Service to Scouting

I am a member of the Minsi Trails Council, BSA, Executive Board, serving as the Council Vice President for Program since January, 2001. My service began in 1992, first as Chair of its Training Committee and then as Chair of its Advancement Committee.

Minsi Trails Council serves all or part of Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton, and Schuylkill Counties in Pennsylvania and part of Warren County, New Jersey. Over 30,000 youth members participate in traditional (Tiger Cub, Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing) programs or in Learning for Life. They are supported by over 6,000 volunteer adults and about 25 full and part time paid staff.

Nationally, the Boy Scouts of America serves ___ youth members. Since February 8, 1910, ___ people have been members, including ____ who earned the Eagle badge, symbol of the highest achievement by a youth member. National Council services include those provided at high adventure bases and at Philmont Training Center.

In the Boy Scouts of America, a Council's Executive Board serves as its Board of Trustees. Members include leading business and community members, including those who serve as chairs of various committees. The Council is led by its key three: President Grayson McNair, Commissioner Arnold Traupman, and Scout Executive John Maxwell. The Scout Executive serves as the Board's Secretary. He is the only professional scouter on the Board.

The Advancement Committee is one of four that support traditional Scouting programs by planning and supervising Council-wide support for youth members. The four program committees {Activities (Chaired by David Binder), Advancement, Camping (Chaired by Bryan Hill), and Training(Chaired by Glen Lippincott)} report to the Council Vice President for Program, Jack Trotter.

BSA publications and the National Council BSA website are the official source of advancement and other information about the organization and its programs. Because the BSA depends primarily on volunteers for planning and managment, the official documents may not have the most current information. Official documents are definitive, but their availability is often imperfect. 

The Minsi Trails Council Advancement Committee is responsible, among other things, for providing official information about advancent in all BSA programs to Scouts and Scouters in its service area. The Committee's decisions and interpretations are based on its understanding of official documents.

Other source of information include the unofficial pages provided by the U.S. Scouting Service Project and Scouters Magazine, among others. Their advancement pages (US Scouts and Scouters) are convenient and helpful.