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A Brief Background of the Patrol Leader Handbook (BSA)
(and other BSA Junior Leader Handbooks)

2002/2017/2019 Editions—The Patrol Leader Handbook (2002-present)

The BSA has a patrol-leader-specific handbook, and now a second leader-position handbook for the SPL. Both handbooks are filled with full-color photos and artwork, and are coil-bound to lie flat.

BSA ceased labeling Patrol Leader Handbook editions after 1990. This would be the equivalent of a 4th Edition. The 2017 edition was a very mild update, with slightly updated text but almost all new photos. For the 2019 editions, BSA made very minor updates/corrections to text, and substituted photos of girls for many of the book's photos, so that the books now show both male and female Scouts.
2002 Edition, Patrol Leader Handbook 2017 Edition, Patrol Leader Handbook 2019 Edition, Patrol Leader Handbook

Patrol Leader Handbook Summary and Printing History

Actual Patrol Leader Handbook Table of Contents


2002/2017/2019 Editions—The Senior Patrol Leader Handbook (2002-present)

BSA no longer labels different editions. This would be the first edition of the SPL Handbook. The 2017 edition was a very mild update, with slightly updated text but mostly new photos. For 2019, as with the Patrol Leader Handbook, the SPL Handbook now has a mix of photos of male and female Scouts. BSA seems to think it's cute to put the first word in the title in much smaller size than the rest of the title, but this makes this book look like a Patrol Leader Handbook since the word 'Senior' is so small.
2002 Edition, Senior Patrol Leader Handbook 2017 Edition, Senior Patrol Leader Handbook 2019 Edition, Senior Patrol Leader Handbook

SPL Handbook Summary and Printing History

Actual Senior Patrol Leader Handbook Table of Contents

ALL PATROL LEADER (& JUNIOR LEADER) HANDBOOK COVERS
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Last Revision to This Page: 7 January 2020
Text copyright © 2006 by Jeff Snowden
Web format © 2006-20 by Troop 97 BSA
Handbook pictures copyright © by Boy Scouts of America