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TRANSCRIPT
The Life Saving Commissioner's Role in Unit With No Leader
Kenneth Buatala
April 1, 2013
Outline
I. Introductory Material
A. Title Page
B. Table Of Contents
C. List of Tables and Figures
II. Body of the Report
A. Statement of the Problem
B. Background history or review of the literature
C. Methods or procedures used
D. Results or outcome
E. Conclusion
F. Bibliography
III. Supplemental Material
Appendices
Table of Contents
Outline ............................................................................................................... i
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................. 1
Background ...................................................................................................... 1
Methods or Procedures Used ........................................................................... 2
Results or Outcomes ...................................................................................... 18
Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 20
Bibliography ................................................................................................... 22
Appendices ................................................................................................... B-1
List of Tables and Figures ............................................................................ C-1
Appendices
Appendix A ......................................................................... Cub Scout Youth Application
Appendix B .................................... Cub Scout 2013 Journey to Excellence Requirements
Appendix C ........................................................................... Pack Leader Responsibilities
Appendix D ........................................................................... Pack Leader Inventory Sheet
Appendix E ....................................................................... Selecting Cub Scout Leadership
Appendix F ........................................................... Six Major Tasks for Volunteer Success
Appendix F .............................................. The Yard Stick Story, Leader Recruitment Tool
Appendix H ................................................................................................ Family Surveys
B-1
List of Tables and Figures
Figure 1, Room Set-up .................................................................................. 14
C‐1
Statement of the Problem
Packs are losing leaders and units wait until the last minute to ask for help filling those
positions.
Background – (History or review of the literature, the background is what others have
done on this topic).
As a commissioner, I have been called on many times to help a cub scout unit
recruit new leaders. Common reasons for units to lose leaders are the past leaders
graduated into boy scouts and the parents moved to the unit with the boy, or the families
left scouting and the unit had not planned for this loss.
Theoretically, a pack should have its leaders in place by the end of the school
year, April or May. By this time, the webelos IIs have become boy scouts and the other
boys have graduated into the next rank.
Cub Scout Journey to Excellence requirement #8 for 2013 is "Leadership
planning: Next year's leaders are identified early." The unit should have a succession
plan for making sure leaders are in place and their replacements have been identified,
trained and mentoring to begin. This encourages cub scout units to have a plan for leader
transition.
The Charter Organization is responsible for selecting a unit committee of parents
and members of the chartered organization who will screen and select unit leaders who
meet the organization's standards as well as the leadership standards of the BSA. The
selection committee should consist of at least three members.
The responsibility of the Council is to make training available to the Charter
Organization and unit adults. The Council is also responsible to provide support for the 1
Chartered Organization Representative as the primary communication link between the
organization and the BSA. The Council makes available techniques and methods for
selecting quality unit leaders.
Many leaders are not aware of the resources scouting has available to guide them
through the leader recruitment process.
When a unit finds itself without adult leadership, it is a critical situation where the
commissioner must become a "lifesaving commissioner."
Methods or procedures used. (This section explains what is done to resolve the problem
statement. How are you doing it?)
Cub Scout Journey to Excellence requirement #8 is "Leadership planning: Next
year's leaders are identified early." By having the leaders in place at that time, your
administration is in place for the summer time pack activities and when school starts up
in the fall, dens and the pack are already working on advancements for the year.
There are times however, for any number of reasons, a pack will lose most or all
of their leaders at one time. When a situation like this occurs, it is imperative to recruit
adults to fill the adult leadership positions as soon as possible. Helping a unit and its
chartered organization recruit quality unit leaders may be the greatest contribution you, as
a commissioner, can make to the future of good Scouting.
The Cub Scout unit should begin recruiting adult leaders when boys join the
program. Family involvement is essential to Cub Scouting's success. Volunteer leaders
support Cub Scouting by serving in many roles, and often find great satisfaction in
lending their support to youth and the community.
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How does a unit find out about the talents and resources of families in their units?
A resource Scouting has is the Family Talent Survey Sheet available on the Scouting.org
webpage. This survey is used by the unit to find out what specialties the parents have,
where they might have interests, hobbies and where they might be interested in
volunteering. This survey gives leaders an idea of resources they can tap into. Cub Scout
units should have their adults complete the form and tum it in to the Committee Chair
when the adult registers their child and every year, consider at Blue and Gold time.
The unit should encourage all adults in the unit to receive training for their
scouting program. All adults should receive Youth Protection Training. For Cub Scouts,
basic training is all available on-line at myscouting.org. The training is convenient
because adults can complete it in their free time. Those who take the training receive
instruction on how Cub Scouts works and what to expect from the program. Research by
the BSA has shown that adults who receive training are more likely to step up and
volunteer.
The on-line training, however, is minimal. It does not show the adults how to
plan a program, or how to use the available program helps. It also does not provide
information on record keeping for den leaders and advancement. This deficiency in the
training contributes to apprehension in leaders who have received the training to step up.
It also causes frustration with leaders because they are not familiar with the most
important aspects of the Cub Scout program. This frustration causes leaders to quit and
to be unwilling to step up to serve as leaders. They fear they will fail the boys and adults
in their Dens and Packs. We (the Boy Scouts) violate our own literature regarding
volunteer success and what we ask our volunteers to do.
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From the "Selecting District People" and "Administration o/ Commissioner
Service" literature, the Six Major Tasks for Volunteer Success
1. Define Responsibilities
Volunteers must know what is expected for them to be successful. We need to
carefully define, in writing, the responsibilities for each position. We do this
by providing our volunteers with job descriptions for the positions they volunteer
for.
2. Select and Recruit
Fit the right person to the position. We consider each prospect's skills, interests,
and other relevant factors. We consider the variety of motivating factors for
people getting involved in Scouting. We should use all the prescribed steps in
recruiting volunteers and use the recruiting resources of the BSA. Helpful
recruiting resources for Cub Scouts includes the publication "Selecting Cub Scout
Leadership: The Chartered Organization's Most Important Scouting
Responsibility."
3. Orient and Train
Each leader should be provided prompt orientation on their individual assignment
and with adequate training to be successful. Each leader and adult in the unit
should be encouraged to take basic training on-line. The leaders should also be
encouraged to attend the monthly roundtables. Roundtables are opportunities for
continuing education which gives pack leaders program ideas; information on
policy, events, and training opportunities; and an opportunity to
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share experiences and enjoy fellowship; so they will be able to provide a stronger
program for Cub Scouts.
4. Coach Volunteers
Provide ongoing coaching as needed. Being a coach is a key Commissioner role.
Serving as a couch helps build a volunteer's confidence and self-esteem. A leader
with knowledge is able to effectively use their time and provide a quality program.
5. Recognize Achievement
Prompt volunteer recognition has an important impact on the tenure and quality of
service to the unit. Recognition must be sincere, timely, and earned. An effective
way to recognize the good things volunteers do can be as simple as a personal "pat
on the back" for a job well done. This can be done with creative, locally devised
thank-you's. The BSA also has a wide variety of formal BSA recognition items.
We should recognize volunteers on a face-to-face basis, from a person of status,
and preferably in front of the volunteer's peers. When people see their efforts are
appreciated, they will be more willing to volunteer.
6. Evaluate Performance
It is important to regularly let unit volunteers know how they are doing. There are
several self-evaluation, sell assessment tools available to use. One tool
Commissioners have is the Pack Self-Assessment form. The meeting to conduct
this assessment should be held about six months before rechartering.
The model annual commissioner service plan calls for the Unit Commissioner to
conduct a leadership inventory with their units during the month of April. The purpose of
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this inventory is to find out which adults are continuing in the unit and which adults are
leaving the unit. The purpose is to also make sure that leaders serving in positions are
properly trained in their registered positions.
What information does a commissioner need to conduct this inventory? The
commissioner should have the list of registered unit leaders from the council showing the
leaders names, position and training status.
The inventory should be done in person with the unit Committee Chair and Cub
Master. The rosters are reviewed and compared with the unit list of active and inactive
members. All inactive members are listed and assigned to persons who will visit them or
contact them and to attempt to reactivate them. If the volunteer does not wish to return to
scouting, ask them why they left scouting. This could help the unit with future
volunteers.
So what happens when the system breaks down, units lose their leaders and no
one steps up to volunteer? How does the district find out? If the district does find out, is
their information accurate? What about a situation where the District Executive calls the
District Commissioner because of a call the DE received from a concerned parent in the
unit?
The first indication of a problem might be a concerned parent in the unit will call
the district office and talk to the District Executive. The District Executive will call the
commissioner and let them know about the call. Another way I have been informed of
problems recruiting leaders is a leader asks the question or asks for help at roundtable.
Hopefully, the unit has a commissioner who has been attending meetings and is
aware of the situation and has reported it to the ADC. The commissioner has discussed
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the situation with the Charter Organization Representative and they have a strategy on
how to fill the positions.
If the unit has a commissioner, the DC and/or ADC should contact the Unit
Commissioner to find out their assessment of the pack. As a Unit Commissioner, I had been
contacted by our District Executive to go to a pack leader meeting of a pack in a small town.
The DE had received information there were no leaders in the unit and no adults were
stepping up. At that time in our district, the commissioner assignments were not clear and I
did not know if a commissioner was assigned to the unit. I asked another commissioner o
accompany me to the committee meeting. As we drove to the meeting we discussed the
situation and created a plan on how we would approach the situation. When we arrived, we
saw that a commissioner was at the meeting. We observed the meeting as spectators and
commissioners and felt comfortable that everything was being handled well. The Unit
Commissioner was familiar with the adults at the meeting, and working with them
recruited a Committee Chair and Cub Master for the upcoming year. A completely
different situation than what I expected to encounter.
I contacted the Unit Commissioner a couple days later to see if he needed any
further assistance from us. He told us the pack staffed their leaders and were well on
their way to getting on track. This is a result we wish would happen more, however, it is
more the exception than the rule.
In this case, we had initially been provided part of the story at the beginning. As
a commissioner, you will find this to be the case, more times than not. It is your
responsibility to contact the leaders to do as much homework ahead of time as possible.
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This will help the commissioner determine the root cause of the problem. Then, the
commissioner can work with the Charter Organization and other unit adults to have them
volunteer to fill positions.
As the commissioner tasked with rebuilding the committee, you should gather the
facts. Who should do you contact?
If the unit has a commissioner, check with the commissioner. The commissioner
should have an idea about what the situation is with the unit and if it does need help.
If the unit does not have a commissioner who should a commissioner contact?
The first contact should be to the unit Committee Chair or the Cub Master. Often times,
someone other than the unit leaders, i.e., a concerned parent, will call the office voicing
their concerns regarding the unit and the report you hear is not the true case in the unit.
If the commissioner has time, they attend a meeting as soon as they are informed.
Invite another commissioner to attend the meeting with you to see if your observations
are consistent. Use this meeting to ascertain if the situation is indeed, dire. It may have
been one person's observation, and not the true situation.
After the meeting, discuss with the commissioner who accompanied you and
discuss the meeting.
If it is indeed, a lifesaving event, and you do not have the time to observe a
meeting, attend the meeting and be prepared to conduct the presentation to staff the
committee.
As a District Commissioner, you should know the talents and personalities of
your commissioners. Some commissioners are very assertive and outgoing while others
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are quiet and support their units in a more laid-back style. Each style is beneficial to a
particular situation and can be an asset when working with a unit to recruit leaders.
A commissioner becomes a "lifesaving commissioner' when units find
themselves with no active youth, no active adults, no program, and when units are dying.
Dying and dead units provide no program for their youth. They need the support of the
"Scouting Paramedic," a commissioner.
If the unit leader has quit or leaves for any reason, the leader needs to be
replaced quickly. The commissioner should call the Committee Chairman and help the
committee select and recruit a suitable replacement. Ask the Committee Chairman to
assign a registered adult to continue unit meetings in the interim. It is important to keep
the incentive for unit leadership very visible and very alive.
When a unit acquires a new leader, your interest and help can make the difference
between success and failure. If the leader is new to Scouting, training is needed. The
District Commissioner should be asked to arrange with the district training committee to
begin coaching and formal training immediately. Your role is to encourage the new leader
to participate in training. In some cases, you may need to take the new leader to the next
training course or roundtable.
Meanwhile, the new leader needs orientation. A commissioner is a great person
to give the orientation. A commissioner has knowledge of the program and can provide
enough information and access to resources to get the leader started in the right direction.
By now, the commissioner knows the unit adults, the unit and its condition to provide
support and help to the leader.
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Another area where a unit might need help is if a unit leader receives little or no
adult help. The unit might not survive very long or the unit program weakens and youth
are cheated out of the great opportunities of Scouting.
If the committee is not working, the commissioner should get in touch with the
Chartered Organization Representative and explain the importance of having an active
committee of at least three people. If the Chartered Organization Representative is not
responsive, go to the head of the organization. Set the date for a meeting of those who
could serve.
Lifesaving commissioners can function on their own, or Council and District
Commissioners may put together "lifesaving teams" for their districts. Without
"intensive care" from a commissioner or a team of lifesavers, a unit could become a
"terminal case" and stop serving kids.
When you verify the need to conduct a li fesaving adult leader recruitment you
should consider using the team approach. There are two kinds of lifesaving teams the
commissioners might use: the strictly ad hoc or temporary team and the permanent
lifesaving team.
The temporary team is a lifesaving team of two or more people selected by the
District Commissioner with the advice of the District Executive, solely for the short-term
goal of helping a high-priority unit over a life-threatening situation. The selection of this
ad hoc team is made on the basis of a single question: Who are the best people in the
district to work with a particular unit during a particular crisis?
The temporary team may consist of the Unit Commissioner, an Assistant District
Commissioner, a person in the community with special influence on the unit and its
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chartered organization, a key member of the chartered organization, perhaps the head of
the organization, another unit leader and anyone who has the ability to help. The Unit
Commissioner may head the team. In some cases, however, it may be best for someone
other than the Unit Commissioner to give team leadership. It depends on the situation
and the people.
A permanent lifesaving commissioner team operates the district's intensive care
program. The team members are appointed by the District Commissioner and are chosen
based on their knowledge, demeanor, talents and skills. The team is led by an Assistant
District Commissioner and this is the ADCs main assignment. The rest of the team
includes Unit Commissioners and other scouters as needed. The Unit Commissioners
primary assignment is to the lifesaving team. Other scouters can come from the District
Committee or other units. The District Commissioner assigns units for the team to work
with. When the unit is active with youth and adults and providing a thriving program, the
unit is reassigned to a regular Unit Commissioner when healthy.
As a member of a lifesaving team i t is important how you approach with and
work with the adults in a unit. Lifesaving commissioners need to:
Be enthusiastic -Unit leaders who are discouraged will be uplifted by
your attitude that their situation is far from hopeless. Share vision of
future.
Apply "first aid" - for the priority unit. Take care of the most critical
needs first.
Apply "second aid" - based on your best strategy or action plan.
Generate a real atmosphere of teamwork - by involving the other
people you talk with.
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Gain commitment to help. Give specific things to do. Organize efforts
around tangible activities.
Whatever the problem, examine the facts, consider possible solutions,
reach a conclusion,
and move toward action.
Most lifesaving teams are probably ad hoc, made up of the Unit Commissioner, the
Assistant District Commissioner, a member of the training team, and/or a member of the
membership team. The District Executive should often be involved.
If there are sufficient resources to do this, some people could specialize in this
function. Each team will have a little different emphasis, depending on the nature of the
problem. Some may need crisis resolution, others need recruiting skills, others may just
need training.
When the decision has been made to have a lifesaving team go to the unit, the
team should contact the current unit leadership in advance to ascertain valuable
information for the presentation. The unit leadership should be asked to participate in the
event.
By including the unit leaders in the presentation you are teaching them how to
recruit adults. You use the process of telling them (the current leaders) what you are
going to do. During the presentation you are showing them how to conduct the
presentation and you are letting them contribute during the presentation. After the event,
you review what happened with the adults so they understand what happened and how it
happened.
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By following this procedure, you give the leaders the knowledge and they gain
confidence to conduct leader recruiting in the future
The team should find out when and where the unit is meeting. When visiting with
the unit leader you can find out who is already serving in leader positions in the unit.
You can find out what has been done so far by the unit to recruit leaders. Find out who
has been contacted and why they are not able to volunteer. You can possibly work with
the unit leader to schedule a meeting with a prospect. You can find out where the needs
are. Often times, leader positions can be filled in advance. Find out if there is anyone
who has already volunteered to fill a position. You should visit with this person and have
that person wait until their position is recruited to come forward to the seat for their
position.
Talk to the Charter Organization representative in advance and explain what you
are going to do. Explain that the adults who attend will probably be uncomfortable.
Explain this is more likely than not because the adults do not know what is expected of
them. Their likely role model has been the Cubmaster or den leader who has
singlehandedly run the program.
On the day of the presentation your team should arrive early enough to meet with
the leaders and set up the room for the event.
The setting should illustrate where help is needed in the unit. The commissioner
or Committee Chair should tell the adults in the audience that there are leadership
positions which need to be filled for the pack to operate.
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A good way to do this is to set up a chair at the head of the room representing
each of the adult leader positions of the pack committee and den leadership. (Figure 1)
A label should be put on each chair identifying the position. I have printed out sheets
with all the pack committee positions and have laminated them. I can tape the signs to
the back of the chairs. The signs are neat and can be used over.
Remember to thank the leaders who served the following year. Guide the unit
leadership to recognize the service and accomplishments of those adults who volunteered.
It is always best if someone from the unit makes the plea for leaders. This way it
does not give the impression that someone other than the unit is requesting the leaders to
fill the roles. However, you need to be prepared in case no one from the unit feels
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Figure 1. Set-up for Recruiting Event
Line 11 chairs facing the audience. The audience should face the chairs. Label each chair with the pack leader position. As adults volunteer they sit in the appropriate chair.
Audience
comfortable or is willing to stand in front of the group. It is often uncomfortable for adults
to ask for help when others are not so willing to step forward. The person conducting the
presentation should be assertive. You are acting as a recruiter. By being confident other
adults might be more willing to volunteer as there is less uncertainty. The person needs to
know the joining requirements for Cub Scouts and be familiar with the Cub Scout Youth
Application the Parent agreement each parent acknowledges when they sign the application
for their son. The team should make sure there are adult applications available.
When is the best time to hold this meeting? One suggestion for a unit is to
conduct a mandatory parent meeting. You can consider having a flip chart on which an
eagerly awaiting youth can write down suggestions for programming that parents would
like to see. As the adults provide ideas, ask them if they have anything that they can do
to help.
Another suggestion is to utilize an event like the pinewood derby to overcome this
problem. At the pinewood derby, before the race, make sure the parents of all Scouts
participating are signed up for at least one task. Ifyou don't have J OO-percent signups,
hold up the race until that occurs. You want to see pressure put on the parents? Watch
an eager pinewood racer being held up with the threat of no race.
How do you start the presentation? I talk about the Cub Scout program and that it
is a family program that relies on adults to hel p the boys advance. I briefly describe the
filnction of the Council, District, and the Charter organization. I talk about the purposes
of Cub Scouting, character development, physical fitness, and citizenship. Finally, I
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discuss the need for leadership in the unit and how important it is for adults to
volunteer to help the pack.
Though I have not used this presentation for many years, another presentation that
has received favorable reviews by leaders, and comments by parents is "The Yardstick
Story, Leader Recruitment Tool” This story behind this tool is a story discussing the ages
of a child and the period of time adults truly have with their children. It is very effective
in demonstrating how short this period of time is and how important it is for parents to
share this time with their children.
The Northern Lights Council has a very good document that lists the pack
adult leader positions and a brief position description. I t is given to the unit in the
recharter packets every year. It is also available from the office at any time.
What if you don't get adults to volunteer? You can show the adults the youth
application and remind the adults of the agreement each parent signed when they
signed the application for their son. You can quote the agreement:
"I have read the Cub Scout Promise and I want my son to join the pack. I will assist
him in observing the policies of the Boy Scouts of America and of his pack's
chartered organization. I will
While he is a Tiger Cub, serve as his adult partner and participate in all
meetings and approve his advancement. *
While he is a Cub Scout, help him and approve his Cub Scout advancement.
While he is a Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, or Webelos Scout, attend monthly pack
meetings and take part in other activities; assist pack leaders as needed. "
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This is important when adults are not coming forward to fill the positions.
Reminding the adults about the agreement they signed, causes them to reflect and
reminds them of the commitment they made to their boys.
At least one additional commissioner and hopefully two or more should be
present during the event. These additional people can fill many roles. They can be like
spotters at an auction. If someone is timidly signaling an interest in filling a particular
position, the commissioner can watch for the raised hands, etc. Often times, adults will
have questions about the responsibilities of a particular position. The additional
commissioners can sit with the adults one-on-one and explain what the responsibilities
of the position are. Often, this puts the adults more at ease and willing to accept a role
in the pack leadership.
When an adult does step up to fill a role in the pack, the additional commissioner
can assist the volunteer to complete their applications and to collect the application for
the unit. It is very important that you have the adult fill out the application that night.
If possible, coordinate with the charter organization representative and the
Committee Chair to be present at the recruiting event. This facilitates getting all the
required signatures so the application can be turned in to the Council office expeditiously.
Once you have adults step up and fill the chairs, it is important to personally thank
them for stepping up to lead their units. Now it is the commissioner's tum to make a
commitment to the adults.
Tell the adults about the on-line training at myscouting.org and encourage them to
complete their youth protection and position specific training.
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If you know when the next district Cub Scout leader training is going to be, let the
adults know when and where it will be. If there is no training planned, talk to the leaders
and have them give you a date and location that works for them to provide them training.
Once you have this date and location, you can contact the district training committee and
notify other units of the training opportunity.
Results or Outcome.
I have two recent examples when this procedure has been successful in recruiting
adults and successful pack operations.
The first was a unit about a year old and all the adults who started the unit were
moving on to boy scouts. The unit had a good number of boys and families who attended
the meeting, however, they only saw the Cubmaster doing all the work. The lifesaving
team was invited to a pack meeting pot luck where good attendance was anticipated.
There was some anticipation at first, with only a couple of adults coming forward.
I ultimately had the boys all stand up, tell us how excited they were to be in scouting and
asked the boys to ask their parents if they would volunteer.
One of the commissioners who was present and helping me that night later told
me that he observed one of the boys pulling his parent's arm and crying because he
wanted to be a Cub Scout. The parent came forward to fill one of the positions. Our
team successfully recruited a full pack committee including Committee Chair,
Cubmaster, Den Leaders, and committee positions of Secretary, Treasurer, Advancement.
The district had a Cub Scout leader training session planned for the following Saturday in
their community. We invited all the leaders to attend the training session and many of
them did attend the training.
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One of the commissioners and I had the opportunity to share some time with the
leaders a few years later at the Council Camporall in August at the West Fargo
Fairgrounds. Their unit has become one of the largest units in the Northern Sky District.
The leaders remembered us being at their meeting that night. The leaders were glad we
conducted the presentation and glad they became involved in scouting. They talked
about the importance of having the succession plan in place for leaders as they are now
starting to move on into Boy Scouts. The leaders d id say that if they had to, they were
comfortable conducting a recruiting event like we conducted. As they were sitting,
having lunch with their boys, the leaders relayed they have had a wonderful experience
spending time with their boys, taking part in the activities and meeting the other leaders.
They all plan on continuing as leaders in Boy Scouts.
The second unit is a small unit in an established neighborhood and school. The
Cubmaster had essentially been running the pack without any support from other adults.
Two parents approached a commissioner following a roundtable one night and expressed
their concern about the pack failing and their boys not having a Cub Scout pack to attend.
I had the unit commissioner contact the Cubmaster. The commissioner reported
back to me that the Cubmaster's son was moving on to Boy Scouts and her plan was to
move on with him. She had not communicated this with any other adults in the unit.
1 had the commissioner make an appointment to meet with the two concerned
parents. I met with the commissioner before hand and we discussed a strategy to handle
the meeting like a training session for concerned adults. We told the adults how the
program is about adult participation and leadership. We described the different
leadership positions of the pack and what their responsibilities are. Three family
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members volunteered to step up for the Charter Organization Representative, the
Committee Chair and the Cubmaster. I then described to them the recruiting event I
planned on conducting and they agreed on the plan and to conduct it the next pack
meeting. We recruited the rest of the Den Leaders and committee members at the pack
meeting. That night, we had the unit set a date for leader training to be conducted within
a month. The district training committee was contacted and an in-residence training
session was conducted at the unit's neighborhood school. The event was publicized to
other units and was well attended.
I was asked a couple of years later to attend their pack meeting where they were
going to recruit leaders for the next year. The Committee Chair conducted a presentation
with a slight variation and was able to recruit all the leaders for their pack.
One common comment from both of the groups of leaders was how much they
felt getting the training as soon as they did was a key factor in their success. The leaders
indicated that they really did not know how to run a pack or den and were concerned
they would not be able to fulfill their responsibilities. By receiving the training so soon
after volunteering as leaders, they learned about the program and how the program is
supposed to work. They learned that with the full pack committee, each person could be
concerned with the responsibilities of their position and they knew who served in the
other positions in the pack and what their responsibilities were.
Conclusion or summary
Units will continue to have times when all leaders will leave a unit,
resulting in leadership vacancies at the unit level.
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Many times, if not every time, these situations will require a "lifesaving"
response from the District Commissioner Staff.
The better the expectations of a volunteer are explained the more likely
the adult will volunteer.
The sooner after accepting a position a leader can receive quality
training, the more likely the leader is to continue serving as a leader.
The more training a leader receives the leader becomes more confident
and comfortable asking other adults to help.
When adults become involved early in small tasks, they are more likely
to later accept positions of more responsibility.
When leaders are informed about a skill to be trained, are shown how to
conduct a skill, and are mentored in the skill, the more they are likely to
know what to do when the situation occurs again. They are also able to
make the necessary changes to meet needs of the group.
A trained, understanding commissioner is a key resource for providing
information, mentorship, orientation and training to unit adults.
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Commissioner Field book for Unit Service. A Guidebook for Unit Commissioners, 33621, Boy Scouts of America
Cub Scout Leader Book, 33221, Boy Scouts of America, 2007 printing Cub Scout
Youth Application, 28-102R, Boy Scouts of America
Guide to Leader Training For Council Training Committees, District Training Committees, and Council Staff, 511-028, Boy Scouts of America, 2012 Printing
Selecting Cub Scout Leadership, 13-500, Boy Scouts of America, 2006 printing Selecting District
People, 345 l2A, Boy Scouts of America, 2009 Printing
How to recruit Cub Scout leaders, Scouting Magazine November-December 2011, http://scoutingmagazine.org/2011/10/how-to-recruit-cub-scout-leaders/ accessed March 29, 2013
THE YARDSTICK STORY, Leader Recruitment Tool http://www.wdboyce.org/openrosters/DocDownload.aspx?orgkey=18id=82308 accessed April 15, 2012, and March 31, 2013
Scouting The Net, THE YARDSTICK CLOSING http://www.scoutingthenet.com/wiki/index.php/Main/AlternativeYardStickTalk, accessed April 15, 2012, and March 31, 201 22
Boy ScoutS of AmericA youth ApplicAtion
Cub Scout Promise
I, (name), promise to do my bestTo do my duty to God and my country,
To help other people andTo obey the Law of the Pack.
Cub Scouting
Tiger Cub Cub ScoutWebelos Scout
Boy Scouting
Scout Oath or Promise
On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
Varsity Scouting
Venturing Oath
As a Venturer, I promise to do my duty to God and help strengthen America, to help
others, and to seek truth, fairness, and adventure in our world.
Venturer/Sea Scout
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Appendix A
Boy Scouts of AmericaInformation for Parents
A parent or guardian must certify that he or she has read this information sheet for all applicants under 18 years of age.
(Venturing and Sea Scout members: It is important that you share this with your parents.)
Welcome to the Boy Scouts of America!Your child is joining more than 4 million members of the Boy Scouts of America. Please take the time to review this material and reflect upon its importance. Visit www.scoutparents.org.
The BSA and the Chartered OrganizationThe Boy Scouts of America makes Scouting available to our nation’s youth by chartering community organizations to operate Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, Venturing crews, and Sea Scout ships.
The chartered organization must provide an adequate and safe meeting place and capable adult leadership, and must adhere to the principles and policies of the BSA. The BSA local council provides unit leader training, program ideas, camping facilities, literature, professional guidance for volunteer leaders, and liability insurance protection.
Scouting’s Volunteers and YouScouting’s adult volunteers provide leadership at the unit, district, council, and national levels. Many are parents of Scouts; many entered Scouting as youth members. Each chartered organization establishes a unit committee, which operates its Scouting unit, selects leadership, and provides support for a quality pro-gram. Unit committees depend on parents for membership and assistance.
Youth Protection Begins With You™. Child abuse is a serious problem in our society, and unfortunately, it can occur anywhere, even in Scouting. Youth safety is of paramount importance to Scouting. For that reason, the BSA continues to create barriers to abuse beyond what have previously existed in Scouting.
The Boy Scouts of America places the greatest importance on providing the most secure environment possible for our youth members. To maintain such an environment, the BSA has developed numerous procedural and leader-ship selection policies, and provides parents and leaders with numerous online and print resources for the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing programs.
All Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Venturing, and Sea Scout parents should review How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide booklet in the Cub Scout and Boy Scout handbooks or at www.scouting.org/training/youthprotection.
Become a ScoutParentA ScoutParent must be at least 21 years old and be a parent or adult mentor of a Scout. The ScoutParent enthusiastically participates with their Scout and also helps volunteer leaders provide the best quality program experience to all youth in every unit. Visit www.scoutparents.org.
Note: If the parent is not serving as a ScoutParent, the parental signature on the application indicates approval of the ScoutParent, and also if the ScoutParent does not live at the same address as the Scout, a separate adult application is required.
The respective unit committee selects the Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Coach, Venturing Advisor, or Sea Scout Skipper, subject to approval of the head of the chartered organization or the chartered organization representative and of the BSA. The unit leader must be a good role model because our children’s values and lives will be influenced by that leader. You need to know your child’s unit leader and be involved in the unit committee’s activities so you can evaluate and help direct that influence.
Scouting uses a fun program to promote character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness for every member. You can help by encouraging perfect attendance, assisting with your child’s advancement, attending meetings for parents, assisting with transportation, and assisting when called upon by the unit leader.
Program PoliciesChartered organizations agree to use the Scouting program in accordance with their own policies as well as those of the BSA. The program is flexible, but major departures from BSA methods and policies are not permitted. As a parent, you should be aware that• LeadershipisrestrictedtoqualifiedadultswhosubscribetothepreceptsoftheDeclarationofReligious
Principle,theScoutOath,theScoutLaw,andtheBSAStandardsofLeadership.• Citizenshipactivitiesareencouraged,butpartisanpoliticalactivitiesareprohibited.• Militarytraininganddrillsareprohibited.Marksmanshipandelementarydrillforceremoniesarepermitted.• TheBoyScoutsofAmericarecognizestheimportanceofreligiousfaithandduty;itleavessectarianreligious
instruction to the member’s religious leaders and family. • Memberswhodonotbelongtoaunit’sreligiouscharteredorganizationshallnotberequiredtoparticipatein
its religious activities.
Youth Protection Policies• Tworegisteredadultleadersoroneregisteredadultleaderandaparentofaparticipant,oneofwhommust
be 21 years of age or older, are required on all trips and outings. If trips and outings are coeducational, lead-ers of both genders must be present.
• One-on-oneactivitiesbetweenyouthmembersandadultleadersareneverpermitted.EvenpersonalScoutconferences must be conducted in plain view of others.
• Corporalpunishment,hazingandbullyingarenotpermittedinScouting.Onlyconstructivedisciplineisacceptable. Parents and unit leaders must work together to solve discipline problems.
• NewleadersarerequiredtotakeYouthProtectiontrainingwithin30daysofregistering,andYouthProtectiontraining must be taken every two years.
• WeencourageallparentstobeinvolvedwiththeirScout.Thereareno“secret”organizationsinScoutingandall Scouting activities are open to parental visitation.
• Ifyoususpectthatachildhasbeenabused,immediatelycontactthelocalauthoritiesandtheScoutexecutive.
Excerpt from the Declaration of Religious Principle The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but it is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. Its policy is that the home and organization or group with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life. Only persons willing tosubscribetothesepreceptsoftheDeclarationofReligiousPrincipleandtotheBylawsoftheBoyScoutsofAmerica shall be entitled to certificates of membership.
Policy of NondiscriminationYouth membership in the Boy Scouts of America is open to all boys and young adults who meet the joining requirements. Membership in Scouting, advancement, and achievement of leadership in Scouting units are open to all youth without regard to race or ethnic background and are based entirely upon individual merit.
Ethnic background information. The BSA receives inquiries from various agencies regarding racial composition. Please fill in the appropriate circle on the application to indicate ethnic background.
Thank YouTheBoyScoutsofAmericaappreciatesyoutakingtimetobecomefamiliarwithScouting.Wefeelthataninformed parent is a strong ally in delivering the Scouting program. Help us keep the unit program in accord with Scouting principles. Alert the unit committee, chartered organization representative, and head of the chartered organization to any major deviations. Please do your fair share to support a quality unit program.
524-406.indd 2 6/10/11 4:01 PM
BOYS’ LIFE MAGAZINE
A message to parents. The youth registration fee is $15 for one year.
Boys’ Life is the monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America. It will help in your Scouting program and stimulate your interest in good reading. The subscription is only $12 a year (half the new regular rate of $24 a year). Just fill in the Boys’ Life circle on the application. Please calculate and remit the appropriate state and local taxes. On late registrations it may be necessary to deliver back issues. Boys’ Life will not begin for at least two months after you register.
Joining RequirementsParent/Guardian Information
Cub Scout PackPack membership is open to boys.1. Complete the information on the application page and sign your name, indicating approval.2. Give the completed application and fees to the Cubmaster.
Tiger Cub—Must be under the age of 8, have completed kindergarten or be in the first grade, or be age 7.Cub Scout—Must have completed first grade but not completed third grade, or be age 8 or 9.Webelos Scout—Musthavecompletedthirdgradebutnotcompletedfifthgrade,orbeage10butnotyet111⁄2.
Parent AgreementI have read the Cub Scout Promise and I want my son to join the pack. I will assist him in observing the policies of the Boy Scouts of America and of his pack’s chartered organization. I will• While he is a Tiger Cub, serve as his adult partner and participate in all meetings and activities and
approve his advancement.*• While he is a Cub Scout, help him grow as a Cub Scout and approve his Cub Scout advancement.• While he is a Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, or Webelos Scout, attend monthly pack meetings and take part in
other activities; assist pack leaders as needed.
*If the parent is not serving as the adult partner, the parental signature on the application indicates approval of the adult partner and also if the adult partner does not live at the same address as the Tiger Cub, a separate adult application is required.
Health information. PleasefillouttheAnnualHealthandMedicalRecord,No.680-001,foundon www.scouting.org/forms and give it to the unit leader.
Venturing Crew/Sea Scout Ship (Coeducational)Isubmitmy$15registrationfeeforoneyear.Iamatleast13yearsofageandhavecompletedtheeighthgrade or am 14 years of age and not yet 21. Must have parent/guardian approval if under 18 years of age.
Venturers and Sea Scouts registered in a crew or ship prior to their 21st birthday may continue as members after their 21st birthday until the crew or ship recharters or until they reach their 22nd birthday, whichever comes first.
Venturing and Sea Scouting include challenging physical and mental activities. If you have not recently had a completemedicalexamination,youareurgedtoseeyourfamilyphysician.NotifyyourAdvisor/Skipperifyourequire special medication or if your physician recommends limited activity. Please fill out the Annual Health andMedicalRecord,No.680-001,foundonwww.scouting.org/forms and give it to the unit leader.
Boy Scout Troop/Varsity TeamBoy Scout TroopYoursoncanbeaScoutifhehascompletedthefifthgradeandisatleast10yearsoldorisage11orhasearnedtheArrowofLightAwardandisatleast10yearsold,buthasnotreachedage18.1. Complete the application (sign your name, indicating approval).2. Give the completed application and fees to the Scoutmaster.3. SecureacopyoftheBoy Scout Handbook and complete the joining requirements as listed.
Health information.PleasefillouttheAnnualHealthandMedicalRecord,No.680-001,foundonwww.scouting.org/formsand give it to the unit leader.
Varsity TeamVarsity Scouting—A male youth must be at least 14 years of age and not yet 18.(Complete the application process as above and give it to the Varsity Coach.)Health information. Varsity Scouting involves strenuous activities. You should inform your Varsity Scout Coach of any conditionthatmightlimityourson’sparticipation.PleasefillouttheAnnualHealthandMedicalRecord,No.680-001,found on www.scouting.org/forms and give it to the unit leader.
Registration and Subscription Fee Chart
Term per month
Youth/adult registration fee
Boys’ Life subscription fee
1 1.25 —
2 2.50 2.00
3 3.75 3.00
4 5.00 4.00
5 6.25 5.00
6 7.50 6.00
7 8.75 7.00
8 10.00 8.00
9 11.25 9.00
10 12.50 10.00
11 13.75 11.00
12 15.00 12.00
TEMPORARYMEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE
(Goodfor60days)
This certifies that
__________________________________
is a member of ______________________
__________________________________Unit leader signature
__________________________________Date
Cut along dotted line.
Tips for completing the Application for Youth Membership:
Print—do not use cursive. Use black or dark blue ink. Press firmly when printing. Print one letter only in each box. Use uppercase letters and stay within the blue boxes for legibility. Fill in circles; do not use check marks.Make sure you have all needed signatures on application.Don’taltertheapplication—itcouldaffectthequalityofthescan.
Mailing address example:
7 0 3 F I R S T S T
524-406.indd 3 6/10/11 4:01 PM
SAMPLE
Cub Scout Boy Scout Varsity Scout Venturing Sea ScoutPack Troop Team Crew Ship
TigerCub CubScout WebelosScout
Former Scout Former Venturer Former Sea Scout
If applicant has an unexpired membership certifi cate, registration may be accomplished in this unit by paying $1 for processing the transfer. Mark and attach certifi cate. It will be returned by the council.
Transfer application
Enter membership number from unexpired certifi cate:
Unit number:
Mark here if the adult partner/ScoutParent is not living at the same address; complete and attach an adult application.
Select relationship:
NativeAmerican
Hispanic/Latino
AlaskaNative
Pacifi c Islander
Asian
Other
First name (No initials or nicknames) Middlename Lastname Suffix
J O H N A N D R E W S M I T H
UnitNo.:
Homephone Dateofbirth(mm/dd/yyyy) Grade Ethnicbackground:
5 5 5 - 1 2 3 - 4 5 6 7 0 1 / 0 1 / 1 9 9 5 0 6School
O A K T R E E E L E M E N T A R Y
First name (No initials or nicknames) Middlename Lastname Suffix
D E B O R A H S U E S M I T H
Business phone Ext. Previous Scouting experience Cell phone
- - X - -
Parent/guardian email address
Homephone Dateofbirth(mm/dd/yyyy) Occupation Employer Gender:
M
F
Date
/ /
Name and address information (Please print one letter in each space—press hard, you are making a copy.)
Reta
ino
nfil
efo
rthr
eey
ears
.
LoneCubScoutLoneBoyScout
ArrowofLightearned
Registrationfee Boys’ Life fee$ . $ .
Unit type:(Fill in the circle.)
For pack registration select one:
Mark here if new to Scouting.
Country Mailing address City State Zip code
1 2 3 4 A N Y S T R E E T A N Y T O W N N Y 1 2 3 4 5U S
Country Mailing address City State Zip code
1 2 3 4 A N Y S T R E E T A N Y T O W N N Y 1 2 3 4 5U S
Pack Troop Team Crew Ship
Parent Guardian Grandparent Other (specify)
USE BLACK OR BLUE INK ONLY.
I have read the attached information for parents and approve the application. I affi rm that Ihaveorwillreview“HowtoProtectYourChildrenFromChildAbuse:AParent’sGuide.”
Bill TaylorDeborah Sue Smith
Signature of unit leader (or designee)
Signature of Venturer
Signature of parent/guardian (required if applicant is under 18 years of age)
5 5 5 - 1 2 3 - 4 5 6 7 0 1 / 0 1 / 1 9 7 2
Youth MeMBeRShIP
Transfer from council number: Unit type:
Boys’ Life subscription
Parent/guardian information Mark here if address is same as above. I agree to be an active ScoutParent. Mark here if you are the Tiger Cub adult partner.
524-
406
@
Black/African American
Caucasian/White
Gender: Male Female
•
•
•
•
• Print—do not use cursive.
• Print one letter or number only in each box.
• Use uppercase letters and stay within the blue boxes for legibility.
• Fill in radio buttons completely.
• Make sure you have all needed signatures on application.
524-406.indd 4 6/10/11 4:01 PM
Youth MeMBeRShIP
Cub Scout Boy Scout Varsity Scout Venturing Sea Scout Pack Troop Team Crew Ship
TigerCub CubScout WebelosScout
Former Scout Former Venturer Former Sea Scout
If applicant has an unexpired membership certificate, registration may be accomplished in this unit by paying $1 for processing the transfer. Mark and attach certificate. It will be returned by the council.
Transfer from council number:
Enter membership number from unexpired certificate:
UnitNo.:
Parent/guardian information Mark here if address is same as above. I agree to be an active ScoutParent. Mark here if you are the Tiger Cub adult partner.
Mark here if the adult partner/ScoutParent is not living at the same address; complete and attach an adult application.
Select relationship:
I have read the attached information for parents and approve the application. I affirm that Ihaveorwillreview“HowtoProtectYourChildrenFromChildAbuse:AParent’sGuide.”
First name (No initials or nicknames) Middlename Lastname Suffix
UnitNo.:
Homephone Dateofbirth(mm/dd/yyyy) Grade Ethnicbackground:
- - / /
School
First name (No initials or nicknames) Middlename Lastname Suffix
Business phone Ext. Previous Scouting experience Cell phone
- - X - -
Parent/guardian email address
Homephone Dateofbirth(mm/dd/yyyy) Occupation Employer Gender:
M
F- - / /
Date
/ /
Name and address information (Please print one letter in each space—press hard, you are making a copy.)
Reta
ino
nfil
efo
rthr
eey
ears
.
LoneCubScoutLoneBoyScout
ArrowofLightearned
Registrationfee Boys’ Life fee$ . $ .
Unit type:(Fill in the circle.)
For pack registration select one:
Mark here if new to Scouting.
Country Mailing address City State Zip code
U S
Country Mailing address City State Zip code
U S
Pack Troop Team Crew Ship
Parent Guardian Grandparent Other (specify)
Transfer application Unit type:
Boys’ Life subscription
524-
406
@
NativeAmerican
Hispanic/Latino
AlaskaNative
Pacific Islander
Asian
Other
Black/African American
Caucasian/White
Gender: Male Female
This form is read by machine. Please print the numbers and letters as shown on the sample application.
2002
Signature of unit leader (or designee)
Signature of Venturer
Signature of parent/guardian (required if applicant is under 18 years of age)
LOCA
LCO
UNCI
LCO
PY
524-406.indd 5 6/10/11 4:01 PM
Youth MeMBeRShIP
Cub Scout Boy Scout Varsity Scout Venturing Sea Scout Pack Troop Team Crew Ship
TigerCub CubScout WebelosScout
Former Scout Former Venturer Former Sea Scout
If applicant has an unexpired membership certificate, registration may be accomplished in this unit by paying $1 for processing the transfer. Mark and attach certificate. It will be returned by the council.
Transfer from council number:
Enter membership number from unexpired certificate:
UnitNo.:
Parent/guardian information Mark here if address is same as above. I agree to be an active ScoutParent. Mark here if you are the Tiger Cub adult partner.
Mark here if the adult partner/ScoutParent is not living at the same address; complete and attach an adult application.
Select relationship:
I have read the attached information for parents and approve the application. I affirm that Ihaveorwillreview“HowtoProtectYourChildrenFromChildAbuse:AParent’sGuide.”
First name (No initials or nicknames) Middlename Lastname Suffix
UnitNo.:
Homephone Dateofbirth(mm/dd/yyyy) Grade Ethnicbackground:
- - / /
School
First name (No initials or nicknames) Middlename Lastname Suffix
Business phone Ext. Previous Scouting experience Cell phone
- - X - -
Parent/guardian email address
Homephone Dateofbirth(mm/dd/yyyy) Occupation Employer Gender:
M
F- - / /
Date
/ /
Name and address information (Please print one letter in each space—press hard, you are making a copy.)
Reta
ino
nfil
efo
rthr
eey
ears
.
LoneCubScoutLoneBoyScout
ArrowofLightearned
Registrationfee Boys’ Life fee$ . $ .
Unit type:(Fill in the circle.)
For pack registration select one:
Mark here if new to Scouting.
Country Mailing address City State Zip code
U S
Country Mailing address City State Zip code
U S
Pack Troop Team Crew Ship
Parent Guardian Grandparent Other (specify)
Transfer application Unit type:
Boys’ Life subscription
524-
406
@
NativeAmerican
Hispanic/Latino
AlaskaNative
Pacific Islander
Asian
Other
Black/African American
Caucasian/White
Gender: Male Female
Signature of unit leader (or designee)
Signature of Venturer
Signature of parent/guardian (required if applicant is under 18 years of age)
UNIT
COP
Y
524-406.indd 7 6/10/11 4:01 PM
Item Number Objective Bronze Level Silver Level Gold Level Bronze
PointsSilver Points
Gold Points
1 Advancement: Increase the percentage of Cub
Scouts earning rank advancements.
Have 40% of Cub
Scouts advance one
rank or have a 2
percentage points
increase.
Have 55% of Cub
Scouts advance, or 40%
advance and have a 2
percentage points
increase.
Have 75% of Cub
Scouts advance, or 55%
and have a 2
percentage points
increase.
100 200 400
2 Retention: Improve retention rate.
Retain and re-register
60% of eligible
members or have a 2
percentage points
increase.
Retain and re-register
65% of members, or
retain and re-register
60% and have a 2
percentage points
increase.
Retain and re-register
75% of members, or
retain and re-register
65% and have a 2
percentage points
increase.
100 200 400
3Building Cub Scouting: Have an increase in
membership or be larger than the average size pack
at recharter time.
Have a net gain of one
member over last year,
or have at least 20
members.
Increase youth members
by 5% or have at least
40 members.
Increase youth members
by 10% or have at least
60 members with an
increase over last year.
75 150 300
4 Outdoor activities: The pack has activities in the
outdoors.
Have three outdoor
activities during the
year.
Have four outdoor
activities during the
year.
Have five outdoor
activities during the
year.
75 150 300
5 Trained leadership: Have a trained and engaged
pack committee.
Have a Cubmaster and
a committee with at
least three members. All
dens have registered
leaders.
Bronze level, plus the
Cubmaster and Den
Leaders have completed
Leader-Specific Training
or, if new, complete
within three months of
joining.
Silver level, plus 2/3 of
active committee
members must have
completed Leader-
Specific Training.
50 100 200
6
Day/resident/family camp: Increase the
percentage of Cub Scouts attending Cub Scout day
camp, Family camp, and/or Cub Scout resident
camp.
33% or 2 percentage
points increase.
50% or 33% and 2
percentage point
increase.
75% or 50% and 2
percentage point
increase.
50 100 200
7
Service projects: The pack participates in service
projects, with one benefitting your chartering
organization. The projects and hours are entered
on the Journey to Excellence website.
Participate in two
service projects.
Participate in three
service projects.
Participate in four
service projects.50 100 200
8 Leadership planning: Next year's leaders are
identified early.
By May 31, the pack
committee
recruits/confirms pack
and den leadership for
the next year.
Earn the Bronze level,
plus the pack holds its
fall recruitment by
September 30.
Earn the Silver level,
plus every leadership
position is filled by
October 15.
50 100 200
9 Webelos-to-Scout transition: Have a Webelos-to-
Scout transition plan with a troop or troops.
With a troop, hold two
joint activities, one of
which is a parent
orientation and camp
promotion meeting.
60% of eligible Webelos
register with a troop.
80% of eligible Webelos
register with a troop.50 100 200
10Budget: The pack has a budget that is continually
reviewed by the committee and follows BSA policies
relating to fundraising and fiscal management.
Have a written budget
reviewed at committee
meetings and that
follows BSA policies.
Earn the Bronze level,
plus Cub Scouts' ideas
are used in the budget
planning process.
Earn the Silver level,
plus budget is
completed before the
next program year.
25 50 100
11 Pack and den meetings: Packs and dens have
regular meetings.
Hold nine pack
meetings a year, with
one meeting reviewing
program plans and
asking for parental
involvement. Den or
pack meetings have
started by 10/31.
Meet the Bronze level,
plus pack committee
meets at least six times
a year. Dens meet at
least twice a month
during the school year.
Meet the Silver level,
plus earn the
Summertime Pack
Award.
25 50 100
12 Fitness: Pack and Den meetings have activities that
include a physical fitness component.
Introduce the
SCOUTStrong program
in the pack.
Earn the Bronze level
plus the Pack promotes
and coordinates group
fitness activities.
Earn the Silver level,
plus the Pack holds an
ongoing fitness
competition where
members can track their
performance.
25 50 100
13 Reregister on-time
Complete charter
reregistration, obtain all
signatures, and submit
paperwork to the council
office or your
commissioner prior to
the expiration of your
charter.
Meet the Bronze level,
plus email addresses
are provided for all
parents of youth
members and registered
adults who have one.
Meet the Silver level,
plus promote the new
Unit Tools software
program accessed
through your
MyScouting account.
25 50 100
Points ________ ________ ________
Bronze: Earn at least 700 points by earning points in at least 10 objectives.
Silver: Earn at least 1,000 points by earning points in at least 10 objectives. Total points ________
Gold: Earn at least 1,600 points by earning points in at least 10 objectives.
We certify on our honor as Scout leaders that these requirements have been completed.
Cubmaster ________________________________________ Committee chair _______________________________________
Commissioner _____________________________________ Chartered Org. Rep. ____________________________________
Level achieved _______________ Did not achieve _____ Date ______________
This form should be turned in to the Scout service center or your Commissioner with your charter renewal paperwork.
PACK ________ of _________________________ District2013 Scouting's Journey to Excellence
Appendix B
Revised 5/13/13 513-105
1
Total number of Cub Scouts advancing at least one rank (Bobcat, Tiger, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, Arrow of Light) since your last charter
renewal date (A), divided by the number of boys you started your charter renewal year with (B1) plus all new boys who joined or
transferred into the pack at any time during the current year (B2). Advancement = A / (B1 + B2).
2Number of youth members on this year’s recharter (C) divided by the number of youth members on last year’s recharter (D) plus any
additional youth members (E) minus any transfer outs or age outs (F). Total = (C) / (D+E-F).
3At charter renewal time, have an increase in the number of youth members over the number of youth members on the previous year's
charter renewal.
4The pack has activities in the outdoors, which could include outdoor pack meetings, hikes, family campouts, parades, outdoor service
projects, etc.
5
Have a pack committee with all dens having registered leaders. The Cubmaster and Den leaders (paid or multiple registration) have
completed leader specific training or, if new, complete within three months of joining. 2/3 of active committee members have completed
leader specific training.
6
Cub Scouts attend an in-council or out-of-council Cub Scout day camp, family camp, and/or Cub Scout resident camp in 2013. All levels
are total number of different Cub Scouts attending (G) divided by total number of Cub Scouts registered in the pack as of 6/30/2013 (H).
Total = G / H.
7The pack participates in at least two service projects during the year and enters them on the Journey to Excellence website. The
projects may be completed as joint projects with other organizations. At least one project must benefit the chartered organization.
8The pack recruits or confirms the next year's leadership, including CM, DLs, and WLs, by 5/31/2013. The pack holds its fall recruitment
event by 9/30/2013.
9Hold at least two joint activities with a troop or troops, one of which is a new parent orientation and camp promotion meeting, and have
graduating boys register with a troop. If pack has no Webelos Scouts, this requirement is met at the Bronze level.
10
The pack has a written budget that is reviewed at all pack committee meetings, and the pack follows BSA policies relating to fundraising
and fiscal management as found on the Unit Money-Earning Application form, the pack treasurer's book, and any other publication that
the council has developed for fundraising and fiscal management.
11
Have at least nine pack meetings within the past 12 months, with one of those meetings being to review the pack's program plans and
asking for parental involvement in the pack. Den meetings start by October 31, 2013 and all dens meet at least twice each month
during the program year. Pack committee meets at least 6 times a year. Pack earns the Summertime Pack Award.
12The pack and den meetings have activities that include a physical fitness component. This is ongoing and members can track their
performance. The pack is introduced to the SCOUTStrong PALA award by going to www.scouting.org/SCOUTStrongPALA.
13
Complete the pack's charter renewal paperwork, including all required signatures, and submit completed forms to the council service
center or your commissioner before the end of the charter year. Provide all email addresses for parents and registered adults on
charter renewal forms and promote the new "Unit Tools" software accessed through your MyScouting account.
WHO USES THIS FORM?
Packs with a charter renewal date in any month from October of 2013 to September of 2014.
Journey to Excellence changes the basic way we measure and recognize success in the Boy Scouts of America by moving away from measuring
process and moving to measuring performance. Below provides specific information to help you understand the criteria and exactly what data will
be used to determine the three levels of performance. In planning your strategy, use actual numbers from the previous year to guide your
performance improvement goal planning. In each area, the pack may qualify by meeting a specific standard or by showing measured
improvement.
Scouting's Journey to Excellence2013 Pack Performance Recognition Program
Scoring the pack's performance: To determine the pack's performance level, you will use the above information to determine the points earned
for each of the 13 individual criteria and then add those individual point scores to determine a composite score. Count only the highest point total
achieved in any one criterion. Bronze level requires earning points in at least 10 criteria plus 700 points, Silver level requires earning points in at
least 10 criteria and 1,000 points, and Gold level requires earning points in at least 10 criteria and 1,600 points.
For more resources: www.scouting.org/jte
The spreadsheets will be especially helpful to you!
Appendix C
Unit: Current Year YPT
Position
Trained Current Year +1 YPT
Position
Trained
Charter Organization Rep
Committee Chair
Cubmaster
Advancement Chair
Membership Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Camping Coordinator
Pack Trainer
Pinewood Derby
Blue and Gold
Weblos II Den Leader
Webelos I Den Leader
Bear Den Leader
Wolf Den Leader
Tiger Den Leader
Assistant Cubmaster
Assistant Weblos II Den Leader
Assistant Webelos I Den Leader
Assistant Bear Den Leader
Assistant Wolf Den Leader
Assistant Tiger Den Leader
Northern Sky District Pack Leadership Inventory. Pack Leadership Inventory and Succession Plan To Be Conducted in April by the
Unit Commissioner with the Unit. Enter the name of the person who is currently
filling each position in the current year column. Check the box if the leader has
completed the training for their position. Enter the names of leaders for next year in
the other columns. Pack Positions Required for Recharter – CR, CC, 2 MC’s, CM
and at least (1) TL, DL or WL. This fulfils 2013 JTE requirement # 8 for Packs.
Appendix D
Your organization’s values and the mission of the Boy Scouts of America are reflected through your pack’s leadership. With the support of your organization, the pack committee, Cubmaster, den leaders, and other volunteer Scouters carry out the pack program dealing directly with other adults and with Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts. The adult leadership will influence the life of every boy and family in your pack. Since
the leaders play a vital role in the success of the pack, the chartered organization, working through the pack committee, has a prominent role in their selection.
There are many qualified prospects for Cub Scout leadership. This selection process will assure that the most qualified person is selected. The important role of shaping the lives of youth demands nothing less!
SelectinG cub Scout leaderShipthe chartered orGanization’S MoSt iMportant ScoutinG reSponSibility
Appendix E
The STepS for SucceSS
New leaders must be selected when a new pack is organized, when new dens are formed, or when there is a leadership change in an existing den or pack. Following the steps below will help the
chartered organization and pack committee select the best leaders for the boys of their pack. In some cases, a representative of the council or district may be on hand to guide the chartered organization and pack committee through the selection process. This representative could be a unit organizer, a unit commissioner, a member of the district committee, or a Scouting professional.
1. AppoinT The LeAderShip SeLecTion TeAm.
The organization head or chartered organization representative appoints a team to select the new leaders. The team may include at least one rep-resentative from the chartered organization, members of the pack com-mittee, parents, or others interested in the success of the pack. Selection team members are recruited and a meeting is scheduled.
2. LiST And ApprAiSe proSpecTS.
It is preferred that the head of the chartered organization chair the meet-ing of the leadership selection team. If not, the chartered organization representative should do so.
1. Develop a prospect list. Have on hand a membership roll of the chartered organization and the names of the parents of pack or den members or prospective members. Ask each person to suggest addi-
tional names. Enter the names in the spaces provided under “Guide for Selecting a Leader” in this folder.
2. Rate each prospect by placing a check mark in the appropriate box (“Yes,’’ “No,’’ or “Don’t Know’’) for each quality of leadership. Don’t omit people assumed to be “too busy.’’ That decision belongs to the candidate.
3. If there are several “Don’t Knows” for any prospect, it is imperative that some discreet inquiry be made.
4. In the overall evaluation, rank the prospects in order of preference as soon as all information is obtained.
5. Secure approval from the organization head to contact the preferred candidates.
6. Appoint three or four people to call on the first prospect. At least one member of the team must be from the chartered organization.
3. mAke An AppoinTmenT wiTh The proSpecT.
The chairman of the selection team calls the first prospect for an appoint-ment. If a member of the task force knows the prospect well, the chair-man may ask this person to make the call.
The appointment usually can be made by phone. If the prospect questions the purpose of the meeting, frankly state that it is to discuss a matter of importance to the youth of the community.
Set the time and date of the meeting, preferably at the prospect’s home in a family setting. Be sure it is a date convenient to the members of the visitation team.
4. cALL on The proSpecT.
Members of the visitation team should meet at a convenient spot and arrive at the prospect’s home as a group.
Explain the purpose of the visit and make every effort to convince the prospect to accept the position because of the opportunity for service. Honestly review the steps that have been taken, how the qualifications were reviewed, and the endorsement of all involved. The member of the chartered organization extends the invitation to serve the organization as a Cub Scout leader and pledges the organization’s full support.
If the prospect cannot give a reply during the visit, a follow-up contact should be made within 24 hours. If the prospect declines, the process is repeated with the next candidate.
5. weLcome The new LeAder.
The new leader is formally registered and the application approved by the head of the chartered organization or the chartered organization representa-tive. The leadership selection team members, Cubmaster, pack committee, key members of the chartered organization, den leaders, and others involved in the pack attend a “get acquainted” meeting with the new leader.
The new leader is briefed on the general organization of the pack, its procedures, meeting place and meeting patterns, and program plans. The leader is introduced to the other adults involved in the pack. Hand-books, records, and materials are turned over. Arrangements are made for a press release, letter to parents, an introduction of the new leader at a meeting of the chartered organization, and an introduction of the new leader to the parents at the pack meeting. Another leader accompanies the new leader to the first den or pack meeting.
6. fAST STArT TrAining.
As soon as the new leader agrees to serve and completes the Adult Reg-istration application, a member of the pack provides to the new leader the Cub Scout Fast Start Viewer’s Guide and the appropriate Fast Start videotape for the position.
An experienced Scouter follows up to make certain the new leader has a clear understanding of the job and knows that resources are available. For a new den leader, this is usually done by the den leader coach; for a new Webelos den leader, the Webelos den leader coach. The leader is invited to the next Cub Scout leader roundtable, and arrangements are made for basic training.
All Cub Scout leaders must be adults 21 years of age or older (except
assistant Cubmasters, assistant den leaders, and assistant Webelos
den leaders, who must be at least 18 years of age) and of good moral
character. Men and women may serve in any position. All registered
Cub Scouters shall subscribe to the declaration of principle and meet
the citizenship or alternate requirements as prescribed on the official
registration forms.
List the names of prospects in the vertical spaces on the right. Place a
check mark in the appropriate box (“Yes,” “No,” or “Don’t Know”)
for each leadership quality. Include any special qualifications your
organization may require. In the overall evaluation, rank the pros-
pects in order of preference as soon as all information is obtained.
Successful leaders have been found to have many of the following
characteristics.
Guide for SelectinG a leader
13-500 2006 Printing
Qualities of Unit Leadership Nam
e
Nam
e
Nam
e
Nam
e
1. Accepts the ideals and principles of the Boy Scouts of America and its chartered organization. Yes
No
Don’t Know
2. Sets a positive example as a role model through appearance and consistent ethical behavior(fairness, honesty, trust, and respect for others).
Yes
No
Don’t Know
3. Has the ability to delegate tasks that permit use of adult and youth resources. Yes
No
Don’t Know
4. Advocates and enjoys seeing youth development and growth. Yes
No
Don’t Know
5. Appreciates the outdoors and enjoys the natural environment. Yes
No
Don’t Know
6. Has some experience in group activity leadership in club, lodge, or religious organizations. Yes
No
Don’t Know
7. Wins the confidence of parents, youth, and the community. Yes
No
Don’t Know
8. Listens and builds rapport with others in a counseling role. Yes
No
Don’t Know
9. Is willing to invest a definite amount of time for training and unit leadership. Yes
No
Don’t Know
10. Is an active member of the chartered organization or its affiliates. Yes
No
Don’t Know
Overall Evaluation
1
34207©1978 Boy Scouts of America2011 Printing
Six Major TaSkS for VolunTeer SucceSS
Define responsibilities Volunteers must know what is expected for them to be successful. Carefully define, in writing, the responsibilities for each position. Use Commissioner Responsibility Cards, No. 34265; District Committee Responsibility Cards, No. 34266; and A Handbook for District Operations, No. 34739, to assist you.
Select and recruitFit the right person to the job. Consider each prospect’s skills, interests, and other relevant factors. Consider the variety of motivating factors for people getting involved in Scouting. Use all the prescribed steps in recruiting district volun teers and use the recruiting resources of the BSA. Helpful recruiting resources include Selecting District People, No. 34512; A Handbook for District Operations, No. 34739; and the District Nomi nating Committee Worksheet, No. 513-332.
orient and TrainProvide each person with prompt orientation and adequate training on their individual assignment to be successful. Use the District Committee Training Workshop, No. 34160, and Administration of Commissioner Service, No. 34501.
coach VolunteersProvide ongoing coaching as needed. Build a volunteer’s confi dence and self-esteem. Help conserve a volunteer’s time. Coaching should be provided by the appropriate committee chair or professional.
recognize achievementRecognition must be sincere, timely, and earned. Use the great variety of formal BSA recognition items, but also be creative with frequent locally devised thank-yous. Even more effective may be the personal “pat on the back” for a job well done. Recognize volunteers on a face-to-face basis, from a person of status, and preferably in front of the volunteer’s peers.
evaluate PerformanceHelp district volunteers regularly evaluate how they’re doing. Use the Self-Evaluation for Unit Commissioners in the Commissioner Fieldbook for Unit Service, No. 33621; A Self-Evaluation Guide for Successful District Operation, No. 34207; and the “How Will You Know When You Have Done A Good Job?” section in A Handbook for District Operations, No. 34739.
council volunteers and professional staff members strengthen district committees and commissioner staffs with six major tasks—the six
things they must do to make a volunteer system work.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Appendix F
W. D. Boyce Council Boy Scouts of America
“THE YARDSTICK STORY”
Leader Recruitment Tool
Stand holding the yardstick about chest high.
Look at this yardstick as your son’s life. Each inch is about 2 years. The 36 inch yardstick becomes 72 years, about the average person’s lifespan. Here he is today (point to the 3 or 3½ in mark). Here is where he started School at 5 (point to the 2 ½ inch mark). At this point (the 5 inch mark) he will be starting middle school or junior high. And here (9 inch mark) he is graduating from high school. And four years later he may be graduating from college and starting his own career and family.
All of that lies ahead in the future. Here today (again point to the 3 or 3½ inch mark), these are critical years in your son’s development. These are the years (spread your thumb and forefinger about 2 inches or 4 years) when many of his decision-making skills, ethics and moral values will be developed. Besides having fun these are key elements in the Tiger Cub and Cub Scout program. Studies continue to show that young people who are close to caring adults and involved in this type of youth program are less likely to get into trouble with drugs and crime, and more likely to continue successfully in school.
These 4 years are the Cub Scout years – Tigers through Webelos Scouts. In Cub Scouting we need every family to get involved this much (hold up your hand with the 2 inch spread between thumb and forefinger). “This much” is different for everybody. Your “this much” might be as a committee member, or a den leader for your son. I might be helping to plan an outing, writing a newsletter, working on the Pinewood Derby, or Blue and Gold Banquet. If everyone does “this much”, in your son’s Scouting career, both you and he will have a great experience.
We need you to sign up tonight along with your son. Then, these 4 years (again pointing to the Cub Scout years – 3 inch to 5 inch) will provide wonderful memories and a great foundation for the rest of his life (as you sweep your hand to the 36 inch end of the yardstick).
For added effect you can score the yard stick and break of the pieces that correspond to the Cub scouting 3 in. & 51/2 in.
Appendix G
THE YARDSTICK CLOSING
Advanced preparation: mark and score on the yardstick where it will be broken.
If you consider that the average man lives about 72 years, then every half inch of this yardstick represents one year. (Hold up the yardstick)
When you realize that after the age of 21, you really don’t have any say over how that person thinks, what he does or what he believes, (take the stick and break it off at the 10 ½ inches) we have lost this whole section of time. It is not available to us. (Toss the large piece on the floor).
Now all we have left it this. (Hold the 10 ½ inch piece up).
But, then you have to realize that at the age of 18, a boy can vote, own property, be married or in the military. That leaves this much. (Break off the 9-inch piece and to the 1 ½ inch piece on the floor).
A boy goes into the Boy Scouts’ sometime after he is 11 years old. So, we as Cub Scout Leaders really only have this (break off the 5 ½ inch piece section and too the 3 ½ inch piece on the floor) to influence these boys. (Hold the 5 ½ inch piece up).
But then, when you realize that these boys are already at least 6 years old, we have already used this (break off the pice at 3 inches) part and it is no longer available to us. It is gone, and we can’t get it back. That leaves us with this. (Hold up what is left). Not a lot, is it?
FAMILY TALENT SURVEY SHEET
Each parent or adult family member should fill out a separate sheet and turn it in at this meeting.
Pack ___________________________ Chartered Organization ______________________________ Date _________________________
Welcome to the Cub Scout family of our pack. As explained to you, Cub Scouting is for parents as well as boys. We have a fine group of families who have indicated a willingness to help, according to their abilities. We invite you to add your talents and interests so that the best possible program can be developed for your boy and his friends.
Den leaders are always busy with den activities. Our pack leaders and committee members know you have some talent that will help in the operation of our pack. Although your help may not be on a full-time basis, whatever you can do will be appreciated.
In making this survey, your pack committee wants to uncover ways you can enjoy giving assistance. Please answer the following as completely as possible:
1. My hobbies are: _________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. I can play and/or teach these sports: ________________________________________________________________________________
3. My job, business, or profession would be of interest to Cub Scouts: _____________________________________________________
4. I am willing to help my boy and the pack as: ■ pack committee member, ■ Cub Scout den leader or assistant,■ assistant Cubmaster, ■ Webelos den leader or assistant, ■ Cubmaster, ■ Pack trainer.
5. My Scouting experience: Cub Scout _____________________ Boy Scout _____________________Girl Scout ____________________
Explorer ______________________________________________ Rank attained _____________________________________________
Adult leader _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. I can help in these areas (please check applicable boxes for all ranks):
General Activities Special Program Assistance
■ Carpentry ■ Computer skills ■ I have an SUV or ■ van or ■ truck.■ Swimming/watercraft safety ■ Drawing/art ■ I have a workshop.■ Games ■ Radio/electricity ■ I have family camping gear.■ Nature ■ Dramatics/skits ■ I can make contacts for special trips and activities.■ Sports ■ Cooking/banquets ■ I have access to a cottage or camping property■ Outdoor activities ■ Sewing ■ or a boat.■ Crafts ■ Transportation ■ I can help Webelos Scouts with Boy Scout skills.■ Music/songs ■ Hiking ■ I can give other help. ________________________■ Citizenship/flag etiquette ■ Other _________________ _____________________________________________■ Bookkeeping --- _______________________
Tiger Activity Areas Wolf Activity Areas Bear Activity Areas Webelos Activity Areas
■ Nutrition/health ■ Knots ■ Pocketknives/wood carving ■ Outdoor cooking■ Magic ■ Sign language ■ Camping ■ First aid■ Biking ■ Coin collecting ■ Carnival games ■ Camping■ Astronomy ■ Physics ■ Citizenship/flag etiquette ■ General science■ First aid ■ Math/codes ■ Fishing ■ Disabilities awareness
■ Collections ■ American Indian culture ■ Survival skills■ Disabilities awareness ■ Animal care ■ Geocaching■ Dinosaurs ■ Forensics ■ Geology■ Compass use ■ Physics ■ Engineering■ Health ■ Marbles ■ Home repair■ Gardening ■ Robotics ■ Game design■ Civil service/military ■ General science ■ Wildlife
■ Plant life■ Moviemaking
Name __________________________________________________________________ Home or cell phone _________________________Street address ________________________________________________________________ Business phone ________________________E-mail address ______________________________________ City _____________________ State ___________ ZIP ________________
Appendix H
Northern Lights Council Boy Scouts of America
HOW CAN I HELP?
Please fill out this page and turn it in tonight!
There are many opportunities for parents and family members of Cub Scouts to help make our pack program
the best it can be. Some opportunities involve weekly commitments, some monthly and others involve
helping with annual events. If each parent is willing to assist in the capacity that works best for them all our
boys are going to have a great Cub Scout experience!
Below is a list of the many opportunities there are to help. Some of these positions may already be filled.
Please offer you help by indicating which areas you might be willing to serve. Please number your top two to
four preferences. Thank you.
My hobbies are:___________________________________________________________
My sports interests are:_____________________________________________________
Job________________________________ Work Shift/Hours______________________
I have a truck______ van ______ trailer______ station wagon_____ workshop_______
Parent’s Name__________________________________ Phone___________________
Scout’s Name___________________________________ Grade___________________
_____ Den Leaders &
Asst. Den Leaders
Plan den meetings twice a month. Attend monthly pack committee meetings.
Tiger Cub Den _______ Wolf Den _______ Bear Den _______ Webelos Den _______
_____ Cubmaster &
Asst. Cubmaster
The Cubmaster is primarily responsible for the running the monthly pack meeting. The
Cubmaster attends the monthly pack committee meetings to help plan the pack meeting.
_____ Pack Committee
Chair
The Committee Chair prepares the agenda for and runs the monthly pack committee
meeting. The committee chair is responsible for communication and follow-up with each
member of the pack committee.
Pack Committee
Members
Members of the pack committee attend monthly committee meetings. Committee
members typically take on responsibility for a specific function of the pack. Key pack
committee positions include:
____ Pack Trainer ____ Camp Committee
____ Pack Secretary / Treasurer ____ Day Camp Coordinator
____ Pack Advancement Chair ____ Popcorn Kernel
____ Pack Special Events Committee
____ Pack Song Leader ____ Telephone Committee
____ Fund-Raising Committee ____ Blue & Gold Committee
____ Pack Holiday Party Committee ____ Pinewood Derby Committee
____ Other (specify):__________________
Other Key Positions