Terms and Style Items - "R"

raingutter regatta
A pack activity that involves making and racing model boats. Combinations: "Pack 1 Raingutter Regatta," "the raingutter regatta."

ranger
See "camp ranger."

Ranger Award
The Venturing Ranger Award is available to all Venturers. The purpose of the award is to encourage Venturers to achieve high levels of outdoor skills proficiency and to provide a pathway for outdoor/high-adventure skills training. Once earned, the Ranger Award will identify a Venturer as someone who is skilled at a variety of outdoor sports and interest, is trained in outdoor safety, and is ready to assist others in activities.

ranges
The form: "$12 million to $14 million." Not: "$12 to $14 million."

rank
The six Cub Scout ranks are Bobcat, Tiger Cub, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and Arrow of Light Award. There are six ranks for Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts: Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and Eagle Scout. The Sea Scouting ranks are Apprentice, Ordinary, Able, and Quartermaster. Combinations: "First Class rank," "Star Scout."

ratios
Use figures and hyphens: "the ratio was 2-to-1," "a ratio of 2-to-1," "a 2-1 ratio." As illustrated, the word "to" should be omitted when the numbers precede the word "ratio." Always use the word "ratio" or a phrase such as "a 2-1 majority" to avoid confusion with actual figures.

recharter
Avoid the use of this term; use "to renew a charter." See "charter."

Red Arrow Award
A recognition given by the national Order of the Arrow committee to non-Arrowmen for outstanding service to the OA.

region
(1) One of four geographical administrative units of the BSA: Northeast Region, Southern Region, Central Region, and Western Region. There are regional service centers, regional directors, regional staffs, regional presidents, and regional committee members. (2) The World Organization of the Scout Movement has six regions. See "World Scout Bureau." Do not capitalize "region" when used alone. When referring to obsolete regional designations, use numerals: Region 2, Region 12.

regional committee
Consists of all National Council representatives (local council representatives and members at large), council presidents, and council commissioners in the region. Meets annually to elect regional officers.

regional president
The ranking elected volunteer officer in a region who heads the regional committee and cabinet and is an ex officio member of the National Executive Board.

regional staff
Professional Scouters on the national staff who work out of a regional service center. This includes the regional director, assistant regional directors, area directors, and associate regional directors.

registered member
Annually, every youth and adult who wants to join or continue membership in the Boy Scouts of America must submit a completed application form or reregister and pay an annual registration fee. Membership is a privilege, not a right. See "College Scouter Reserve," "Scouters' Reserve," "tenure," and "veteran."

relationships conference
A special meeting of heads of chartered organizations, chartered organization representatives, and council officers.

religious emblems program
Various religious organizations have designed requirements and procedures for participants in this Scouting program to earn the religious emblem of their faith.

Religious Principle, Declaration of
The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no person can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, acknowledges the religious element in the development of youth members. However, the BSA is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious development. Its policy is that the organization or institution with which youth members are connected shall give definite attention to their religious life. Only adults willing to subscribe to this declaration of principle and the Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America shall be entitled to certificates of leadership.

Religious Society of Friends
The formal name for Quakers, which may be used in references to members of this denomination.

Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Obsolete term. The church changed its name in 2001 to Community of Christ. Not correctly described as a Mormon church.

Report to the Nation
The printed BSA annual Report to the Nation is presented to the president of the United States, both houses of Congress, and other government officials each February by a selected delegation of youth members and their advisers.

representative membership
When the youth membership in a council or district reflects proportionately the characteristics of that community's youth population.

resident camping
A council-organized, theme-oriented, overnight camping program for Cub Scouts or Webelos Scouts that operates for at least two nights and is conducted under trained leadership at a camp approved by the council.

retention
The term used to describe the percentage of boys who move from one phase of the Scouting program to another, such as from Cub Scouting into Boy Scouting.

rifle
See "weapons."

Roman numerals
They use letters ("I," "X," etc.) to express numbers. Use Roman numerals for wars and to establish personal sequence for people and animals: "World War I," "Native Dancer II," "King George V," "Pope John XXIII," "John Jones III." (Note: Do not precede the numeral by a comma.)

roundtable
An event conducted by a roundtable commissioner and roundtable staff to help the unit leadership of a district plan and carry out their own unit programs.

roundup
An organized fall recruiting plan during which members invite others to join a Scouting unit.

Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America
Article I of the Bylaws of the Boy Scouts of America states, "the [National] Executive Board may establish and amend Rules and Regulations for the further governance and guidance of the Boy Scouts of America including its local councils and affiliates." Italicize or underscore only if reference is obviously to the published booklet, Rules and Regulations of the Boy Scouts of America.

Rural Emphasis program
This program was merged with Urban Emphasis in 1998 to form the Scoutreach Division. See "Scoutreach Division."