Service stars for former Tigers/yellow back?

[TraceyK]

Okay, I'm only a year into active duty as my son's pack's awards chairperson and I'm stumped.

 

In the past, I think the Tigers have gotten service stars on orange backs. Wolves thru Webelos got stars with yellow backs and the number count started over again at Year 1. So a boy with 3 years of Scouting, beginning with Tigers, would have both a star with an orange back and a number 2 star with a yellow back.

 

However, when I tried to buy more orange backs at the Scout store, it no longer sold them. So I bought the "Insignia Guide: 2002-2004" booklet. It states that yellow backs are for "youth Cub Scouting (Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, Webelos Scouts)." The numbered stars represent the number of years in each "phase of Scouting" (phase represented by a specific color).

 

Somebody help me out here!! Does this mean that from now on the Tiger year counts in the total number of years and the boys only get one star with a yellow background?

 

What about those boys that have already have an orange-backed Tiger star from the "old system"? Should their yellow star should not include the Tiger Year, since they are wearing both on their uniform?

 

How long have Tigers been around anyway? Our den leaders seem equally confused on this issue.

 

[Bob White]

Hard to believe but I believe Tigers is twenty years old this year. it has been a program in development ever since it began.

 

As far as the stars, scouts that already have the orange backing may continue to wear it with a 1-year star on it. Then on the yellow backing they would count the years as a youth in cubbing MINUS the one year on the tiger star. An option for them would be to do as the current cubs do and tha is to wear all cub years including tiger on a yellow backed star.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[LauraT7]

I see service stars in the Scout catalogue, and some of the boys in our troop wear them from their cub days, some do not.

 

Are they "awarded"? is this something that is usually done by the troop / pack?

 

If your troop or pack has not done this, can you just order the pins on your own and wear them? My son has been in since Tigers and is now in 7th grade - I had year pins as a girl scout and was (and AM!) very proud of my 10 and 15 yr pins - I think kids (& adults) should be recognised for the time they stick with the program - even if their troop doesn't.

[Twocubdad]

I understand that Tigers are now being fully folded into Cubs and that the orange backers will no longer be awarded to future Tigers. BUT, there are 20 years worth of Tiger Cubs out there who did earn the right to wear the orange star for the rest of their Scouting lives. As Boy Scouts and adults, the orange star is the only recognition they can wear that they participated in the program.

 

Is it really that big of a deal for national to continue stocking them? It's not like there is a huge cost associated with carrying them.

[ExperiencedUniforms]

Hi Laura:

 

The service stars may be awarded by the unit, or the Scout may purchase them for themselves. It depends on the unit, and the amount of funds available. Some units recognize all of the Scouts at an annual meeting, perhaps during the Charter presentation, or on an anniversary of the Scout joining the unit. Some may present them at fall round-up to recognize the Scouters for their service. It should be a time to publically recognize the dedication of the Scout.

 

I have a few available @ no charge. If you are interested, Click on "Send Private Message, and let me know what year you are looking for.

 

Hi Twocubdad:

 

I think that supply wants to streamline their inventory, and it also helps keep the uniform less cluttered. They used to have the Pack numbers in blue and yellow, and changed to white on red to save a few cents. They also changed from providing individual community strips to council strips. This helped reduce waste and other logistical problems. I imagine that a few orange backs will turn up on online auctions, or they can be fabricated from orange plastic.

 

Keep on Scoutin' ora

[TraceyK]

Laura:

 

I agree. Kids and adults should be publicly recognized for their service.

 

Our pack awards the service pins in the spring (to represent the year just completed). We also award stars with blue backs to all the leaders in recognition of their service. We tried to recycle the old stars (since the boys no longer wear them) to save money but that didn't work very well. Only a few turned in their old stars. Oh well...