly.

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Warwick Memorial United Methodist Church   †   38 Hoopes Road   †   Newport News, VA 23602