# Duty Roster & Leadership

Part of the Camping Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/camping/guide/index.md)

*4. Patrol Organization*

> **4a.** Make a duty roster showing how your patrol is organized for an actual overnight campout. List assignments for each member.

> **4b.** Help a Scout patrol or a Webelos Scout unit in your area prepare for an actual campout, including creating the duty roster, menu planning, equipment needs, general planning, and setting up camp.

Camping is a team effort. The patrol method — where a small group works together with shared responsibilities — is what makes Scout camping run smoothly. A duty roster is the tool that makes sure everyone knows their role and no task falls through the cracks.

## Requirement 4a: Building Your Duty Roster

### What Is a Duty Roster?

A duty roster is a chart or schedule that assigns specific tasks to each patrol member for the duration of a campout. Think of it as a game plan for camp. When everyone knows their job, camp runs like clockwork. When nobody knows their job, you end up with five people standing around and nobody starting the fire.

### Common Camp Duties

Here are the typical roles you might assign on a duty roster:

- **Fire/stove tender** — Responsible for setting up and maintaining the cooking fire or camp stove, and ensuring the fire is completely out after each use.
- **Cook** — Prepares meals according to the menu plan. Works with the fire tender to coordinate cooking times.
- **Water bearer** — Makes sure the patrol always has a supply of treated drinking water.
- **Quartermaster** — Manages patrol gear — makes sure equipment is accounted for, properly stored, and in good condition.
- **Cleanup crew** — Washes dishes, cleans the cooking area, and properly disposes of waste water and food scraps.
- **Fireguard** — Ensures fire safety rules are followed and makes sure the campfire or stove area is left safe.
- **Navigator** — Leads the patrol on the trail using map and compass or GPS.

> **Tip**
>
> Rotate duties across meals and days so everyone gets experience in every role. The Scout who cooks breakfast should not also cook lunch — spread the work around. This also means everyone learns every skill.

### Building Your Duty Roster

A good duty roster is simple and clear. Here is an example format for a two-day, one-night campout with a six-person patrol:

| Duty | Friday Dinner | Saturday Breakfast | Saturday Lunch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook | Alex | Jordan | Taylor |
| Fire tender | Jordan | Taylor | Morgan |
| Cleanup | Taylor & Morgan | Morgan & Casey | Casey & Alex |
| Water bearer | Casey | Alex | Jordan |

> **Did You Know?**
>
> The patrol method has been part of Scouting since the very beginning. Baden-Powell designed it so that a small group of 6–8 Scouts would operate as a team, with an elected patrol leader managing the group. It is still the core unit of Scout camping today.

![A handwritten duty roster on a whiteboard or poster at a campsite, showing patrol member names and their assigned tasks across meals](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/camping/guide/patrol-duty-roster-board?v=1cd0618e)

## Requirement 4b: Preparing Other Scout Patrols

### Helping Others Prepare

Requirement 4b asks you to help a Scout patrol or Webelos unit prepare for a campout. This is a leadership opportunity — you are using your experience to guide others through the planning process.

Here is how to approach it:

**Helping a Group Prepare** — Key areas to cover

- [ ] Create the duty roster together. Walk the group through each role and explain what it involves.
- [ ] Plan the menu as a team. Discuss what meals to prepare, who will cook each one, and what ingredients to buy.
- [ ] Make an equipment list. Go through personal gear (what each person needs to bring) and patrol gear (shared items like stoves, pots, tarps).
- [ ] Discuss the trip plan. Where are you going? What time do you arrive and depart? What are the emergency procedures?
- [ ] Help with camp setup. Show less experienced Scouts how to pitch a tent, set up a cooking area, and organize a campsite.

> **Safety First!**
>
> When working with younger Scouts or Webelos, remember that they may have never camped before. Be patient, demonstrate each task step by step, and let them do it themselves with your guidance. The goal is to teach, not to do the work for them.

### Menu Planning Basics

Since menu planning is part of helping a group prepare, here are the essentials:

- **Keep it simple.** One-pot meals are easy to cook and easy to clean up. Save the fancy recipes for when you have more experience.
- **Plan for energy.** Camping burns calories. Include protein, carbs, and fats in every meal.
- **Think about weight and packaging.** If you are backpacking, minimize heavy cans and excess packaging. If you are car camping, you have more flexibility.
- **Account for dietary needs.** Ask if anyone has food allergies or dietary restrictions before you finalize the menu.
- **Plan snacks.** Trail mix, granola bars, dried fruit, and jerky keep energy levels up between meals.

You will dive much deeper into menu planning in [Requirement 8c — Menu Planning](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/camping/guide/req8c/).

[Scouting America Planning Worksheet](https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/boyscouts/pdf/512-505-2016-Scout-Planning-Worksheet.pdf): An official worksheet to help organize your patrol's campout planning, including duty roster and menu sections.

![An older Scout demonstrating tent pitching to a small group of younger Scouts, with one Scout holding a tent pole and another spreading the ground cloth](https://ik.imagekit.io/doulacoop/tr:w-800/mbu-assets/merit-badges/camping/guide/scouts-teaching-tent-setup?v=8e74e107)

---

- Previous: [Map & Navigation](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/camping/guide/req3/index.md)
- Next: [Camping Clothing](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/camping/guide/req5a/index.md)