About the Great Southwest Council

Organization of the Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is organized on multiple levels from Nationals to the Local Units, as described below.

National

The National Office, located in Irving (Dallas), Texas, provides specialists in many diverse fields available for use by local councils in solving special problems. The National Council also serves as a support service for the local councils. On-line registration and membership support, innovative program and literature development, policy development, advancement support, personnel systems, liability insurance base, and maintaining consistency of programs throughout the nation are all services of the National Council.

Regions

The Regional management centers are liaisons between the National Council and local councils. There are four regions in the United States; the Northeast region, the Southern region, the Central region, and the Western region.  The region provides direct support to the councils, with personnel on call in the fields of endowment, fund raising, computers, program, and administration. Regional offices provide direct support services to Area Directors. The Great Southwest Council is a part of the Western Region, consisting of the seventeen western states.

Areas

The nation’s 26 Area Directors maintain field offices within their respective geographic areas. They each work directly with 10-15 local councils. The Area Director maintains direct contact with the Scout Executive and becomes acquainted with community problems and key council volunteers. The Great Southwest Council is part of the Western Region’s Area 6 which serves the metropolitan areas of the Western Region.

More

Internet Policy

Whistle Blower Policy

Mobile Device Use Policy

Directions and Map to the Main Council Office

Council

The most visible level of the Boy Scouts of America is the local council. There are over 300 incorporated and chartered local councils across the United States, each responsible for fostering a meaningful Scouting program within its territory. The Great Southwest Council was chartered by the National Council in 1924, serving youth in northern New Mexico (from Socorro north), southwestern Colorado, and the four-corners region of Arizona and Utah.

Districts

The district is the service area of the council, for the purpose of unit, membership, finance, and program services. The council Executive Board determines the district territories. The Great Southwest Council has four districts, in addition to the Learning for Life Division:

• Sandia District — east Albuquerque; east Mountains extending to Tucumcari
• Rio Grande District — west Albuquerque; Sandoval, Valencia, Socorro, Cibola, and McKinley counties, New Mexico; Eastern Navajo Nation, including parts of Arizona and Utah
• Sangre de Cristo District - north-central and northeast New Mexico
• San Juan Mountains District— southwest Colorado & San Juan County, New Mexico

Volunteer Structure

The Boy Scouts of America is a volunteer-run organization. From the National Council to the unit level, volunteer committees comprise the backbone of the movement. National, regional, and area volunteer structures parallel the volunteer structure of the council and districts.