Sea Scout Ship # 956

Petty Officers’ Responsibilities

Revised 19-April-2006

 

Ship Boatswain

  • Plan and conduct regular quarterdeck meetings.
  • Give leadership to all ship meetings and activities.
  • Give direction to effective communication.
  • Share responsibilities of leading the ship with your petty officers.
  • Know the needs and interests of your ship members.
  • Control the actions and behavior of ship members.
  • Set an example for ship members.
  • Represent your ship at Teen Leaders’ Council meetings and program planning conferences.
  • Participate in council, area and national Venturing events.
  • Consults with individual ship members who have problems, questions, or concerns.
  • Direct the planning of your ship program.
  • Work closely with your Skipper.
  • Appoint ship members to serve as committee chairs.
  • Recruit new members to the ship.

 

Boatswain’s Mate for Administration

  • Take over for the ship’s boatswain when necessary.
  • Support the ship boatswain and other petty officers in their leadership functions.
  • Give leadership to recruiting new members into your ship by:
    • Coordinating plans for an annual open house to invite new members to join.
    • Encouraging all ship members to bring new prospects to ship meetings and activities.
    • Following up with ship members who seem to be losing interest in the ship.
  • Admit new members into the ship. Be sure they are introduced and feel welcome.
  • Recognize the achievements of ship members.
  • Conduct opening and closing ceremonies for your ship.
  • Carry out other duties as assigned by the boatswain.

 

Boatswain’s Mate for Program

  • Support the boatswain and other petty officers in their leadership functions.
  • Collect activity ideas from your ship members by:
    • Asking ship members what they would like their ship to do.
    • Surveying ship members on their interests using the Venturing activity interest survey.
    • Evaluating ship meetings and activities after they take place.
  • Maintain an activities file of programs, activities, projects, and trips that your ship should do.
  • Keep your ship schedule up to date and be sure everybody knows what is happening.
  • Help your ship’s activity chairs plan and conduct several activities.
  • Carry out other duties as assigned by the boatswain.

 

Yeomen

  • Support the boatswain and other petty officers in their leadership functions.
  • Keep minutes of quarterdeck meetings and other ship meetings, which include group decisions and plans.
  • Remind the boatswain and other petty officers of items they agreed to do.
  • Keep membership records for your ship.
  • Supervise all your ship’s correspondence.
  • Keep all ship members informed about upcoming meetings, activities, and projects.
  • Handle all publicity.

 

Purser

  • Support the boatswain and other petty officers in their leadership functions.

  • Collect, deposit, and account for all money coming to the ship from dues, money-earning projects, and other sources.

  • Work with the adult assigned to you from the ship committee to set up a bookkeeping procedure, bank account, and money-handling methods.

  • With the help of your ship’s Skipper and petty officers, set up a budget based on the activity schedule that is being planned.

  • Make regular reports at ship’s quarterdeck meetings and unit meetings of the status of your ship’s budget and treasury.

  • Be sure that expenditures are approved by your ship petty officers and Skipper before dispersing funds.

 

Storekeeper

  • Responsible for procuring and maintaining equipment.
  • Checks in and out all equipment.
  • Keeps a complete inventory of all equipment.

 

Crew Leader (Coxswain)

  • Is responsible for the morale and conduct of the crew.
  • Leads and inspires by example.
  • Is familiar with each member’s abilities and interests and helps train each one.
  • Stimulates participation and encourages teamwork.
  • Trains his or her assistant, assigning responsibilities so that all crew members have an opportunity to lead.