opinion please - What parts of uniform are approprite to what events?

[LauraT7]

Another ASM in my troop and I were discussing how our boys never wear their badge sashes - not on Scout Sunday,not at outings, not at camp, Even to COH, where they are being awarded badges, they 'forget' - on purpose, i suspect!

 

but I found that many bring them - they just leave them in the car because they don't see other boys wearing theirs. Some of the more vocal scouts will actually tell the others that it's not appropriate to wear them! They think they are "bragging" if they wear them!

 

I don't remember "Modest" or "Humble" as part of the Scout law, so why have them if not to WEAR them?

 

the other ASM and I think they SHOULD wear them more often - And with our SM - decided we would encourage them to do so more often. We figure, if they earned badges, they SHOULD show them off - how else are their peers to know? (Court of Honors are often long lists of acheivements, not many listen and certainly few remember what was awarded - but that's a whole other discussion) not only that, but we figured that SEEING the older boys's acheivements would encourage the younger boys to work on badges as well.

 

Before we got a chance to discuss this with the boys, something came up.

 

unfortunately, we lost one of our ASM's to cancer friday - his funeral was today. He was a favorite of all the boys - a wonderful man; intellegent, caring and always willing to share and encourage the boys. The boys did a flag ceremony and were honor guards and ushers at the service. He was a special friend and mentor to my son, and to many of the boys - and I had Jon wear his badge sash - as certainly Jon would not have his rank and badges if not for this ASM's influence and help. Two other boys wore their sashes, and were told by the SPL and older boys to remove them, that they were not appropriate under the circumstances of a funeral. That it was not appropriate to brag or 'show off' at a funeral.

 

Hmm. now, a couple of months ago, our pastor's father died. He was a veteran, and pastor asked the boys to do the flag ceremony at his funeral. HE did not know the boys in the troop - this was done as a favor to the pastor, who IS very active and known to the boys.

 

In either case - to the general public, the badge sash is simply part of the uniform and a possible point of conversation. many badges would simply reflect that the boy has been a long-time or active scout. At either funeral, I don't think any person would have thought the boys were "bragging" or trying to draw attention from the deceased -

 

to scouts and scouters, the badges have individual meaning - especially at the funeral today, which was filled with scouting influence and references, I would think they were doubly important - as this man's LIFE revolved around this troop and these boys.

 

what do you think?

 

our "uniform" tends to break down in the following categories, our troop does not have a troop neckerchief:

 

100% - BSA Shirt, badge sash, BSA pants/ shorts (socks and hat optional)almost never worn by our troop

 

What I call "Camp Class A" for want of a better name - uniform shirt, uniform shorts or green shorts, scout socks. (hat optional)

 

what our troop calls "class A" - Shirt with scout pants, or appropriately colored pants / jeans. (no camoflage allowed) Scout socks if you wear green shorts. (this is what most of the boys wore to the funerals)

 

what our troop calls "class B" - troop t-shirt with logo and dark/khaki shorts / jeans

 

when is full uniform,with the badge sash appropriate? what does your troop consider 'full uniform' and when do they wear it?

 

what should be worn to the following events:

 

Scout Sunday

Scout events (district awards cermonies, etc.)

Court of Honor

Family nights

Charter organization events

non-scout funeral (attending as a troop)

Scout/ Scouter funeral

Traveling to and from troop outings(campouts, bike trips)

Day trips

community events (fairs, school recruitments nights)

fundraisers

summer camp daytime

summer Camp flag ceremonies

summer Camp meals

any other events / places I can't think of...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[purcelce]

Hope this helps:

 

Full uniform with merit badge sash for: Scout Sunday, COH, Family Nights, CO events.

 

Full unifom without merit badge sash for all other events.

 

 

Only exception would be a Scout T-shirt in place of the uniform shirt for summer camp day wear.

 

As a rule I would use the merit badge sash for "special/ceremonial events."

 

 

(This message has been edited by purcelce)

[evmori]

Ditto to purcelce!

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Eagle69]

Scout Sunday - Full Uniform including MB sash)

Scout events (district awards cermonies, etc.)

Court of Honor - Full w/sash

Family nights

Charter organization events - Full w/sash

non-scout funeral (attending as a troop)

Scout/ Scouter funeral - Full w/sash

Traveling to and from troop outings(campouts, bike trips) - whatever

Day trips - whatever/Full it depends

community events (fairs, school recruitments nights) - Full w/sash

fundraisers - Full

summer camp daytime - whatever

summer Camp flag ceremonies - appropriate

summer Camp meals - whatever/Full w-s (most camps require full for dinner)

any other events / places I can't think of...

[acco40]

Full uniform with all awards (including merit badges) to all COH, and "award type" events. This would include such items as service stars and even medals. Think of when the military wears their dress uniform. That is when a Scout should wear all his "stuff." (It is impractical I know, but medals and the knots that symbolize the earning of the medals should not be worn in tandem).

 

For Scout Sunday, parades (Memorial Day, Veterans Day, etc.) I could go either way but tend to lean toward full field uniform and leaving the sashes, medals, and pins at home (but not for Veterans).

 

Not sure what you mean by a family night so I won't comment.

 

P.S. OA members need to decide which sash to wear, both should not be worn together.

 

 

[purcelce]

OA sashes are only worn at OA functions or representing the OA (i.e. unit elections, OA tap outs at Camp).

 

 

[acco40]

You are probably correct but I know I've seen OA sashes at Eagle events, troop COHs, etc.

[hops_scout]

I believe somebody tell me recently that the sash will mess up the way a flag carrier works or something like that therefore they are not to be worn for parades,etc

 

Dont know for sure, just what I have been told.

[dsteele]

The only specific that comes to mind is that it is not acceptable for a Scout to wear his merit badge sash at the same time as the OA sash. Neither sash is to be worn over the belt.

 

I don't think a kid with more brains than ego would wear his merit badge sash to the troop car wash, but there's nothing from national to prevent him from doing so if he wishes.

 

DS

[Twocubdad]

As a Scout, I had the sad honor of serving as a pall bearer for my Philmont crew chief. His dad, a Scoutmaster, asked the crew members to serve as there weren't enough older boys in their home troop for the task. Everyone wore full uniform, including merit badge sashes and medals. As I recall, several of us scrambled to buy new uniform parts and most had their uniforms professionally cleaned and pressed. It was a matter of pride and respect for our friend and his family that we were as perfectly uniformed as we knew how to be.

 

I would make an opportunity to let the boys know it is never inappropriate to wear all the uniform elements they are entitled to. As a rule of thumb, start with a full, complete uniform with all the bells and whistles, as the standard. Then subtract parts which may be damaged or lost during a particular activity.

 

Knowing how and when to dress up, whether for a COH or a job interview, is part of the purpose of the uniform. If a Scout's idea of "Class A" never rises above what he wears to dinner on the fifth day of summer camp, he's missing an important lesson.(This message has been edited by Twocubdad)

[eisely]

Man of Steele,

 

Neither sash to be worn over the belt? Hadn't heard that one before. Strikes me as a little impractical. Please elaborate.

[Bob White]

The MB sash and the OA sash are only to be worn one at a time and only on the shoulder. Refer to the OA manual and the Insignia Guide.

Since the OA sash is only to be worn for OA events there should be no conflict anyway.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[fotoscout]

 

 

 

TwoCub, this is a great quote!!

 

 

[fotoscout]

Oops...

 

TwoCub, this is a great quote!!

 

.......If a Scout's idea of "Class A" never rises above what he wears to dinner on the fifth day of summer camp, he's missing an important lesson........

[fotoscout]

Oops...

 

TwoCub, this is a great quote!!

 

.......If a Scout's idea of "Class A" never rises above what he wears to dinner on the fifth day of summer camp, he's missing an important lesson........