Leadership headquarters

Commanders

Apply to Be a Commander

The Commander Table

Chapter 01 · Development roadmap

From Trainee to Commander

Per Class Commission$0
01
Trainee Commander
Advancement depends on performance and meeting the requirements for the next position.
- Complete the required background check before working with soldiers.
- Take the Commander's Oath and review the Novice preparation lessons.
- Maintain a direct emergency contact line and follow the class coverage plan.
Per Class Commission$12
02
Assistant Commander
Advancement depends on performance and meeting the requirements for the next position.
- Backup Commanders fall in this category.
- Complete and maintain the required background check.
- Serve under the class Commander or Vice Commander.
- Use the attendance and backup procedures in this chapter.
Per Class Commission$18
03
Vice Commander
Advancement depends on performance and meeting the requirements for the next position.
- Be at least 16 years old and hold at least Novice rank.
- Complete and maintain the required background check.
- Complete the program's contractor onboarding process.
- Take the Commander's Oath, review the Novice preparation lessons, and maintain a direct emergency contact line.
Per Class Commission$25
04
Commander
Lead a class, supervise developing leaders, and uphold the program's standards for safety, conduct, communication, and coverage.
- Attend every day, Monday through Thursday.
- Be at least 18 years of age before serving in a Commander role.
- Complete and maintain the program's required background check before serving.
- Complete the program's contractor onboarding process before accepting a paid Commander role.
- Take the Commander's Oath and review the lessons used to prepare soldiers for Novice rank.
- Maintain a reliable direct line of contact for emergencies and last-minute class coordination.

Chapter 03 · Commander policy

Commander Standards

Working policy · approval pending

Minimum standards

Before serving

01
Be at least 18 years of age before serving in a Commander role.
02
Complete and maintain the program's required background check before serving.
03
Complete the program's contractor onboarding process before accepting a paid Commander role.
04
Take the Commander's Oath and review the lessons used to prepare soldiers for Novice rank.
05
Maintain a reliable direct line of contact for emergencies and last-minute class coordination.
06
Use calm, respectful, age-appropriate language. Profanity, insults, threats, and demeaning comments are not permitted.

Class operations

Coverage and cleanup duty

01
Before each semester, assign a primary leader, a first backup, and a second backup for every Commander duty.
02
A leader who may miss class contacts the lead Commander and the named backups as early as possible. Coverage is confirmed before class.
03
At formation, the lead Commander designates one background-checked adult leader as Trail Steward to carry a garbage bag and collect litter during the march. The first backup assumes the duty if needed.
04
A staffing shortage that leaves a troop without approved leadership must be escalated before class activities begin.

View Commander records

Chapter 04 · Attendance policy drafts

Reliable leaders. Clear notice.

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Commander attendance policy

Keep every class safely staffed and give backups enough time to respond.

Excused

Illness, injury, family emergency, unsafe travel, or another conflict approved by the lead Commander.
Notice is given as early as reasonably possible and the leader follows the backup-contact procedure.

Unexcused

A no-show, avoidable late cancellation without notice, or repeated lateness that leaves the class uncovered.
Failure to contact the lead Commander and assigned backups when contact was reasonably possible.

Response still to approve

Exact notice windows, documentation, progressive consequences, and reinstatement steps remain open for approval.

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Captain attendance policy

Help student leaders practice reliability while recognizing that families control transportation and scheduling.

Excused

Illness, injury, family emergency, school commitment, transportation problem, or another conflict communicated by a parent or guardian.
The family provides notice before class whenever reasonably possible.

Unexcused

An absence without parent or guardian notice, or repeated lateness without communication.

Response still to approve

A missed leadership assignment may be reassigned for that class. Coaching, retraining, and any effect on the Captain role still require final approval.

Chapter 05 · Before public approval

The Commander's Desk

01
Write the exact Soldier Oath. The videos describe its purpose, but do not state the complete oath.
02
Approve one permanent sentence for the legal sword strike zone, including the knee boundary and the ducking exception.
03
Supply the complete Fruit Ninja setup, scoring, elimination, and win conditions.
04
Supply the full Ring of Fire setup and victory condition outside of one-on-one duels.
05
Confirm whether the Novice approval letter is a standing requirement or was specific to Spring 2026.
06
Confirm whether the designated lunchroom and lake instructions apply at every location.
07
Confirm the exact spoken labels for the ranked Line Up and Fall In formations.
08
Confirm who is invited to bestow an earned rank at the end-of-semester ceremony.
09
Approve the final background-check process, renewal schedule, and record owner for all Commander roles.
10
Confirm the legal and tax review for paid contractor roles before the Vice Commander roadmap is enforced.
11
Approve the final Assistant Commander role, experience requirements, compensation status, and advancement path.
12
Approve the final Commander and Captain attendance notice windows, consequences, and reinstatement steps.
13
Approve the Soldier Discipline, Troop Banner, Troop Naming, Parent, and Student Behavior policies before they are enforced.

Chapter 06 · Adult leadership application

Apply to lead

This application is for prospective leaders age 16 and older who want to prepare for a Commander or Vice Commander role. It is not a child class-registration form.

Looking to enroll a child? Youth registration is handled separately on the current-semester page.

Open leadership application Go to youth registration