The Trappers Brigade is a service aspect of FCF that promotes the active and ongoing involvement of FCF members in service to their outpost, church, community and world. There are 3 sequential levels of recognition, Company Trapper, Bourgeois and Free Trapper. To attain each level, members must accumulate the required number of hours in each of the five categories — Outpost, Church, Community, Missions, and Other. Hours are cumulative and can be carried from year to year. It is essential that you track and submit your service hours because they are calculated in the formula to determine whether your chapter is a one, two, three, four or five star chapter.  

 To attain Company Trapper status, a member must accumulate a minimum of 5 hours in each of the 5 areas (Outpost, Church, Community, Missions, and Other) plus 20 additional hours in any combination of the 5 areas for a total of 40 hours of service.  

 To attain Bourgeois Trapper status, a member must accumulate a minimum of 5 additional hours in each of the  5 areas (Outpost, Church, Community, Missions, and Other) plus 20 additional hours in any combination of the 5 areas  for a total of 80 hours (Company Trapper plus 40 more) of service.  

 To attain Free Trapper status, a member must accumulate a minimum of 5 additional hours in each of the   5 areas (Outpost, Church, Community, Missions, and Other) plus 20 additional hours in any combination of the 5 areas  for a total of 120 hours (Company Trapper plus Bourgeois Trapper plus 40 more) of service.  

 Each additional 40 hours above Free Trapper earns a numeral that is placed on the Free Trapper pin. The numeral represents the number of times Free Trapper status has been attained. Qualifying service hours equal time volunteered—excluding travel time. All service hours are cumulative. 

For example, let’s say you are brand new to FCF  and you have volunteered 45 service hours total. And let’s say that 20 of your service hours are in your Outpost, 15 hours are in your Church, and 5 hours in Other but only 3 hours are in Community and 2 hours are in Missions. The Company Trapper status will not be awarded because an additional 2 hours are needed for Community and 3 hours for Missions. In 2018, you volunteered another 30 service hours. Lets say 5 of your service hours are in your Outpost, 10 hours are in Community,  5 hours are in Other and 10 hours are in Missions. The total of your service hours for 2017 and 2018 is now 65. You now have 25 service hours in your Outpost, 15 hours in your Church, 13 hours in Community and 12 hours in Missions and 10 hours in Other. You now exceed the minimum requirements for Company Trapper and are well on your way to earning Bourgeois status!  

 Now available at the App Store is the new FCF Service Tracking App. Download the app and keep track of your Trappers Brigade service hours on your smartphone or your iPad. All the data is tracked in the National Office and shared with your Chapter leadership. There is also a confirmation process for verification. Download the app and try it out!  

Any Royal Ranger or other person of valuable related skills can participate in Pathfinders projects provided he meets the following qualifications:

• Be approved by his pastor
• Be at least twelve years of age to participate in U.S. Missions projects, and at least fourteen years of age to participate in world missions projects 

Pathfinder Missions is a Royal Rangers missions construction program intended to use the many skills of Rangers to provide work teams in places where other missions teams are unable or unwilling to go. Pathfinders projects are classified into three categories based on the difficulty of the project—bronze, silver, and gold.

Pathfinders provides teams to meet various construction needs through Assemblies of God U.S. Missions [U.S. Mission America Placement Service (U.S. MAPS)] and Assemblies of God World Missions [Builder’s International]. Bronze trips are held in the United States, while silver and gold trips occur overseas.

Project Levels

Each Pathfinder Missions project is classified into one of three categories—bronze, silver, or gold—based on the expected difficulty level of the project. Bronze-level trips are the least difficult and gold-level trips are the most difficult. 

Royal Rangers who participate in a Pathfinders trip may receive the Pathfinders Award, represented by a bronze, silver, or gold triangle insignia indicating the level of project completed. The pin may be worn on the Royal Rangers uniform, over the left pocket and above the award ribbons. Only one such insignia may be worn on the uniform at one time. Members who have participated in multiple projects may choose which insignia to wear. Project participants who are not Royal Rangers may wear the insignia as a lapel pin or hat pin. 

Bronze-level projects are approved Assemblies of God U.S. Missions projects taking place within the United States. These projects represent the least difficult level of project and are suitable as outpost projects to get boys directly involved in missions work. To qualify as a bronze-level project, the following qualifications must be met:

• The project must be approved by the national Pathfinder Missions committee.
• The project must be approved by U.S. MAPS and be given a project number to track funds and teams designated to that project. Projects originating from non-AG churches may seek project approval from their own denomination’s domestic missions department.
• The project must take place outside the local church’s district and be at least three days in duration, not including travel time. Some projects relating to disaster relief efforts within the home district may also qualify as bronze-level trips if approved by the national Pathfinder Missions committee.

Silver-level projects are approved Assemblies of God World Missions projects taking place outside the United States. To qualify as a silver-level project, the following qualifications must be met:

• The project must be approved by the national Pathfinder Missions committee.
• The project must be approved by AGWM Builder’s International and be given a project number to track funds and teams designated to that project. Projects originating from non-AG churches may seek project approval from their own denomination’s world missions department.
• The project must take place outside the United States and be at least three days in duration, not including travel time. These projects may take place in developed areas with relatively easy access, electricity, and modern facilities.

 Gold-level projects are Assemblies of God World Missions projects that have the highest degree of difficulty to complete. These projects require significant effort, and may include hiking, backpacking, boating, or canoeing to remote locations that may not have electricity or other modern facilities. The primary difference between a silver- and gold-level project is ease of access and work conditions. Gold-level projects are those that few teams choose to undertake due to the difficulty of getting there and the demanding conditions involved. To qualify as a gold-level project, the following qualifications must be met:

• The project must be approved by the national Pathfinder Missions committee.
• The project must be approved by Assemblies of God World Missions Builder’s International and be given a project number to track funds and teams designated to that project. Projects originating from non-AG churches may seek project approval from their own denomination’s world missions department.
• The project must take place outside the United States and be at least five days in duration, not including travel time. The project must take place in a remote area and present challenges that would prevent the average team from participating. Examples of challenges might include the lack of electricity and the inability to use power tools; a remote island with harsh weather conditions; the lack of modern facilities such as housing, showers, or restrooms; teams have to sleep in tents; and teams must hike or boat into the backcountry to reach the project site.

For more information concerning upcoming Pathfinder trips visit PathfinderMissions.com. 

Note: Non-AG outposts should contact their denominational missions agency to participate in equivalent programs for receiving credit.