Welcome to Troop 27

Troop 27 has 50 boys and 20 adult leaders. As a member of Troop 27, you are part of a group of great boys. Boys who like to have fun in the outdoors: camping, cooking, swimming, boating, hiking, learning about nature, science and hobbies. Activities you can participate in together or at your own pace. You will be recognized for what you learn and achieve by your friends and parents. Along the way, you will also learn leadership and organizational skills that you can't learn anywhere else. It won't be all fun: there will be some work too, but in years to come you can look back and be proud of your accomplishments.

Scouting is an international organization: boys your age all around the world are doing the same things you are going to do. And you may have opportunities to meet many of those scouts as you participate in the many different Scouting activities you are eligible for over the next few years. As a member of the Boy Scouts of America, you are also a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and therefore are entitled to participate in international Scouting events as well.

Troop 27 is part of the Black Otter District of the Montana Council, Boy Scouts of America.

Boy Scout Troop 27 was formed in Montana around 1933 as a Scout Post. Each scout troop has one or more sponsoring organizations. Our sponcer is the King of Glory Lutheran Church. These groups have provided guidance and financial assistance to the troop for many years. Currently, the troop is made up of boys from the Billings area, but membership is open to anyone who is interested and meets the BSA specified joining requirements.

The troop is a Scout-run organization. Each boy is a member of a patrol, usually 6-8 boys who want to camp and participate in various activities together. Each patrol has a leader (Patrol Leader) who represents the remaining scouts in the patrol at meetings (Patrol Leaders Council). In addition, the boys elect a leader for the troop (Senior Patrol Leader) who appoints several other boys as his assistants (Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Scribe, Historian, Quartermaster and Librarian). Each Patrol Leader also appoints an assistant (Assistant Patrol Leader) to help and take his place when he is unavailable. All of these positions are known as Junior Leaders, and the troop has a special Junior Leader Training session shortly after the election. The various appointed positions each have their own job descriptions and responsibilities. In addition, there are other positions the boys can hold such as a Den Chief (a Cub Scout Den helper).

Adult leaders are also important to the troop but the intention is for them to be advisors, not directors. One leader is the Scoutmaster and the others are Assistant Scoutmasters or Troop Committee members. BSA rules require that at least two registered leaders, or one leader and one or more parents, must be present at all troop activities.

The troop usually has three types of activities each month: the Patrol Leaders Council, where all of the elected and appointed leaders meet to plan activities for the coming months. While these meetings are open for anyone to attend, only members of the council are eligible to vote or participate. The Patrol Leaders Council is usually the first Monday after an outdoor activity from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

The second activity is the Troop Meeting. The troop meets every Monday from 7:00pm to 8:30pm The Monday following a Camp out or other special activity is reserved for the Patrol Leaders Council. Parents are always welcome to attend if they have questions or would just like to see what goes on.

The third activity is a Camp out or other special event. These are usually planned several months in advance and published in the Troop Newsletter. Parents (Moms too) are always welcome to join us and sometimes we need additional help to drive to and from the activity. Camp outs are usually on BSA property, at state or national parks, or national forest lands.