Joining Scouting
Let's find your unit.
Every Scout starts in a local pack, troop or crew. Enter your ZIP code and see which ones meet near you.
Opens BeAScout, Scouting America's official unit finder.
Step one
Which program is my child's?
Age and grade decide it. If your child is on a boundary, either unit will happily talk it through with you.
Cub Scouts
A pack, split into dens by grade. Families take part alongside their Scout.
Scouts BSA
A troop, led by the youth themselves. Separate troops for boys and for girls.
Venturing
A crew built around high adventure, planned and run by its teenage members.
Sea Scouts
A ship, focused on boating, sailing and life on the water.
Step two
Come and see for yourself
You do not have to decide anything to visit. Turning up to a meeting is the normal first step, and units expect it.
What a meeting looks like
About an hour to ninety minutes. An opening ceremony, a skill or activity in small groups, a game, and announcements about the next campout.
What to wear
Whatever you have on. There is no uniform to buy before you join, and nobody expects a visiting family to have one.
What to ask
When they meet, what the year looks like, what it costs, how much help they need from parents, and when the next campout is.
Step three
Signing up
Applications are completed online through BeAScout. Find the unit you visited, choose Apply Now, and fill in the youth application. You will create a my.Scouting account along the way, which is also how you will later reach Scoutbook to follow your child's advancement.
What you will need
- Your child's name, date of birth and school grade
- A parent or guardian's contact details
- A payment method for the registration fee
What it costs
There are usually three parts: the national registration fee, a one-time new member fee, and dues set by the unit itself to cover its own activities. Some units also help with the cost of Scout Life magazine.
Fees change from year to year, so we do not list amounts here. Ask the unit leader for their current figures, or call the council service center on 903-597-7201. If cost is a barrier, say so — assistance is available and the conversation is a routine one.
Already registered somewhere else?
If you are moving into East Texas, you do not start over. Ask your new unit leader about transferring your registration, and bring your child's advancement records with you.
Grown-ups too
Scouting runs on volunteers
Every pack and troop in East Texas is led by parents and community members. You do not need camping experience, and you do not need to commit a lot of time.
Ready when you are
Enter your ZIP code and see every pack, troop and crew meeting near you.