We are requesting that BSA assign a different staff advisor for BSA Vietnamese Scouting units. 

Mr. De Nguyen, a professional staff of BSA, who has been working as a liaison between BSA and Vietnamese Scouting units, mostly through member units established by the International Central Committee of Vietnamese Scouting (ICCVS), has lost the confidence of the chartered organizations, adult volunteers, parents, and scouts who he is supposed to serve. 

Over many years, De Nguyen has used BSA name and his position within BSA to create rift and conflict among members of Vietnamese Scouting units, to the point that many chartered organizations, adult volunteers, parents, and scouts are considering to leave BSA at this moment. 

Among other actions unbecoming a Scouter, he had disseminated false information about activities and programs of ICCVS, and pushed others to pursue personal attacks on adult volunteers and leaders who support the cooperation between BSA and ICCVS. 

Most recently, he tried to influence local councils’ Scout Executives to put out decrees attacking the legitimacy of ICCVS and to push for its dissolution. These decrees dictated terms that are uncommon and uncharacteristic of BSA, and to many, seems like persecution of a particular minority group, going against BSA mission to promote diversity and inclusion.

Please be reminded that ICCVS is a nonprofit organization supported by the U.S. Constitutional freedom of association, and created at the request of the leadership of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and BSA. For 35 years, ICCVS serves the continuing needs of Vietnamese Scouting overseas, and as a unified voice for Vietnamese Scouting in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the U.S. It is the same organization that over the last 35 years has helped to form numerous Scouting units and recruited thousands of scouts and volunteers for BSA across the U.S., similar to any strong partner chartered organization of the BSA. 

No BSA appointed National Vietnamese Scouting Committee (NVSC), created by De Nguyen, can replace ICCVS. ICCVS serves members of both Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of the local National Scout Organizations, not just in the U.S. but across the globe. NVSC cannot claim to represent members of GSUSA nor can it claim representation of Vietnamese Scouting outside of the U.S. We believe De Nguyen has used the establishment of NVSC to take-over programs of ICCVS in the U.S. and to claim credit for the works of ICCVS members.

BSA cannot simply listen to one professional staffer and ignore the voice of thousands of BSA chartered organization representatives, leaders, volunteers, parents, and scouts.

The rift and turmoil De Nguyen has brought upon BSA members cannot be mended.

We, as BSA Chartered Organization representatives, members, and parents, who have and are investing thousands of service hours and millions of dollars in BSA, officially request that BSA assign a different staff advisor to work with Vietnamese Scouting units.

We want a fresh start and a solid path forward as strong partners to BSA. Thank you.