Commissioner Service

Commissioners are District and Council volunteer leaders who help Scout units succeed. Commissioners coach and regularly consult with adult leaders of Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venturing Crews and Sea Scouts Ships. Commissioners help maintain the standards of the BSA through maintaining regular contact with unit leaders, counseling leaders on where to find assistance, noting weaknesses in programs and suggesting remedies to improve. The Commissioner is successful when units effectively deliver the ideals of Scouting to their members.

Duties of a Commissioner
Commissioner Resources
Commissioner's Corner

Maybe you'd like to be a Commissioner?
It's a great Scouting job, and very rewarding. Many Commissioners in the Last Frontier Council have lots of years of experience in Scouting, but that's not a requirement! Even if you are new to Scouting, if you like working with people to promote good Scouting and solve problems, and you are willing to take advantage of the many Commissioner training opportunities put on throughout the year, you may be a great candidate for this area of Scouting service. Just contact one of the Scouters listed above and you will be on your way.

Commissioner Qualifications

• Trained Scouter (or willing to be trained).
• Meet basic Boy Scouts of America membership requirements.
• Willing to visit and regularly contact Scout units.
• Willing to attend District activities.
• Be pro-District and pro-Council.
• Willing to attend monthly Commissioner staff meetings.
• Willing to live by the Scout Oath and Law.

Roles of the Commissioner

A commissioner plays several roles, including friend, representative, unit "doctor," teacher, and counselor.

The commissioner is a friend of the unit. Of all their roles, this one is the most important. It springs from the attitude, "I care, I am here to help,what can I do for you?" Caring is the ingredient that makes commissioner service successful. He or she is an advocate of unit needs. A commissioner who makes himself known and accepted now will be called on in future times of trouble.

The commissioner is a representative. The average unit leader is totally occupied in working with kids. Some have little if any contact with the Boy Scouts of America other than a commissioner's visit to their meeting. To them, the commissioner may be the BSA. The commissioner helps represent the ideals, the principles, and the policies of the Scouting movement.

The commissioner is a unit "doctor." In their role as "doctor," they know that prevention is better than a cure, so commissioners try to see that their units make good "health practices" a way of life. When problems arise, and they will even in the best unit, they act quickly. They observe symptoms, diagnose the real ailment, prescribe a remedy, and follow up on the patient.

The commissioner is a teacher. As a commissioner, they will have a wonderful opportunity to participate in the growth of unit leaders by sharing knowledge with them. Commissioners teach not just in an academic environment, but where it counts most—as an immediate response to a need to know. That is the best adult learning situation since the lesson is instantly reinforced by practical application of the new knowledge.

The commissioner is a counselor. As a Scouting counselor, commissioners will help units solve their own problems. Counseling is the best role when unit leaders don't recognize a problem and where solutions are not clear-cut. Everyone needs counseling from time to time, even experienced leaders.