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How to join Boy Scouts

The registration process may seem tedious, but when compared to the scouting experience, which your son will remember for the rest of his life, it's definitely worth it! You can also email the Membership subcommittee for help: shanyu.ysy@gmail.com.

  1. Visit one of our troop meetings on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month at 7:30 pm at HOC5. Contact the Committee Chair and Membership subcommittee chair to get information on how to join Troop 485.
  2. Register with the BSA Council & Troop 485
    1. Complete the online BSA Youth Application.
    2. Contact the Membership Chair at mailtohaijun@gmail.com
    3. Complete T485 new scout forms and send them to Haijun Liu.
    4. Make Payment for the T485 membership fee — Contact Haijun.
    5. Haijun will contact SM and SPL to accept your son in our Troop, and the SPL will assign your son to a patrol.
    6. Attend a New Parent Orientation Meeting.
    7. Complete Youth Protection Training (send the certificate to Haijun and Charlene houcharlene@yahoo.com)
    8. Complete Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training and Live Scan Fingerprinting.
    9. Print and complete the BSA Medical Forms. Form C must be signed by your son's doctor. Give the completed forms to Haijun Liu.
  3. Final Steps
    1. Purchase the scout uniform and scout handbook. Please read the Important Information Packet for details of what to buy at the scout shop, what to buy with T485, and what you won't need to buy. Contact Shirley Kuang (forshirleyk@gmail.com) for the class B Shirt and neckerchief, and Jiayan Wang (j_y_wang@hotmail.com) for the unit number (485) patch.
    2. Familiarize yourself with the T485 Handbook and this website.
    3. Join the T485 Google email group (Ask your son to send your email address to his PL, so that you will be on the Patrol and Troop email lists)
    4. Subscribe to the t485 google calendar
    5. Join the T485 WeChat and your patrol's WeChat groups.
    6. Start gathering and purchasing gear for hiking, camping, and backpacking (see below).
  4. Camping Equipment
      You can use the document here as a basic guide for packing.

Scouting is a family activity and we encourage all parents to be involved in their Scout's development. Like anything else in life, you/your son, will get as much out of Scouting as you/he put into it.

Again, welcome to Scouting!

Advancement Guide

For more information on advancement, see this.

You can also see a presentation on advancement available here.

Uniform Guide

Uniform Guide

Scout Oath

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Scout Law

A scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.


Acronyms/Abbreviations

Troop 485 uses several abbreviations. Here is a list of the most commonly used abbreviations:

Emails:
YiS = Yours in Scouting

Adult Leadership:
CC = Committee Chair (Adult)
SM = Scoutmaster (Adult)
ASM = Assistant Scoutmaster (Adult)

Youth Leadership:
SPL = Senior Patrol Leader
ASPL= Assistant Sr. Patrol Leader
PL = Patrol Leader
APL = Assistant Patrol Leader

Events
AIC = Adult in Charge
SIC = Scout in Charge
COH = Court of Honor
FOS = Friends of Scouting
PLC = Patrol Leaders’ Council
TLT = Troop Leadership Training