Billy Cavalry

Yes I realize the uniforms can be; and are, expensive. I hope my council is not the only place where a uniform bank is maintained, perhaps this idea can be taken and run with elsewhere. When a new scout joins a troop from Webelows his parents are allowed to take him to a conveniently located warehouse in my councils area and is given a wearable uniform. In the same way a scout is able to trade in one-for-one uniform for something that fits. The other accoutrements are usually taken care of by the gaining troop itself. Patches are also either obtained from the troop or the local scout council office. Perhaps the boys are being allowed to become discouraged by the fussing of a few squeaky wheel adults. I realize times are tough, money is tight, the scouting program has made it through tougher times in the past and even sooner, within my lifetime alone. (Remember the 1970s and that awful green handbook?) Pardon my sharpness but the scout uniform is supposed to separate the Boy Scouts from the remaining non-profits out there. Public opinion is leaning in a direction against scouting. Our organization is one of the remaining FEW that teaches the boys respect, dignity, self sufficiency and how to honor our nations flag. The Boy Scout uniform is unique in the way it allows the scouts to display their accomplishments. God knows these young men need encouragement when the current theme in our society is against that! The adult leaders need to encourage achievement and not be so overly concerned with what the reigning public opinion poll says. Perhaps this is the place to instigate a new forum topic! What if the Boy Scouts was just done away with? Just box the whole operation up and toss it away somewhere in some dusty museum. That is what the end result would be if momentum were to be given to the idea do away with [scout] uniforms. Supposing the uniforms would go first; then someone would complain about the boots or the backpacks, next it may be the subject matter the boys learn. With so much given away for no other reason except for inconvenience or a lack of pride it would be all to easy to give up the Scout Oath, Scout Law and our core values. Most revolutions take place slowly now-a-days. One House bill at a time, one Senate bill at a time another initiative placed onto a ballot and soon no one remembers their own heritage. I may not be the only one to voice my opinion in this way but I did not take time to read the previous posts. If uniforms are shelved then rank has no meaning, (what would the scouts wear the patches on?) While we are on the subject of patches; with no uniform to place them on and no rank, what is the purpose of having the young boys learn all of the knowledge that they are exposed to during a typical scouts life? A scout that is not taught to tie knots or cook over a fire will also not learn to serve in his community or his country when he grows up. {Young boys with nothing to do usually end up making their own mischief, I dare you not to do a Wikipedia search on: The Dnepropetrovsk Maniacs Днепропетровские Маньяки} I am thankful for the adults that are still involved in scouting and especially the ones who helped me when I was young. (Yes the old timers who didnt put up with my whining.) All in all; the uniform is not to identify the scout as an individual, it is to set the boy as a significant part of a whole much larger corps. As the young boy grows to be a man he is guided by the adult leaders and mimics the actions of his peers. Finally, after a few busy years looks back at some time and recognizes there is a whole group of young boys that are following in his boot steps, he is now a leader, an example. For scouting and with the military, the uniform is not for self idealization or personal benefit it is to signify inclusion in a cohesive group and identification with members of the same philosophy.