From: Scouter John

To: Troop 316

Re: Patrol Cook Advancement Requirements

Date: 4/22/2002

When you serve as a patrol cook on one of our outings, if you have not already done so, please focus on completing all of First Class Requirements 4.a through 4.e.

As you can see from the statement of these requirements in your Boy Scout Handbook, these five requirements are to be done together, in preparation for and execution of your duties as patrol cook.

Your first step in completing these requirements will be to help plan a patrol menu for one campout. Before the outing, most likely during the patrol meeting portion of one of our regular meetings, you will complete the first part of First Class Requirement 4.a:

(i) Help plan a patrol menu for one campout -- including one breakfast, lunch, and dinner - that requires cooking.

You should fill out these plans on our Patrol Menu Plan form, indicating the patrol for whom you will be serving as patrol cook, your name as the grubmaster (i.e. patrol cook), the campout in question, and the dates for this campout.

Please note that (i) is only part of First Class Requirement 4.a. Before you can complete First Class Requirement 4.a, you also need to:

(ii) Tell how the menu includes the four basic food groups and meets nutritional needs.

You will be expected to explain this to one of your leaders (adult or qualified youth) before you can be signed off as having completed First Class Requirement 4.a.

Your next step will be to complete preparations for your service as patrol cook on the campout. If you do your homework properly, this will allow you to complete First Class Requirements 4.b, c, and d.

4.b. Using the menu planned in requirement 4a, make a list showing the cost and food amounts needed to feed three or more boys and secure the ingredients.

Please note that you should make the list discussed in First Class Requirement 4.b before you go shopping. In completing this requirement you should be planning ahead for the outing, not just submitting the receipt(s) from the store for the ingredients which you bought. Don't just go shopping. Plan your shopping.

After you prepare your list for Requirement 4.b, before you go shopping, check with the troop quartermaster or the troop equipment specialist whether the troop has any of the ingredients which you need in its supplies.

Non-perishable leftover supplies from past outings are stored away with our troop supplies. If you have an opportunity to use some of these leftover supplies, then you should be taking advantage of this opportunity.

Please pay attention to the note at the bottom of the Patrol Menu Plan form:

PATROLS are expected to have a varied, well-balanced menu, which reflects the skill level of its members. Patrol leaders MUST present copies of both the PATROL DUTY ROSTER and the PATROL MENU to the SM/ASM by the meeting prior to any outing. The SPL will be asked to post this information during the outing!

When the Scoutmaster (SM) or Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM), and the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) sign your completed Patrol Menu Plan they are thereby indicating that your menu plan is acceptable. If you have done your job properly, paying attention to nutritional needs, then there should be no problem in getting these leaders to approve your plan. If not, you will have to revise your plan to make it acceptable.

In addition, when the Scoutmaster (SM) or Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM), and the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) sign your completed Patrol Menu Plan they are thereby approving the purchase of the ingredients which are still needed for this plan, any ingredients which are not available in our troop supplies.

Please note that while it is your responsibility as patrol cook to secure the ingredients for the patrol menu plan, it is not your responsibility to pay for these ingredients. You may either purchase the ingredients and submit a receipt for reimbursement to our troop Treasurer, or you may ask the troop Treasurer for an advance to purchase these items. More details about advances can be found in my memo on "Materials for Menu Plans for Outings".

While the troop stores non-perishable leftover patrol menu items from our outings, we do not have the facilities to take care of perishable items. It is a custom in our troop, for families to buy back perishable items from the troop. While we do not require families to do this, we hope that you will be willing to do this to help out the troop.

Your next step will be to plan for the equipment which will be needed to prepare and serve the meals on your patrol menu:

4.c. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals.

Also, you should make adequate preparation for proper handling, storage, and disposal of the various materials needed for these meals:

4.d. Explain the procedures to follow in the safe handling and storage of fresh meats, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and other perishable food products. Tell how to properly dispose of camp garbage, cans, plastic containers, and other rubbish.

If you have done all of your homework for the outing, then you should be able to complete First Class Requirements 4.a, b, c, and d before the outing actually takes place.

Your last step is to complete First Class Requirement 4.e:

4.e. On one campout, serve as your patrol's cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in requirement 4a. Lead your patrol in saying grace at the meals and supervise cleanup.

After the outing, you should give a report to one of your leaders (adult or qualified youth), explaining how you completed First Class Requirements 4.a through 4.e. Your leader will check whether you did all of the homework you should have done in preparation for the outing, and whether you fulfilled your duties as patrol cook on the outing.

Please note that it is not your sole responsibility as patrol cook to prepare and serve all the meals for the outing. Rather, it is your duty to supervise the preparation and serving of these meals. The patrol cook is the "head chef" for these meals. As patrol cook, you will have assistants who ought to follow your lead as you supervise these meals. Please be prepared to provide the proper leadership for your assistants.

Serving as patrol cook for one of our outings is probably one of the more challenging responsibilities which you will be asked to fulfill on your trail to First Class Scout. If you do your homework, learning the knowledge and making the proper plans required to fulfill this responsibility, then I am confident that you will do a good job. And, I am confident that you will learn some valuable skills in the process.