Official Boy Scout Uniform

[evmori]

He and the other Eagle will be the center of attention. It's their night. Let him wear the kilt!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[FScouter]

I've changed my mind. A court of honor is a Boy Scout function. It is perfectly acceptable for an Eagle to help plan his court of honor. Many different ideas can be done. But it is still a Boy Scout event and a formal one at that. I'm all for boys exhibiting their independence, but for the love of pete and out of respect for the organization that is bestowing him this honor he can at least wear a complete and correct uniform. He can be the center of attention, but that does not mean it's OK to mess with the uniform.

[Eamonn]

Ed,

Is it just the kilt thats OK?

What if he opted to wear a pair of extra wide black pants with chains and zippers?

Heck he could get a Mohawk spike it up and go for the goth look.

While his hair would be OK the pants like the kilt would be just wrong.

Eamonn.

[evmori]

Eamonn,

I feel the kilt is appropriate for the occasion. Everything else you listed would not be appropriate.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Greying Beaver]

What is this with the kilt all of a sudden?! The Eagle Court of Honor is a boy scout ceremony where a boy scout award is being presented. The kilt is not a part of the BSA uniform, period.

 

Really want to present a reason against wearing the kilt? Ask the boy if he wants to wear a kilt at his CoH, is he willing to wear it properly and in a traditional manner . Betcha he'll reach for those uniform trousers in a heartbeat!

 

Anybody: "So, what's Scotsman wear under his kilt?"

 

Scotty: "You mean you don't know?"

 

Anybody: "C'mon, what's a Scotsman wear under his kilt?"

 

Scotty: "What business is it of yours?"

 

Etc.

[Hunt]

If the scout's reason for wearing the kilt is to annoy others who would prefer that he wear the regular uniform, that isn't a good reason--in fact, it's inconsistent with the Scout Law. It shows a lack of courtesy to those other scouts and leaders who will appear in full uniform at an Eagle COH. I can't really think of any good reason for a scout to wear a kilt with a BSA uniform shirt--the fact that he thinks it's kewl to do so does not outweigh the lack of courtesy. There may be good reasons for certain Eagles to wear something other than a BSA uniform--but I don't think this is it.

[EagleInKY]

There's a bagpiper at our week of summer camp. One day the troop will conduct the flag ceremony using him. The lad wears traditional scottish garb with his scout uniform shirt. It looks very nice. The lad is known all over the area for his talents. He's performed at many events representing scouting very nicely. If this were him, I would gladly allow him to wear his kilt.

 

If, on the other hand, he's just trying to be different or show off, then I'd say no. So much depends upon the motiviation behind it.

[scoutldr]

I would tell the lad that he has a choice. He can either be in uniform, or not. If in uniform, it will be complete and proper. If he opts to wear a kilt, it may not be mixed with uniform parts. Of course, the same rule should be in place for the rest of the troop at all activities, to be fair.

 

I recently attended an Eagle COH where the troop did not enforce proper uniforming. There was a mixture of blue jeans, shorts, orange tennis shoes, no socks, sandals, no neckerchiefs, bolos, etc., combined with scout shirts that looked like they had been stored in a knot under the bed since the last troop meeting. It looked horrible. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when the SPL had no idea how to do a proper opening flag ceremony, either.

[SemperParatus]

I'm with Ed...the kilt does no harm and if that's what the boy wants to wear as part of his celebration of his accomplishment then so be it. Personally, I think its a little goofy. But, who am I to get in the way of his night. As for the other scout, if he has a big problem with it (and I would doubt that he does) then the troop leadership should seek to arrange the celebration(s) accordingly. This is another good reason to not have group Eagle COHs.

[eagle90]

Sure, six months down the road the next eagle candidate will want to wear his scout shirt and soccer shorts. We are a uniformed organization. Especially at such a prestigious ceremony, the candidate and the rest of the troop should be in full uniform.

[Hunt]

I'm in full agreement that this Scout should not wear the kilt, and that he should be counselled to wear his trousers instead. But who has the authority to tell him what to wear? I guess anybody who objects to his plans could opt not to participate. Hopefully, moral suasion will be enough to get him to change his mind.

 

(As an aside, what's wrong with orange tennis shoes (or sandals)? If they're made of canvas or leather, they comply with the uniform inspection sheet. They just have to be "neat and clean." In fact, if you're wearing shoes made of a synthetic material, they don't qualify.)

[FScouter]

"But who has the authority to tell him what to wear?"

 

Any member of this organization.

[Hunt]

What I meant by "authority" was, who has the power to enforce the uniforming standards in this situation, other than the Eagle candidate himself? Again, I suppose the SM, or anybody else, could say, "Wear what you want, but if you're wearing the kilt, I won't be participating in your ceremony." And maybe they should say that.

[FScouter]

Refer to the Mission. His choice is to work within the confines of the organization bestowing the honor, or indulge his personal wants.

[Eamonn]

I struggled for a long time with the " who has the authority" question.

For a very long time I thought that we needed someone or some group that would act as some sort of "Enforcers"!!

Yes I know how bad that sounds. Yes I now have come to realize that it's a very bad idea.

But for a while I thought a group maybe Commissioners should have the power to ensure that all the rules, all the regulations and yes all the methods were being followed.

Still as FScouter has pointed out, we don't work that way. We are about teaching young people how to make ethical choices. In the case of this young Lad and his kilt. The kilt is no way a part of the BSA Uniform.

We can let this young fellow know that a kilt is not part of the BSA uniform, we can let him know that it isn't the right thing to wear to an Eagle Scout COH, but at the end of the day he has the final word and the choice is his.

I think that I would have a very hard time explaining this to the Lad if I was not wearing the BSA uniform and had not set the example of the time that I'd known him.

When it comes down to matters of safety and the well being of our youth members, I do not have a problem using what ever authority I may have to stop or prevent them from getting hurt. I do fall back on the G2SS for this.

I have over the years seen Troops that in my view are so far away from Scouting and what we are about that I have been shocked. Still even when I was District Commissioner all I could do was shake my head and raise my eyebrows. The Troop and the Leaders were not mine, they belong to the CO. My role was to offer advise and try to get them to follow the program. Sure there were times when I would have liked to take the SM behind the wood shed or openly called him a twit. But I didn't have the authority.

Eamonn.