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Staff Update

T.R.A.I.N.I.N.G.

by Rick Dostal

Anyone who has been in Royal Rangers for any time at all, knows we love acronyms. If you've been to the LTA and completed your LTC, you now have your LMA. That probably means you have been to NTC and are already preregistered for ANTC. If you've been to ANTC, maybe you plan on going to WNTC. Or perhaps you would rather attend NTT, NCE or even BSTC.

Now some of you may have already completed all of the above. You've procured your DC's approval to complete the SIT workbook and have attended NRRA. Which means you've completed the Academy and a chosen few have perhaps even gone on to Advanced Academy.

So what does all of this really mean to you? It means TRAINING and that's no acronym! Training my friend, is the root of success in Royal Rangers. Without training you won't have a successful Royal Rangers outpost. If you didn't take the necessary training in your career field (I'm talking about where your paycheck comes from) you wouldn't be very successful, would you? Most of our pastors, youth pastors, and music ministers have all taken some formal training. That's why they are successful.

Well then, why shouldn't you as a Royal Rangers commander do the same? Especially when it's already built into the Royal Rangers ministry . Training is available. As a matter of fact, we have more opportunities for training than many men will ever be able to attend. And that's ok; it's there for your benefit. Take advantage of what you want, need, and can attend.

All of this training talk reminds me of my own NTC back in 1980 on Catalina Island in the Pacific Ocean off the beautiful coast of Southern California. We, Commander Jerrald, Commander Jesse and myself had worked hard to complete our LTA and had recently earned our LMA. Boy, were we proud of those medals. Our pastor had encouraged us to go all the way and even talked the deacon board into paying our registration fee for NTC. Thanks, Pastor. Of course, he mentioned that we would be in real big trouble if we didn't pass.

Wow! What an experience! Johnnie Barnes, Fred Deaver, Kent Teeters, Jim Price and others were there to "minister" to the trainees. First, our boat was two hours late. Camp Commander Johnnie Barnes was so understanding, he encouraged us to all pull together as a "patrol" and try to catch up to the camp schedule. He even said we would have some "spare time" to get some of our projects done. But according to Senior Guide Fred Deaver it must have been our fault. And like that wasn't enough, he told everyone to write a word theme on why not to be late. I'm telling you it wasn't my fault, the nerve of that guy! Like I had anything to do with the boat scheduling. Oh, and then when we started setting up camp, another word theme, and it wasn't even my hand axe lying on the ground.

But we still talk about the canoes coming off the ocean and the council fire lighting ceremony on Thursday evening. About the wind storm on Friday evening that drove us into hiding inside the meeting hall for our dedication service, and how one of the men received total healing in his eye that same night. The buffalo herd running through our Sunday morning graduation ceremony must have really been tough for the staff to schedule. I hope, now that I'm in the position of planning these camps, people don't expect that out of me!

Oh yes, and how much the senior guide had changed by Sunday. He even gave his swagger stick to one of our patrol members, which really meant that we all earned it. By the end of camp I was fully aware of what a real patrol system is all about. Even though I didn't like those word themes, I realized how important they were at the time. As a matter of fact, I believe those word themes are so effective, I went to NRRA and may be the one assigning those word themes at your next camp.

To this day I remember the acronym for the 8 Defense plan for water safety, MISS BALL. I still teach that one. Thanks, Commander Teeters. On the way home with our blue berets, gold tipi patches and graduation certificates in hand, we were about as proud of ourselves as ever a man could be. And yes sir senior guide, you better believe we stopped on the way home to pick up flowers for Maggie, Wilma and Della.

My NTC was 20 years ago and brother I believe it was the turning point. What type of commander do you want to be? One who just holds the title, one who does the job halfway, or one who takes this ministry seriously? Personally, I want to be a commander of a successful outpost. TRAINING, oh yeah, it's out there and absolutely necessary.