Troop Quartermaster

The Troop Quartermaster serves as the troop’s supply boss. The Quartermaster’s Room is their domain; they’re given the “keys to the castle” and are fully responsible for the tidiness and order of their storage areas. They see that the gear is in good condition. They work with patrol quartermasters and check out equipment in and out to people. They report to the PLC on the status of equipment and supplies in need of purchasing, repair, or replacement.

This is an often-overlooked position in Scouting, but an effective Quartermaster is actually one of the most important and skilled people in a troop. Without a good QM, the troop’s equipment would be disorganized, dirty, broken, or lost, and the troop would less able to carry out its plans for outings and meetings.

Responsibilities

• Issue equipment and see that it gets returned in good order.
• Keep equipment storage areas neat and clean.
• Keep equipment in good repair.
• Train and mentor the Patrol Quartermasters.
• Oversee the gear preparation and trailer loadup for each outing.
• Suggest new or replacement items.
• Ensure that consumable supplies stay stocked.
• Set a good example.
• Wear the Scout uniform correctly.
• Live by the Scout Oath and Law.
• Show and help develop Scout spirit

Reports To

Assistant Senior Patrol Leader

Requirements

• Be appointed by the Senior Patrol Leader, with approval of the Scoutmaster.

Maintaining the Gear

Your chief responsibility as QM is to keep the troop well-prepared. All gear needs care and maintenance to keep it in top shape.

Tents, Tarps, and Canopies

After an outing, these will be wet and possibly dirty. Ensure that they get opened up or hung up to air out and dry immediately after use, so they don’t grow mold. Once they’re dry, they should be neatly packed, folded, etc. Tents must be checked to make sure they have all their parts, and nothing is broken.

Coolers and Water Jugs

Coolers and water jugs need to be rinsed out after each trip, then left open to dry. Always make sure that the jugs are stored with the caps removed, and coolers are stored with the lids open. Otherwise, they will grow mold!

Patrol Boxes

Patrol boxes are especially difficult to keep neat and clean, due to how many different items are inside. In particular, look out for these things:

• box contains everything it’s supposed to
• no food, trash, or debris left inside
• nothing wet or damp inside
• pots, utensils, and griddle got washed
• stove is clean

Dutch Ovens and other Cast Iron

Dutch ovens, and other cast iron gear, can rust in a matter of days if not cared for correctly. Once they’re scrubbed, washed, and clean, make sure they’re fully dried. If soap was used on them, you need to re-oil them. Take a paper towel and dab it with a small amount of vegetable oil, then rub that over the whole surface of the cast iron. This coats it with a protective layer that will prevent rust.

Ropes

Rope, string, and other cordage should be kept in a neat and ready-to-use manner. That means they should be stored without knots left in them, either coiled or spooled, and with the ends properly whipped or fused (read about how to whip a rope in your Scout Handbook!).

You should maintain a few kits of “good ropes”, all of the same type and length, which are not to be cut. Keep the proper types and sizes of ropes on hand for lashings, axe yards, and teaching the basic knots.

Maintaining your Space

The troop’s Quartermaster Room is your headquarters. Keeping the room itself clean and organized will make your job much easier. Some tips:

• Everything item should belong in a specific place. Every box, bin, and shelf should be labeled.
• Check the room at the end of every event to make sure it’s as it should be. Nothing should be left on the floor or counter.
• When we unload the gear after a campout, station yourself inside the QM room and make sure each item is put away dry, clean, and in the correct place.
• Ensure the floor gets swept often; dirt gets carried in on the gear and on peoples’ shoes.

Working with the Patrol Quartermasters

Remember, you aren’t expected to do all of this by yourself! Each patrol has its own Patrol Quartermaster (PQM), and you are their teacher and coach.

As you know, each patrol has its own color-coded set of gear, and its own section of the QM room to keep it in. As Troop Quartermaster, your job is not to maintain and organize patrol gear yourself. Rather, your job is to teach the PQMs how to do it themselves, and to ensure that they do good work.

Trailer Loadups

At each trailer loadup, you’ll be responsible for overseeing the loading of gear. You make sure all the gear that’s needed gets packed, and that the trailer is packed in the proper way.

Use the Trailer Loadup Checklist to help you pack.

See that each Patrol Quartermaster uses the Patrol Packing Checklist, and add your approval signature once you’ve verified their work.

Signing Out Equipment

As the Quartermaster, you are allowed to sign out troop equipment to individuals for their personal use, at your discretion. You are responsible for making sure it gets recorded, returned, and comes back in good condition.

Maintain a written, organized log of sign-outs and sign-ins. A good place to keep this log is on the QM clipboard that hangs from the pillar in the QM room.

Making Purchases

Sometimes, the troop will need new gear, gear will need replacing, or supplies will need restocking. With approval from the Scoutmaster, you can make minor purchases (less than $50) yourself, and submit a receipt to the Treasurer to get reimbursed.

If you need to make a larger purchase, you can request it from the Committee. If approved, they will make the purchase directly using the troop’s debit card.