Abbreviations and Acronyms

Abbreviations serve the purpose of brevity; they are not always conducive to clarity. The Scouting abbreviations and acronyms listed here can aid communication when you know that your audience will quickly recognize them. Abbreviations may hinder communication with those new to or unfamiliar with the Scouting movement, so use abbreviations carefully and sparingly and avoid "alphabet soup."

Be consistent in the use of abbreviations. When nonstandard (those not listed below) abbreviations or acronyms are used, spell out the term on first reference, followed by the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses.

• AAMES - Association of African Methodist Episcopal Scouters
• ABS - Association of Baptists for Scouting
• ACM - assistant Cubmaster
• AD - activities director
• ADL - assistant den leader
• AGC - Annual Giving Campaign
• APL - assistant patrol leader
• APO - Alpha Phi Omega
• ASE - assistant Scout executive
• ASM - assistant Scoutmaster
• ASPL - assistant senior patrol leader
• B-P - Baden-Powell
• BM - business manager
• BSA - Boy Scouts of America
• BSE - borough Scout executive
• CD - camping director
• COPE - Project COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience)
• COR - chartered organization representative
• CPD - Center for Professional Development
• CSE - Chief Scout Executive
• DCAD - distinguished citizen award dinner
• DCS - director of camping service
• DE - district executive
• DEm/p - district executive-multiple-person; district executive (multiple person); district executive, multiple/person (obsolete)
• DFS - director of field service
• DFiS - director of finance service
• DL - den leader
• DSS - director of support services
• DiD - district director
• EnD - endowment director
• FD - field director
• FOS - Friends of Scouting
• FiD - finance director
• G.O.L.D. - Growth Opportunities in Leadership Development (obsolete)
• JASM - junior assistant Scoutmaster
• JOTA - Jamboree-on-the-Air
• KISMIF - Keep It Simple, Make It Fun
• LNT - Leave No Trace
• MCCS - Members of Churches of Christ for Scouting
• NAES - National Association of Episcopals for Scouting
• NAPS - National Association of Presbyterian Scouters
• NAUMS - National Association of United Methodist Scouters
• NCCS - National Catholic Committee on Scouting
• NCS - National Camping School
• NDC - National Distribution Center
• NEI - National Executive Institute (obsolete)
• NESA - National Eagle Scout Association
• NJLIC - National Junior Leader Instructor Camp
• NLAS - National Lutheran Association of Scouters
• NLATS - National Lodge Adviser Training Seminar
• NLTC - National Leadership Training Conference
• NOAC - National Order of the Arrow Conference
• NRRC - National Religious Relationships Committee
• NTS - National Training School (obsolete)
• NYILT - National Youth Instructor Leadership Training
• NYLT - National Youth Leadership Training
• OA - Order of the Arrow
• OFC - Operation First Class (obsolete)
• P.R.A.Y. - Programs of Religious Activities With Youth
• PD - program director
• PD-L1 - Professional Development Level 1
• PD-L2 - Professional Development Level 2
• PD-L3 - Professional Development Level 3
• PL - patrol leader
• PLC - patrol leaders' council
• PRD - public relations director
• PTC - Philmont Training Center
• SDE - senior district executive
• SE - Scout executive
• SEA - Scout Executives' Alliance
• SME - Sustaining Membership Enrollment (obsolete)
• SPL - senior patrol leader
• TAY - total available youth
• TD - training director
• TRAIL - TRAIL (Teaching Resources And Individual Leadership) Boss
• USFIS - United States Foundation for International Scouting
• WDL - Webelos den leader
• WOSM - World Organization of the Scout Movement
• WSB - World Scout Bureau