Association of Imperial Scouts
Асоциация на императорските скаути Asotsiatsiya na Imperatorskite Skauti | |
 | |
| Abbreviation | AIS |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Imperial Scouts Tengarian Scouts |
| Motto | "Дълг към Бога, Дълг към Отечеството, Дълг към семейството" Duty to God, Duty to Fatherland, Duty to Family |
| Formation | July 15, 1911 |
| Founder | Dragomir II Radomir Hristoforov |
| Type | Scouting |
| Headquarters | Scouting Plaza |
| Location | |
Membership (2020) | 322,544 |
Official language | Tengarian |
Supreme Scout Commander | Geto Bistrov |
| Vasil Prostov | |
| Teodora Kovacheva | |
| Affiliations | National Rally |
The Association of Imperial Scouts (Tengarian: Асоциация на императорските скаути or Asotsiatsiya na Imperatorskite Skauti), also commonly known as the Imperial Scouts or Tengarian Scouts, is a Tengarian Scouting association and youth organization, founded in 1911 by Emperor Dragomir II under the leadership of Count Radomir Hristoforov. In 2020, it had a total of 322,000 members. It has been headed by Scout Commander Geto Bistrov since 2013.
It is an organization dedicated to the development of civic virtue, patriotism, and Episemialist Sotirianity in Tengarian male youth through means of combined outdoor activities, sports and athletics, educational programs, communal events and community service. Since its founding, it has been open only to men; however, the Association of Imperial Guides is considered the female counterpart of the Scouts. The Association is comprised of three major groups, the Imperial Explorers, meant for younger boys, the Imperial Scouts as the main branch, and the Imperial Outriders, comprised of young adults and who have separate focuses.
Originally an extension of the worldwide scouting movement in the Empire of Tengaria, the movement soon developed strong connexions with the military, especially with Simeon Kovachev being one of the founding members and a later key leader in the movement. The organization grew until the Great War saw its attempted surpression during the Amathian occupation of the country because of the group's association with the Tengarian resistance and the Tengarian National Army. The scouts survived the war but the formation of the Tengarian Republic led to controversies under the Imperial name, resulting in the formation of a rival National Association of Tengarian Scouts. During the Tengarian Civil War, many of the Imperial Scouts fought on the side of the Patriots against the Republicans. After the war, other scouting organizations were merged into the Imperial Scouts, and supported by the Kovachev government as a means of promoting values which would develop good citizens.
The Association is internationally controversial due to the informal but close political connexions which it has with the the National Rally, with many outside sources seeing it as a means of poltical indoctrination and spreading propaganda. In addition, there have been that the Imperial Scouts use unethical methods to increase its membership. The Imperial Scouts have also been accused of giving its members unfair advantages in certain things such as government appointments and university applications over non-members. Due to its international controversies, it was expelled from the World Scouting Organisation in 1984.
History
Organisation
National Leadership
The headquarters of the Imperial Scouts is based in the city of Istros, in a complex of buildings known as Scouting Plaza. The chief executive of the Association is the Supreme Scout Commander, who is the head of the Scouting Command Corps, the executive department of the Imperial Scouts and chief organisational head. Geto Bistrov has been Supreme Scout Commander since his appointment in 2013. Assisting the Supreme Scout Commander is the Command Council, composed of various heads and regional representatives of the Scouts. Under them exist an administrative structure which oversees the operation, organisation and funding of the various scouting groups across the nation. The Command Corps is responsible for managing the general affairs of all branches of the Imperial Scouts and all the property and activities associated with the branches. In addition to the de facto leadership of the Supreme Commander, the Imperial claimant, currently Vasil Prostov, bears the title of Chief Scout, while the President of Tengaria is always designated as an Honorary Commander.
Structure
The Association of Imperial Scouts is divided into three large subgroups known as corps, each which are reflective of different age groupings and development. Apart from these, the Scouting Command Corps is a fourth constituent corps but is largely considered distinct because of its oversight and leadership role.
The first corps is the Imperial Explorers Corps (Имперски Изследователи корпус or Imperski Izsledovateli Korpus), made up of boys from about 6 to 9 years old. The Explorers were founded as a subdivision of the Scouts for boys who were too young to join. Generally more relaxed than the other two, it usually focuses around family centred activities, giving the boys scouting experience before graduating to being full scouts with more leadership responsibilities.
The Imperial Scouts Corps (Имперски скаути корпус or Imperski Skauti Korpus), made up of boys from ages 10 to 17, is the oldest and principal organ of the Association. It focuses on the development of the moral, spiritual and physical development of young men through outdoor activities, educational oppurtunities, and community service. The scouts has a heavy emphasis on patriotism as well as duty to God. The scouts have a ranking system, based on the old Imperial military system, which one can advance in through, and has special awards given to those who complete certain achievements or demostrate proficiency in certain areas.
The third and final corps Imperial Outriders Corps (Имперски Аутрайдъри корпус or Imperski Autraĭdŭri Korpus), comprised of young men aged 18 to 25. Originally designed as a way of countinuing scouting activities and development for young adult men, after the Civil War the Outriders became a prominent young adult organization, branching out from just outdoorsmanship to expand to other social areas, with a focus on founding patriotic families. For this reason, the outriders also work in coordination with the senior branches of the Tengarian Young Women's Guild to plan joint activities. Those who continue on as Outriders are likely to see expediated recruitment or employment from the military, government or other job oppurtunities.
Each corps is divided into national-level Divisions, which are further divided into multiple regional-level Regiments. Leadership structure exist at both of these levels, and deal with the administrative affairs of the scouts in their jurisdictions, holding special events at the Divisional and Regimental level. Although there are nominally different subdivisions of each of the different corps, de facto the leadership is centralised and the divisional and regimental jursidictions are almost always coextensive across corps-levels. Under the regiments, local chapters, known as Companies, function as the main units which scouts normally experience. Each company is further divided into Squadrons, usually made up of men of the same age. In addition to the scouts themselves, adult men take leadership roles within the scouts
Ranks and Scout Leadership
In the Imperial Scouts, there exist certain ranks which are reflective of the level of achievement and excellence which the Scout has earned during his time. Ranks themselves do not garuntee leadership responsibilities within a company, and in the Scouts Corps and Outrider Corps
Imperial Explorers
Ranks in the Explorer Corps are based soley upon age, and each Explorer advances to the next rank yearly.
• Explorer (изследовател or Izsledovatel): Ages 6-7
• Pathfinder (пътеводител or Pŭtevoditel): Age 7-8
• Hunter (ловец or Lovets): Age 8-9
• Seeker (Търсач or Tŭrsach): Age 9-10
Imperial Scouts
Ranks based on achievement are as follows:
• Junior Scout (Младши Скаутски or Mladshi Skaut)
• Scout Cadet (Скаутски кадет or Skaut Kadet)
• Scout (Скаутски or Skaut)
• Scout Soldier (Скаутски войникSkaut Voĭnik
• Advanced Scout (напреднал Скаутски or Nnaprednal Skaut)
• Senior Scout (Старши Скаутски or Starshi Skaut)
Leadership positions within a Company include:
• Scout Sergeant (Скаутски Сержант or Skaut Serzhant): Head of a Squadron. May also have another squadmate designated as Scout Corporal (Скаутски Капрал or Skaut Kapral) to assist him.
• Scout Lieutenant (Скаутски Лейтенант or Skaut Leytenant)
• Scout Captain (Скаутски Капитан or Skaut Kapitan)
Imperial Outriders
In the outriders, ranks carry with them not a suggestion of merit
• Outrider (Аутрайдър or Autraĭdŭr)
• Outrider Sergeant (Аутрайдър Сержант or Autraĭdŭr Serzhant)
• Outrider Lieutenant (Аутрайдър Лейтенант or Autraĭdŭr Leytenant)
• Outrider Captain (Аутрайдър Капитан or Autraĭdŭr Kapitan)
Ideals and Responsibilities
Symbols and Traditions
Imperial Scout Law and Oath
Inspired by the Scout Law and Scout Promise in other Scouting traditions, Imperial Scouts agree to abide by and uphold the following law and regularly recite the Oath.