Should boy scouts wear uniform to cubscout...

[chesapeake]

pack meeting or Blue and gold? and should cubscouts wear cub uniform to boy scout dinner? I have 2 sons-

1 a boy scout and the other a cubscout. I always wonder if my older son should wear his boy scout uniform to the pack meeting. Scout Sunday is easy...everybody wears their uniform. Also, as a den leader I assume I wear my uniform to all cub functions and joint troop/pack events. sometimes at the Troop parent meetings i have to remember to separate my parental role and cub leader role.

 

[scoutldr]

A properly uniformed Scout at a Scout function is always appropriate.

[dsteele]

The boys can wear their uniform to any Scouting function. My advice to you is that if you're attending a troop meeting as a parent and parent is the role you're there to play, you should probably leave the Cub Scouter uniform at home. If you're going as a fellow Scouter, wear the uniform.

 

DS

[molscouter]

While it's always appropriate at a Scouting event, my thoughts are it depends on what the Boy Scout wants to do. Definite yes on the Blue and Gold (he's probably an alum of the pack anyway). Pack meetings (you can actually get him to go to pack meetings? ) could go either way. If your Boy Scout is going to be doing something "official" such as lead an activity (or if he's a den chief), sure. If he's going to sit in the corner and do homework, I'd say no, why bother.

[Fat Old Guy]

dsteele said, " If you're going as a fellow Scouter,"

 

I'm a Scouter 24/7 so I'd always be there as a fellow Scouter.

 

COH, definately wear it no matter what type of Scouter you are.

Regular troop meeting, if I was a Cub Scouter I'd wear my uniform just to set a good example.

 

My son and I wear our Scout suits to any Girl Scout function that we attend and my daughter wears her uniform to all Boy Scout functions.

 

someone else said, " my thoughts are it depends on what the Boy Scout wants to do."

 

I don't buy that. Part of the role of parents is to teach appropriate behavior which includes dress. However, I seem to be out of step with many of today's parents as I've seen teens at funerals wearing t-shirts, shorts and sandals.(This message has been edited by Fat Old Guy)

[acco40]

I believe behavior is more important than dress but also believe that dress does influence behavior so the two are linked.

 

My eight year old daughter does not wear her Girl Scout uniform to her brothers COHs. I do not wear my Boy Scout uniform to her meetings or outings (I am not yet a registered Girl Scout leader.) Just as fire fighters, police officers, soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen do not wear their uniform 24/7, I do not wear my Scouting uniforms (I have a few to chose from) unless I'm acting in that capacity.

 

I tend to agree with molscouter. If my older son was going to a pack meeting simply as a sibling (i.e. not as a den chief, pack alum, troop representative) I would suggest he not wear a uniform if asked. However, if he wanted to wear his uniform, I would gladly support him. Now as for "scout like behavior", the goal is to project that behavior 24/7 regardless of attire.

[Wallace]

Yes.

He should wear it and further show his support for the organization of which he is a member.

...and be a good example to his younger brother.

[Fat Old Guy]

" I do not wear my Boy Scout uniform to her meetings or outings (I am not yet a registered Girl Scout leader.)"

 

I don't go to regular GS meetings or outings but I do attend ceremonies in uniform to show support for the world family of Scouts and Guides.

 

"sailors, marines and airmen do not wear their uniform 24/7"

 

I'm old enough to remember when they did wear their uniform most of the time.

[JimmyD]

Simple answer, yes.

[captainron14]

I'm with dsteel. It depends on "what hat you are wearing" and where you are going.

Blue & Gold, COH, Eagle Court, etc. YES

Den Mtg (as dad), most Pack mtg (as dad). Driving to camp (as Dad). No.

My Father (an old Scouter) told me once when I questioned him on the same topic (as a Scout). He said "What do want to accomplish by wearing it". Someone may distract or confuse Cubs/Scouts at some gatherings. Some may even upstage the leaders or intimadate (SP) them.

Good Luck!

[Fat Old Guy]

" Someone may distract or confuse Cubs/Scouts at some gatherings."

 

I've noticed that only the adults get confused. The kids know who their leaders are. The adults are the ones who think that anyone in a uniform knows everything about every evolution.

 

 

[Bob White]

If I was a Cub Leader and a sibling was wearing his Boy Scout uniform to the meeting, I'd get him involved. I I was a Troop Leader and a sibling came to a Court of Honor in his Cub uniform, I'd tell him how sharp he looked, talk with him about his advancemncement and encourage him to keep working toward his AOL.

 

I don't see a problem either way. If they are in uniform someone is glad they are a scout. Whether it is the boy or the parent, I would make the most of it to encourage the boy and promote the program.

 

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

[OldGreyEagle]

I don't know if these are national statistics, but at our district roundtable it is mentioned on a regular basis that something like 3 out of 4 cub scouts have never met a Boy Scout. Why not have him come in uniform sporting all the meritbadges and patches he has. He can talk about his first merit badge, first time he cooked, whatever he wants, the result cant be anything but positive

[captainron14]

In saying it might distract/confuse/upstage..

I knew a young new Cubmaster (with no experience, was scheduled for Basic Training) who at his second Pack Meeting noticed a unknown Scouter in the audience. He was described to me as a "General" due to all his patches on his uniform. This unknown Scouter was the father to one of the Cubs in his Pack (Unknown to the Cub Master). He was quite full of himself and needless to say he upstaged and intimadated the Cub Master. Not all of the boys knew who was in charge and yes quite a few adults were confused.

Now this mans behavior had a lot to do with this situation, but also wearing his "Generals Uniform" (along with his ego) did not help.

As I said before "What do want to accomplish by wearing it".

[Bob White]

So was the problem that the man who sat in the audience in a uniform, or was it the inexperience of the cubmaster. In other words if the same man sat in the audience in uniform with a more experienced Cubmaster running the meeting would it still have been a problem? I would bet not.

 

I have to admit I do not understand how having a person in the audience in uniform could confuse anyone about who is in charge. Didn't the audience realize that the person up front talking was the leader? As far as the amount od stuff on the uniform, as far as you kow more people looked at him and thought "what wonderful experiences he must of had as a scout leader" rather than seeing him as a general.

 

As far as not knowing who he was the Cubmaster was free to walk over and introduce himself wasn't he? As far as his attitude being diruptive it would have been the same whether he was in uniform or not, wouldn't it?

 

Bob White