Venture Crew Uniform- Required BSA ?

[TheLuckyCricket]

OK I have a Question re: Venturer uniforms. The Venturer Handbook says on page 6 that the "recommended" uniform is the over priced pants, shorts, shirt, socks and hat. However it goes on to say that the uniform, if any, is the choice of the crew. Question is do they mean the entire Crew or the Crew Officers? Additionally, if the Crew decides on lets say the official green shirt and grey shorts from Wal-mart, do they get in trouble at summer camp for not having the "official" uniform shorts as I have been told by our Scoutmaster? That seems a bit illogical since the kids can choose their uniform if any.

And on the same note can the kids choose the BSA campaign hat as their uniform hat for a Venture Crew? Since that hat looks way better than the "official" hats? If so, would it be inappropriate to affix the venture pin designed for street wear to the hat where the BSA class pin would normally go? As far as the socks go, I don't know anyone who wants to pay $13.50 for a pair of socks. That is just price gouging in my opinion. In defense of the venturing shirts, they are made well and my son was very proud to get his. He wore it around to show all the relatives, it was really cute to see a 16 year old so excited about a shirt and some patches

Thanks for any input!

Karin

 

 

[Fat Old Guy]

By BSA policy, if a crew selects the BSA Venturing uniform, it is all or nothing. In reality, that isn't the case.

 

I've never heard of anyone "Getting in trouble" for not having a complete uniform. I know that many, if not all, camps require staff to wear complete uniforms but I've seen some strange clothing at camp.

 

I like the idea of uniforms. However, I'd suggest that your son's crew give some serious thought to designing their own uniform. A polo shirt with tan BDU pants is a unform.

 

I'd also suggest that you put some distance between the crew and that Scoutmaster.

[BadenP]

FOG is right on. The Venture uniform is totally up to the crew, even if its a t shirt, sweatshirt, or polo shirt. My crew chose a hooded sweatshirt with the crew id and the Venture logo embroidered on the front. These were done by BSA Supply and they look great, they wear them to all official functions and have gotten a lot of compliments on them. The Venture uniform is so outrageously expensive with all the parts it is impractical and most of my teens won't wear them. I have a uniform shirt and belt I wear to Venture adult council functions, otherwise I wear the sweatshirt like the rest. Venture is wide open to uniforming options, including no uniform, but i think some sort of clothing is necessary to build spirit and identity in the group.

[OldGreyEagle]

Let me add a ditto to the previous posts, the Crew is able to devise its own uniform. I am not sure what the scoutmaster was talking about, but your offical uni is what your crew makes it. As far as summercamp goes, any camp familiar with Ventures enough to have a program you would want to attend will know the rules much better than the ill informed scoutmaster of which you speak.

[Eamonn]

OK, I know that a Crew can choose if they want to have a uniform or not.

I know that they can design their own uniform.

I thought that wearing parts of any BSA uniform wasn't allowed unless you wore the complete uniform. That means no green Venturing shirt and blue jeans or shorts from Wal-mart. I also thought that taking uniform parts from other programs wasn't allowed. A crew wouldn't be allowed to wear a Cub Scout hat as part of their uniform, the same would apply to the Campaign hat, which is part of the Boy Scout uniform.

Am I wrong.

Eamonn

[Fat Old Guy]

" the same would apply to the Campaign hat, which is part of the Boy Scout uniform."

 

I would think that would only be true if they wore BSA campaign hats. They could buy some of that fellow's navy blue hats or they could get Marine Corps issue field hats (that's the Marine Corps designation for them). I've found source for those at a low price.

 

 

[LPC_Thumper]

I've let this out a few times before, I am one of the resources for Venturing in our Council, let me weigh in on this.

 

Uniforms... As long as the uniform does not distract from the goals of Venturing, the crew decides what it is. For example, the retro cub scout uniform that Linda Rondstat made popular in the 80's while nice on her, wouldn't work for a crew. Just like "Mega-Death" tee-shirts might also not be quite what National had in mind.

 

Crew decisions... National is vague on the topic of "is that each member of the crew or their leaders." It makes sense to me that if it's a crew decision, then the crew should decide, but what ever they come up with is GREAT.

 

Problems with misunderstood Ventures... There are always going to be people that are willing to give their advice and counsel no matter how unwelcomed it is. (I mean hey, where would this forum be without that concept?) I have been an adult at camp for 15 years, while there are things I've seen there that make me cringe, there are great things there too. When (notice not "if", but rather "when") a well meaning SM tells your kids what they are doing wrong with their "unis" have your female board member go talk with him. I'm sure that he'll slip a gear, oh and be sure to sell tickets to the discussion. I'm sure it'd make a great fund raiser for your trip to any of the Nationl High Adventure Camps. (Or in other words have your young people ready for older adults to not have a clue about what they are doing)

 

Hope I have answered your questions. Hope you can read the humor in my post. If I come off anything other than light, please change whatever words you need to soften this and make it sound like we're just chatting about things that are important, and are NOTHING like the rest of Scouting.

[NWScouter]

The only place a Venturer could be required to wear the official uniform at camp is if he/she are serving on staff. Would not be good for morale if at evening flags if one showed up with a sweatshirt while the rest of the staff were in full uniform

[TheLuckyCricket]

Wow! Thank you all for the insights. My son appreciated the clarifications. As far as the campaign hat goes, I believe it is an approved activity hat for Boy Scouts which would also make it an approved hat for Venturing since they can technically be in both groups at the same time, unless they are female Venturers of course. The kids may just opt for no hats with their uniforms and optional hats for activities if they want.

Thank you all again for the information, it was much appreciated!

Karin

[Eamonn]

No. The BSA campaign hat is part of the Boy Scout uniform, because it is part of the Boy Scout uniform it can not be used as part of a Venturing uniform. Sure you can opt to wear blue campaign hats or pink campaign hats as part of a Venturing uniform but the BSA campaign hat belongs to the Boy Scout program.

Eamonn.

[Fat Old Guy]

"Sure you can opt to wear blue campaign hats or pink campaign hats as part of a Venturing uniform but the BSA campaign hat belongs to the Boy Scout program."

 

As I said before, there's nothing to stop you from adopting an olive campaign hat that doesn't say BSA inside of it.

[Eamonn]

I hate to be disagreeable but adopting or adapting a hat that is part of the Boy Scout uniform or looks like the Boy Scout uniform is not to allowed.

Eamonn.

[FScouter]

I have to agree with Eamonn. Adopting a look-alike copycat campaign hat is in violation of the spirit of the rules. Of course there is nothing to prevent one from violating the spirit of any principle of Scouting. Sleep well at night.

[BadenP]

The campaign hat exsisted well before the BSA did. Has anyone ever accused the BSA for stealing from the US Army uniform, I think not. As well meaning as you Eamonn and F Scouter are trying to be your argument is not a valid one, because the old Explorer scouts of days gone by used the campaign hat as an optional part of their uniform. There is nothing officially in print stating that it is forbidden to wear the campaign hat in Venturing if the teens are in the official uniform for Venture, the forest green shirt, et al. My local council DE has even checked with National and they had no objection either. In principle though I agree with Eamonn and F and feel that Venture should have an official hat with some class, not the ballcap or that silly ol man fishing hat. I think the activity hat(indiana jones)would be a great choice.

[Fat Old Guy]

"I hate to be disagreeable but adopting or adapting a hat that is part of the Boy Scout uniform or looks like the Boy Scout uniform is not to allowed."

 

I'll be disagreeable right back. Your friend BW has often said, that if it isn't stamped BSA, it isn't part of the uniform. OD pants that I buy at Old Navy aren't uniform pants so a campaign hat that I get the Marine Corps uniform shop isn't part of the Boy Scout uniform.

 

AS BP pointed out, the Montana Peak Hat existed long before the Army adopted it which was before the Boy Scout adopted it.

 

FScouter said, "is in violation of the spirit of the rules."

 

Sorry, if memory serves, I've tried that arugment in the past and and aforementioned BW has pointed out that it isn't our job to judge the spirit of the rules, only to abide by the rules as they are written.