1. Will the National Vietnamese Scouting Committee going to replace HDTU-HDVN? Washington, D.C.

No, the National Vietnamese Scouting Committee is a part of the Scoutreach program of the Boy Scouts of America, its function to serve BSA members and reaching out to potential members. It is definitely not going to replace the International Central Committee on Vietnamese Scouting (ICCVS), (HDTU-HDVN). But one of its’ principal responsibilities is to support (ICCVS)’s operating procedures.

2. Why do Vietnamese members of Scouting need a National Vietnamese Scouting Committee, and what are the benefits of having this committee when we already have ICCVS (HDTU-HDVN)? Washington, D.C.

The primary benefit of the National Vietnamese Scouting Committee is that is provides support to local BSA Vietnamese Scouting units. The committee also sponsors official regional and national programs and activities such as training and jamborees for Vietnamese Scouting units around the country; as well as introducing the Scouting program to the Vietnamese American community through English/Vietnamese BSA literature.

This committee also makes recommendations to the BSA National Council on literature that needs to be in bilingual form (English/Vietnamese) such as training manuals, promotional brochures, etc. This committee is the official voice of Vietnamese Scouting in the national BSA organization.

The "International Central Committee on Vietnamese Scouting was established at a meeting held in Costa Mesa, California, on July 2-3, 1983" The stated purpose of the committee "is a communication line and coordinating guide to comply with the policies of the World Bureau of Scouting, along with policies of activities of each recognized Scout association where they reside."

3. In 1991 a proposal was submitted to the BSA to create a National Vietnamese Scouting Committee and it was declined. Why has that changed now? And how is this committee organized? Washington, D.C.

In November 18, 1991, the BSA responded to our proposal this way "Under the policies of the Boy Scouts of America we do not recognize nor do we have in existence a National Committee on Vietnamese Scouting, and we do not see the need for one."

However the Vietnamese Scouting program in the United States has been growing in the past eight years, largely due to the BSA’s outreach program (Scoutreach). To continue this growth, the Scoutreach committee of the BSA national Council, recommended organization of the National Vietnamese Scouting Committee. The National Vietnamese Scouting Committee was approved at the BSA National Annual Meeting, on June 5, 2002, in New Orleans, Louisiana. This committee was introduced and organized at Thang Tien 7 in Houston, Texas on July 5, 2002.

4. How does the chairman of this committee get elected? Dallas, Texas

All BSA national committee chairmen are appointed by the BSA National Executive Board after recommendation from volunteer Scouters. The chairmen in turn fill key positions with committee members at large. Therefore, the chairman of the National Vietnamese Scouting Committee is not elected but appointed by BSA and he will fill key positions with current Vietnamese Scouters who are members of the committee.

Lien Doan Truong or a representative from Lien Doan/unit are automatic members.

Members at large are recommended and recruited by the committee chairman and the national Scoutreach committee. Lien Doan Truong/representatives comprise two third (2/3) of the committee’s membership.