About Us - National Appointments

National# 2307
Gus Pooler

National Appointment and Leadership Commendation Appointment

"Receiving a National Appointment or a Leadership Commendation Appointment is not something for which a patroller-volunteer or paid-can work or plan. A patroller does not apply for a National Appointment or Leadership Commendation Appointment or undergo a skills and knowledge evaluation. To obtain this classification, a patroller must be nominated by other patrollers who hold the same appointment for demonstrating exemplary service to the NSP.

A patroller with a National Appointment or Leadership Commendation Appointment is an individual who has demonstrated leadership, good character, diplomacy, a positive attitude, good judgment, unusual qualities of patrolling ability, a genuine desire to serve the skiing public, and extraordinary service to the National Ski Patrol.

Great care is taken to consider the nominations of only those patrollers who have met all the award criteria. An individual who receives a National Appointment or Leadership Commendation Appointment usually has served as an officer or advisor of the NSP and in the discharge of those duties has exemplified the qualities that typify the characteristics of these appointments.

The appointments should be overdue rather than premature, but tenure is never an adequate criterion. Patrollers with appointments are expected to continue to serve the NSP with exemplary service representing themselves to the skiing public as selected goodwill ambassadors of the organization. A patroller with a National Appointment or Leadership Commendation Appointment may actively participate in the nomination procedure for other National and Leadership Commendation appointments.

These appointments are for life; however if a patroller with an appointment discredits the honor of the NSP, the appointment will be revoked and the individual will be asked to relinquish the award's insignia.

Qualifications that are common to both appointments include the following. Members nominated for either appointment must have
1. Served a minimum of eight ski seasons (with a minimum of one year as senior or senior auxiliary) as an active member of the National Ski Patrol;
2. Demonstrated leadership that benefits the NSP by
(a) serving beyond patrol level, or
(b) serving two or more ski seasons as a certified instructor that is beneficial to the NSP, or by
(c) demonstrating exceptional performance as a patrol director;
3. Demonstrated leadership abilities in working with the skiing public as related to skier safety education; and
4. Never received an appointment before.

The National Appointment qualifications stipulate that the nominee must have been an active senior alpine, nordic, or snowboard patroller for at least one year before nomination. The leadership Commendation Appointment qualifications specify that nominees must have completed the senior auxiliary requirements at least one year before nomination.

The highest officer must make presentation of either of these appointments at a special occasion in attendance (a section chief or higher officer). The recipient of an appointment receives a certificate, card, pin, badge, and appointment acknowledgement card. Upon receiving the card, the appointee must sign it and mail it to the national office for the appointment and number to become valid. The appointment number is not transferable. The recipient also may have his or her number engraved on the NSP name bar."

The Ski Patroller's Manual. NSP, 1985.

The above listing is believed to be a complete listing of all known White Pass National Patrollers. Any omissions or errors are unintentional. This listing was compiled from a NSPS National Patroller tabulation provided by William Wassberg, Registrar for the Pacific Northwest Division of NSP.

The help and input of Gus Pooler and Jim Van Nostern to the compilation of this listing is deeply appreciated.

Please forward any corrections or additions to Harold Heacock

Harold Heacock
October 4, 2005