BPwannabe@137

I always wear my campaign hat, but I am not a real fan of pants in general. I just wear my shirts long and my stockings high. Saves money on pants, belt, and belt buckle! Sure I get complaints for other scouts and scouters, and am always being picked up by the local constabulary, but hey, I just don't like pants.

I haven't been around for a few months and I check the topics to find my favorite topic-uniforms! I agree with all that the pants are the biggest problem. Personally, I prefer straight leg trousers with no pockets. Have several in my collection from the 1950-current and like them all. Guess I don;t have much of a figure. I must admit I do own a pair of the new venture pants and love them. Problem is the price. Design venture pants in dark green for scouts but cut the price in half and that might be an incentive for complete uniforms. However, there are those that don;t want to be told what to do. They don't like to be part of a "team" for fear of losing their individuality. Case in point: I asked all the leaders in my pack to be in complete uniform. Male leaders wear required to wear offical trousers. They complained about the price. So I went out and found Target and Kohls both sold olive green dockers, baggy yet dressy and looked like the official pants for 11.99. (Two coffees from Starbucks?) No one bought them. They then complained that they did not like the dockers style but wanted to wear jeans. I then offered to them forest green uniform jeans from my job at 15.99 a pair. Again no takers. Finally one of the dads just said that they don;t want to look like scouts, and thats why they are wearing blue jeans. Don;t want to look like scouts?? Then why bother I would like to see the BSA redesign the pants, but I hope they don't throw the baby out with the bath water, and go to fast food style uniforms.

Dan, Why I do declare, I think I have been insulted !!!!

My wife is expecting our fifth child in April. My wish is that we are blessed again with a healthy child. Happy Holidays to all.

I have an offical BSA whistle. Usually wear it suspended from my pocket button too. What do I as a cubmaster use it for? Sports events, relay races, parade drill, and falling the boys in when they are spread out over a large area. Otherwise scout sign does the trick all the time. The other stuff described-lazer tag?? Whats up with that??

Knots are cool. 'Nuff said.

I too recieved a lashing from Bob White (actually I was tag teamed by him and Eammon). However, that is the nature of the beast. This is a public forum and we are all expressing our freedom of speech, or press, or whatever you call this. Come on back Mr. Bob.

Sept. 1979, my first camping trip, Alpine Scout Camp, NJ. Camp Ranger found an injured baby fox. Had it wrapped up in his coat and was showing us. Thought that this whole scouting thing would be kinda fun. Stayed around ever since.

Call me vane (or is it vain??) but I like wearing my knots. I have not earned my woodbadge yet but when I see someone wearing their beads, I think it really cool. We have several scouters in the district that have a "salad bar" of four rows. Looks good to me. I know some people say that they are showing off but to me and some of my fellow scouters, it inspires me to go to training. Yes the program is for the boys but if we are not all boys (and some of us girls) at heart, then why are we still scouting? Rows of knots and beads does not mean to me a showoff-rather a person who is dedicated and involved. Now to really go against the flow, I have some older uniforms (all wool) that all I wear is my knots and a name plate with my name and position. Looks pretty cool too, at least in the eye of the beholder. As cubmaster, many of my cubs ask me what the knots stand for. When the boys recieve thier religious medals, and they earn a knot, they thinks its great that they are wearing something that I have too. The same interest goes for my OA lodge flap and service stars (all my boys wear stars too). I feel that knots and beads are up to the wearer (much like the military rules about medals): wear what you want, just wear them right. One final note. I was training my new den leaders and told them to use the den leader award application as a guide for applying what they learned in training. One they stated, "You mean that we get stuff too!" She was very excited about a little knot patch. And i was excited to have a dedicated and interested leader. Just my 5 cents worth.

My cubs and webeloes try that already. Without making a big deal, I just point and say, "Fix that cap." They get the message.

Fuzzy Bear, Actually, when I was a Sea Explorer, our work uniform was a white t shirt, blue jeans, and a dixie cup hat with the Sea Explorer Anchor insignia sewn on. Boots or sneakers as needed (and sometimes bear feet). Great uniform for its purpose and it is "traditional". (However, for meetings, Bridge of Honor, parades, ect. we had dress blue crackerjacks) PS-in the work uniform, we did roll a pack of cigs in the sleeve. The left brest pocket on the jumper worked well for a cig pack too. Really ticked the skipper off !

ne-iv-165, dittos on the neckerchef. Scouts are supposed to wear one as a piece of equipment, not costume. Ever try to do some of the "traditonal" uses of a neckerchef with a modern one?? Funny thing happened the other day (well not really funny but I like the expression). I was going through my new scoutmaster handbook and looking at the pictures (I havn't mastered the reading part yet). I remember saying to myself how good the leaders looked in their uniforms. Now, as some of you know, 90% of the time I wear 1960's and 70's uniforms because I like the cut and color. But the current tan and greens looked really good. Then it dawned on me. The uniforms were clean and not overpatched. I even think that most of the subjects had the patches in the right postions!! (now watch, lets see who can find a mistake). Check out the scoutleader towards the back of the book. He is wearing an offical OD necktie, and looks darn good too!! Moral of the story...I forgot.

I think adding some of these requirements to the quality unit award is the way to go. That patch should really mean something, and yes, make it darn difficult to attain. Last year our district did not recieve quality district for the first time in (as the old timers old me) many year. They were really, really, really upset. talked about it for months. The district failed on recruitment and webeloes to scout transitions (not to sure if it was a numbers or paperwork mistake). Anyway, they turned around and really are correcting their mistakes. They took the quality patch (award) for granted. I think many of us do too. Change the requirements. Make a quality troop really a quality troop!

My troops policy was: Uniforms at all meetings, hikes, day trips, scout Sunday, ect. Civilian outdoors type clothing (wools, flanels, ect.) for campings trips. Only the hat was required (unless wearing a knit cap-which was required along with boots, mittens, and heavy coats for cold weather camping). Our scoutmaster required every scout and leader to have a shirt (short or long), and pants (old or new style and we did mix and match). The hat and neckerchef was required but the type was up to the boys to vote on by patrol (we were still wearing overseas caps, ball caps,and berets at the time). The PLC determined what uniform was worn for what occassion (we had troop t shirts too). It worked. We looked good. And it is how I expect my scout troop to look if I am ever given the honor of being a scoutmaster. My cub pack is not too different. I require all cubs to be in uniform for all pack meetings, pack outings, and parades. Camping trips, hikes, ice skating, ect. they can wear the t shirt and their scout cap. Leaders have the same guidelines. As cubmaster I am always in field uniform.

Did you ever notice that no matter what, it always sounds really cool in French.