BDU and Uniforms

[OldGreyEagle]

Butt, back the task at hand. I cant reconcile parents who moan at the uniform price, but dont balk at replacing soccer shin guards, soccer cleated shoes, hockey shoulder pads, etc with every passing season.

[Bob White]

All in all a correct scout uniform is probably the most cost effective purchase you can make.

 

A complete uniform runs about $75. Worn an average of once a week for a 3 year life span that is a cost of just .48 a week to wear one of the most identifiable uniforms in the world, and to show that you are a proud member of the worlds largest youth organization.

 

Sure you want it to cost less, heck wouldn't you like everything to cost less? You want it different, your welcome to your opinion but remember no matter whose idea of a uniform we adopt you will not please all the members. You'll be lucky to completely please even half. We are such a huge organization and there are so mant divurgent opinions (and so many whiners) that you can't win. The uniform has had many variations, and it will have many more. Be patient, it will change someday and you will have all new things to complain about.

 

Bob White

[SR540Beaver]

Bob,

 

You are correct. But, who decides the uniform and what process and compromise goes into it. I don't really have an issue with any of the uniform except the pants. I've yet to hear anyone who REALLY likes them. They are cut to slim with no room for comfort and they are binding. And the two tiny flat pockets on the frnt are basically useless. They look like they are for show only. Something like, "hey let's make the kids feel big and give them something that looks like a uniform, but it doesn't need to actually function like a real uniform". The color is right for a uniform and the extra pockets are right for a uniform. But God forbid that they can stand up to the rigors of the field and give an outdoorsman living in them for a week in the bush any comfort. One would think that the BSA is more concerned with a million pairs in inventory than giving a scout something he can get proper use out of.

[Zorn Packte]

OGE, it would require an extreme effort to be more sesquipedalian than you.

 

Something that amuses me is that the handouts that come home from my kids' school often, if not always, have egregious spelling and grammatical errors. A friend, who writes for a living, recently nearly became homicidal when his son turned in an essay and the teacher handed it back with corrections were flawed both syntactically and grammatically.

[Bob White]

kwc57,

Read about when the field uniform is supposed to be worn in the Boy Scout Handbook. It is not an activty uniform. It is not for camping, backpacking, caving, water activities, winter camp.

It's for formal occasions, ceremomies, parades, appropriate troop meetings,etc. Don't wear it camping it's the wrong apparel. Don't stuff your pockets for a parade or Court of Honor.

 

You don't hear a lot of people on bulletin boards praising the uniform because there is no sport in that. BBs seem to be the nesting ground for more complainers than supporters on almost any topic. This board is no exception. There are far more posters who don't like or don't follow the scouting program than ones that do.

[yaworski]

Bob,

 

For bumming around, mowing the lawn and general grunginess I wear Dickies work trousers. I don't wear jeans because I think that jeans on someone of my size is an affront to nature. I pay about $15 a pair for Dickies and they survive about 50 or 60 washings before they become shapeless. They don't wear out, they just cease to look nice. Now, that's quality and value.

 

For kwc57,

 

Much of comfort is what you get used to. Remember when we wore skin tight jeans? They were comfortable and we had no trouble moving in them. Scout trousers are cut the way that my tailor would say that trousers are supposed to be cut, not like big sacks of burlap. A Scotsman finds a kilt comfortable, I find them unnerving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob White]

In that case Yaworski if the BSA ever decides to have a uniform that looks grungy and bum-like I'm sure they will look to you as a role model and incorporate Dickies into the uniform. Somehow I don't see that happening.

 

[yaworski]

"Bob," the ironic thing is that $40 dockers don't look any better than Dickies. Even more ironic is that a year old pair of Dickies still looks better than a brand new pair of Scout pants.

 

Say what you want, "Bob," I'll match my sartorial splendor with yours any day of the week. We can meet and have it out with gabardine suits at 20 paces.

 

You see, "Bob," I am what some call a clothes horse, when I was younger some called me a "Beau Brummell." I have ties that cost more than your entire uniform. I know quality clothing. Quality can cost a lot or quality can cost very little. I know that BSA's uniforms are unmitigated crap.

 

BTW, you really need to develop a better command of the English language. Your homework for today is to two things. First, find out what "bumming around" means. Secondly, go to a decent store and look at $40 or $50 shirt and compare it to a Scout shirt.

[Bob White]

I do not doubt for an instant that your knowledge of crap far exceeds that of any other poster on this board.

 

Bob White

[OldGreyEagle]

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones...

Those who live by the sword die by the sword..

He who is without sin may cast the first stone..

 

Zorn

 

"...with corrections were flawed both syntactically and grammatically..."

 

While I also often have difficulty with the usage of the words "that" or "which", I normally include at least one of them when they are needed. Being a perfect poster is an arduous task, but then I am sure this is something of which you are eminently aware of.

 

"Oh, feel free to point out my grammatical errors" said OGE rhetorically.

[Zorn Packte]

While I also often have difficulty with the usage of the words "that" or "which",

 

At least I use the correct homophones.

[Zorn Packte]

Hey, there was supposed to be a :-) at the end of my last post. Where'd it go?

 

BTW OGE, one should not use 'lexis' to describe a personal vocabulary.

[denver4und@aol.com]

The reason that most boys give for wearing something other than official BSA pants or shorts is the same reason that most adults give -- they don't fit, won't wear under hard use, and never clean up well. I'll never figure out national -- using a french fashion designer to come up with cargo pockets that won't hold anything! Or a waistline and seat system that doesn't fit most americans.

 

Anyway, BDU's are a bad idea because they are military uniform parts (sorry hunters). But we encourage our guys to wear jeans. They wash, they wear and the kids will wear them.

 

AS for Bob's message. Yes, no unit can change the uniform. But in the real world all unit's make decisions about what parts of the uniform to use for events, activities, camping, etc.

 

yis, jim

[le Voyageur]

 

Spent the weekend at our OA fall fellowship where BDU's seem to be the norm now. Nothing like seeing someone awarded Vigil not only in an incomplete uniform, but an inappropriate one too...

But to be fair, I wasn't in the traditional uniform either, however, what I was wearing was the "uniform" for our Venture crew; which brings me to my next question...what's to keep a Venture crew from selecting BDU's as their "uniform"???

[k9gold-scout]

Venture crews can pick their own uniforms even BDU in solid colors but still no camo.