Folk Art or Insanity - Patrol Flags

The troop has been trying to re-align the patrols for a couple of months now.  But it's been tough because balance in the patrols seems to be a moving target.  The leadership's philosphy is to try and group the scouts by age rather than rank.  Although most scouts within an age group are more or less the same rank.  This allows the scouts to kind of mature and advance at the same rate.  And like ages are buddies outside of scouts. 

The problem is that we have one patrol whose members consistantly show up for meetings and camping trips, and three patrols that don't.  Add into the mix that April/May is cross-over season (when Webelos age out of cub scouts and cross-over into boy scouts) and the leaders keep erasing and writing names on the troop roster. 

So, we formed up patrols and let the boys come up with their own flags and cheers.  Below is what we got.  I think some of these boys will be doing time either in prison or a mental institution. 

The Pudge did the majority of this flag.  The patrol is mostly 14- 15 year olds.

The Honeybadgers originally wanted to be called "The Border Patrol".  This was the shoulder patch.  I liked it but it was nixed by the scoutmaster as possibly having racial overtones.  Another troop did there own version of the border patrol that got them into some trouble.  So I agreed with the scoutmaster on this even though we're in friggin' New Jersey, 400 miles from the nearest border - which is Canada.  Besides, BSA is already in enough trouble these days concerning political correctness.

This is the Flaming Dragons patrol.  Mostly 13 year olds.

This is the Raging Ravens.  They started the patrol as 11 year olds, but are now mostly 12 - 13 year olds.

This is the newest patrol, the Wolverines.  They are 11 - 12 year olds.  The new cross-over Webelos will enter this patrol.

But, as it turns out, we won't have any cross-overs this year.  The crop from the two Packs we support had a total of 5 cross-overs.  And they all went to another troop.  Part of me feels slighted - the other part feels...relief.  Now we have to get ready for our next camping trip - Gettysburg.