The Language of Scouting, Acronyms, and Terms

Have you ever heard a scout or leader use an acronym and wondered what it meant? Check out some common scouting acronyms and see what they mean below!

APL – Assistant Patrol Leader

ASM – Assistant Scoutmaster

ASPL – Assistant Senior Patrol Leader

AIA – American Indian Activities

B-P – Baden-Powell (Scouting’s Founder)

BSA – Boy Scouts of America

COPE – (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience)

COR – Chartered Organization Representative

CSE – Chief Scout Executive

DE – District Executive

DD – District Director

EDGE – Training method (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable)

FOS – Friends of Scouting

ILST – Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops

IOLS – Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills

JASM – Junior Assistant Scoutmaster

JTE – Journey to Excellence

LNT – Leave No Trace

NOAC – National Order of the Arrow Conference

NESA – National Eagle Scout Association

NYLT – National Youth Leadership Training

OA – Order of the Arrow

PRAY – Programs of Religious Activities with Youth

PL – Patrol Leader

PLC – Patrol Leaders Council

PTC – Philmont Training Center

SE – Scout Executive

SM – Scoutmaster

SPL – Senior Patrol Leader

VSC – Volunteer Service Center

YPT – Youth Protection Training

Couldn’t find the acronym you heard? Send it to us and we’ll let you know what it means and add it to our list