Dear Arrow of Light Scout Parents,
Your Scout faces an important decision this year - choosing the Scouts BSA Troop they will join. To help with this decision, we're providing this guide with answers to common questions and suggestions for further inquiries.
Selecting a Troop is a personal choice, and not all members of an Arrow of Light patrol need to join the same Troop. While most packs are closely affiliated with nearby Troops, there isn't a designated Troop your Scout must join. Troops welcome new Scouts year-round.
As part of their Arrow of Light requirements, your Scout must:
Visit a Scouts BSA Troop meeting with a parent or guardian, ideally with den members and leaders, to learn about troop leadership, Scout advancement, ranks, and merit badges. We recommend visiting multiple Troops to see their different approaches.
Participate in a Scouts BSA Troop campout or outdoor activity with your Webelos den leader, parent, or guardian. You can attend as a guest of a Troop your Scout is considering joining. Webelos Woods and Camporee are excellent options, but feel free to explore others. If your Scout has non-Scouting friends interested, they are welcome too.
Arrow of Light Scouts in the Lake Trails District will receive invitations for troop open houses and activities. We encourage you to participate in as many as possible. If your patrol chooses not to attend an event, reach out to Scouts BSA Troops directly or work with your Arrow of Light den leader to arrange visits. Contact Scoutmasters in advance, as meeting locations may vary. You can find nearby Troops at www.BeAScout.org.
During Troop visits, consider the following questions:
How many registered Scouts and Leaders does the Troop have? The number may vary, but the presence of Assistant Scoutmasters (at least one for every eight to ten Scouts) is essential.
What is the age range of the Scouts? Is there a balance between engaging younger and older Scouts? Does the Troop offer High Adventure outings? As pre-teens become teens, opportunities like merit badges, Order of the Arrow, and high adventure outings can keep them challenged and engaged on the scouting journey when other things compete for their interests.
Are the adult leaders trained and committed to Scout safety? Are they "Trained" as per BSA standards, including youth protection, basic training, and outdoor skills? Are adults helping scouts balance Scouting with other outside activities like sports, music, and college prep? If so, how?
Is the Troop scout-led? How do they encourage Scout leadership and patrol method? What does a typical meeting look like? If meetings don’t seem well run, is that a sign you should jump and run from the unit, or is there an opportunity for your scout to jump in and contribute to make it better?
How active is the Troop? How often do they camp, and do they participate in District and Council activities?
What are the uniform requirements? Does the Troop emphasize full uniforms, activity shirts, or customized troop T-shirts?
Does the Troop attend summer camp? What % of the troop attended last year, for example? Where did they go? What activities did they do, and which ones did they like most/least?
How does the Troop manage advancements and merit Badges?
How do the Scouts interact? Do they make newcomers feel welcome and comfortable?
If your Scout is unsure about joining a Scouts BSA Troop, they can try the program until the end of the school year, including a week at summer camp. This trial period helps both you and your Scout determine if a Scouts BSA troop is the right fit. After seeing all of the great things that happen in Scouting, and the doors it can open for college and their future careers, many scouts will want to continue on the Trail to Eagle Scout.
Consider volunteering with your Scout's Troop as well, as adult support is essential. Your involvement can make a significant impact on your Scout's journey in Scouting. Volunteering looks different in a troop. At the troop, day-to-day activities are scout-planned and scout-led. Events can be “bumpy,” coming up last minute, poorly communicated, or have “misses.” These can be the best opportunities for learning. They can also be super impressive. If you’ve seen a bunch of teenagers plan and deliver a Camporee weekend, you’ll know what we mean. Still, adults are needed for many things above and beyond fire and food safety and youth protection: to serve on boards of review, to attend outdoor activities and camps for supervision and youth protection, to coordinate high adventure outings, to serve as merit badge counselors, to mentor, and more. There will be times when your scout would rather stay at home to play video games than go to a meeting to learn first aid skills or teach other Scouts how to tie knots. If your scout’s interest begins to wane, it’s important to remember that you and your child are on a path in Scouting together, and any road to achievement and reward will have its ups and downs much like other things in life. Your words of encouragement to keep him on the path will help him continue the journey If you aren't already a volunteer, please consider becoming involved with your scout as they continue in Scouting. The most successful Scouts have caring adults who make the time to be involved.
We hope this information aids your Troop assessment. Best of luck!
Troops in the Area
Beascout.org provides a Map view (centered on 98008) to help quickly identify the units in your area of interest based on your address.
Listed below in numerical order are Troops that Pack 673 has feed Scouts into or Pack 673 Leadership endorses.
Girls Units will either use the same number as Boys units or add an additional digit to their number.
Linked is two Troops that share the same Chartered Org, Troop Committee, and other resources
Combined is a single Troop for Boys and Girls like a Family Pack. Same as above but also a shared Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters
Troop 673 - Bellevue (B) - Mondays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - Stay within the Chartered Org and meet at the same location you're used to! A group of young boys, between the ages of 11 and 17, who participate in the Boy Scouts of America program together under the leadership of adult volunteers, forming a unit that meets regularly for activities and advancement through the scouting ranks.
Troop 438 - Bellevue (B) - Mondays 7:30 - 8:45p - Our Troop has helped more than 160 scouts achieve the rank of Eagle Scout over the the last 68 years. Chris Myers has been Scoutmaster for over 40 years with the Troop. We camp each month and attend local and out of state summer camps in states such as OR, MT & WY. We encourage older scouts to participate in high adventure programs each year Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and Sea Base in Florida. Our troop provides scouts and families with unique experiences, valuable lifetime skills and lasting memories.
Troop 0499 - Renton (Combined) - Mondays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - We offer an inclusive place for all youth to learn, to grow, to lead, and to belong while learning valuable life skills, making lifelong friends, and having endless Fun and Adventure!!
Troop 538/519 - Kirkland (Linked) - Mondays 6:30 - 7:45 pm - Troops 519 (girls) and 532 (boys) are small and independent Scouts BSA troops, supported by the non-profit organization Friends of Kirkland Scouting. Our two troops work closely together and share or programming and experiences.
Troop 570/8570 - Kirkland (Linked) - Mondays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - All Are Welcome / Scout Run / Fun, Growth and the Outdoors
Troop 606 - Bellevue (B) - Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm - Our Troop consists of many active Scouts from middle school through high school ages. In addition to our Weekly Troop meetings, we are frequently hiking or camping or attending events with Scouts in the greater Seattle area. During the winter and summer months the Troop attends camp together, and some Scouts may go farther afield on special trips. Our Scouts have backpacked in New Mexico for 12 days, gone rafting in Minnesota and sailed the Florida Keys.
Troops 626 - Bellevue (Linked) - Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - Troop 626 is a member of Lake Trails District within Chief Seattle Council, and has it's home in Bellevue, WA. Troop 626 is a very active, Scout-led troop of boys who participate in a challenging and diverse program of outdoor skills, leadership building, achievement, and service to others. Active Scouts develop initiative, leadership, self-reliance and confidence, skills that develop strong character in boys who will become leaders and achievers in the adult world. Our Troop has a proud tradition of graduating Eagle Scouts for the council, and many of our adult leaders have completed Wood Badge training - which is the highest level of adult training for Scouting. *Girls Troop starting March 25th 2025 (Founder bar opportunity!)
Troop 641/8641 - Bellevue (Linked) - Mondays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - Philosophy: developing youth to become outstanding citizens through activities that help them grow their practical knowledge, leadership skills, and self-reliance
Troop 676 - Issaquah - Mondays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - a scout-led troop, where the scouts make the decisions about meeting topics, camping frequency and location, service projects, and high adventure bases. The scouts learn valuable lessons in leadership, organization and make lasting friendships along the way. We have a deep base of active parents and advisors who support and guide but ultimately allow the scouts to run their troop.
Troop 678 - Mercer Island (G) - Tuesdays 7:15 - 8:30 pm - Launched February 2019, we aim to provide a well rounded BSA program for girls! This program offers girls that are interested to join a one-of-a-kind adventures that will teach them life skills, create new friendships, be part of a team, gain confidence and become a leader all while gaining outdoor & survival skills.
Troop 909 - Woodinville (Combined) - Tuesdays 7:00 - 8:30 pm - Develop a love of service by volunteering in your community, boost your leadership skills through fun and exciting challenges, and create memories of a lifetime with no prior Scouting experience required!