Waco Section Royal Rangers

Why is leadership training important? Why should I attend training modules? Why should I attend NTC (National Training Camp)? Maybe you have asked yourself these, or similar, questions. I know I have asked myself similar questions like these before. Let me ask you several questions. Do you want to be an effective commander? Do you wish to have a thriving and world class outpost? Do you want to be a good example to your boys?

I hope your answer to these last three questions is a resounding Yes! Every commander should desire to be an effective commander, be a part of a thriving and world class outpost, and be a good example to their boys. The way to be or have these things is through continued training.

Let’s suppose for a moment that today is the first day of your new job. You show up to work and your boss gives you a job as soon as you arrive, and it is something that you have never done before. Your boss hands you the job and tells you, “You know what you to do, so do it.” What would your reaction be? Shocked? Confused? Frustrated? You probably would feel all these things. There is hardly a job out there, that before you begin, that you don’t have at least some initial training that you need before you begin doing your job. In Royal Rangers it is the same way. We have an 8-hour training course called Ranger Basics. This module is great for new commanders or commanders that haven’t been in Rangers for several years.

However, just as in the work field, not only do you have initial training but you also have opportunities for advanced and continuing training. Royal Rangers is the same way. We have great training modules covering a wide range of topics, all of which are useful for commanders. We have modules dealing with the specific age groups in Royal Rangers, how to deal with boys with disabilities, how to start an outpost, and much, much more. Each module is designed to help the commander to be more effective and do their job better, easier, and more efficiently.

To be an effective commander you need to have the right tools. The leader’s manual and leader’s guides are a big part of the tools that commanders have. But the training modules give you a sense on how to be more effective when teaching and ministering to the boys. The modules give you tips and tools to use in the weekly meetings and in your outings.

Are modules enough? Can a commander be effective if all they attend is Ranger Basics and maybe a handful of other modules? Technically yes, a commander can do a pretty decent job with just the manuals and guides and attending a handful of modules. But there is a whole lot more that a commander can get from attending NTC. NTC shows you how to effectively use the patrol method in the local outpost. The patrol method is a concept used in Royal Rangers that is a rather difficult concept to grasp, unless you can see it used in an effective manner. According to the national Royal Rangers web site, NTC is designed to give leaders professional training in camping and leadership, plus the opportunity of outstanding fellowship and adventure in the outdoors. Why should you attend NTC? For your boys. Your boys need to see that their commander is willing to attend a training camp to further their training and become a better leader. Your boys need to see that their commander is willing to advance in Royal Rangers. How can you as a leader expect your boys to advance in Royal Rangers, if you yourself aren’t willing to advance?

There are other questions that you might have asked yourself, why am I involved in Royal Rangers? Am I being effective or am I just wasting my time? These questions are harder to answer. In fact really, these questions can only be answered between you and God. However, I can tell you a personal story that relates to the second question. I have grown up in Royal Rangers. I started as a Rainbow at the age of three as a Future Royal Ranger. Then at age five I became a Royal Ranger in Straight Arrows. I grew up through the Royal Rangers program and earned my Gold Medal of Achievement in March 1999. I became a leader in 2002. I have earned my Leader’s Medal of Achievement in 2005. I attended the National Pageantry Camp (July 2002), NTC (October 2004), and Ranger Kids Training Conference (May 2005). I joined the Waco section staff in 2002 and have served as the District Gold Medal of Achievement Association (GMAA) President that helped get the association grounded and on its feet. I just recently saw the leadership baton passed on to four young men in the GMAA this past February at the annual GMAA banquet.

Despite all of these accomplishments and training, there was a period of time in 2004 leading up to the NTC that I attended in San Antonio in October where I felt like I wasn’t effective in my ministry. The devil played off of those thoughts and I allowed him. I felt like I was just going through the motions, and that I wasn’t really doing anything for Royal Rangers or for God’s kingdom. In fact, when I arrived at NTC, I had already made up my mind that I was going to drop out of Royal Rangers and resign my sectional staff position. Instead, the Lord met me where I was at in my desperation and need and He did a work in my life. Could He have done that anywhere? Yes, He can do anything. However, I believe there was a reason why He used the camp staff and NTC to show me that He had me where He wanted me and that even though I might not see what was being accomplished here on this earth, He saw what was being accomplished through my ministry.

The Lord used two evening services at NTC to show me that He had me right where He wanted me. When I went through NTC, it was the third pilot test for the new NTC. Friday night there is a special council fire service, where the Lord generally does some awesome things in the lives of the trainees. That NTC was no different. The Lord was there at that evening service, and He was moving. It was that night when the Lord started working in my life and revealing to me that I was in His will. That night, I went up for prayer out of desperation. I didn’t really want to quit Royal Rangers, but I was so discouraged that I didn’t know what else to do but quit. So in one last effort I reached out to God. I should have done that first. My patrol advisor, Tony Garcia III, regional programs coordinator, was the one that prayed with me and it was while he was praying that the Lord started doing a work in my life. When I went to bed that night I felt such a peace in my spirit about Royal Rangers, I knew that I was where God wanted me to be.

The next day was Saturday, and that is the day when the trainees go on their overnight backpacking trip. That night they are responsible for their own council fire. That night we coordinated to have one member from each patrol to join together to plan the council fire service. I was the representative from my patrol, and I took a lead role in planning the council fire. That night Del Follis and I served as the emcees for the evening service. Again the Lord met me there, and worked through my life. Now does that mean that since NTC in 2004, I haven’t had times when I was down? By no means. I still go through periods of ups and downs, however, now I am confident that I am where the Lord wants me to be.

Is NTC necessary for all commanders? Yes! NTC will help you be a better commander, especially if you have been asking yourself any of the questions asked in this article. Be careful though, you might just find yourself exactly where God wants you.

David Trower
Sectional Web and Publications Coordinator