Ponderings on the Uniform

[gwd-scouter]

So many posts back and forth on the uniform. Required? Not required?

 

Our Troop had always had a very relaxed uniform approach.

 

Over the years, the Scouts and leaders were in various components of the uniform for BORs, Courts of Honor, and other formal occasions. Maybe because of the example they were given by the adults in the Troop? Who knows.

 

Of the five SMs we had over the past 8 years, only two ever wore the full uniform. The most recent being me. I wear it as an example. I wear it as the leader of my troop. I wear it because I feel it is every bit as important as the other 7 methods.

 

I do not REQUIRE it of any of our Scouts or other leaders. Having said that, I do EXPECT a full uniform for SM conference and Board of Review and have said so to the Scouts. However, I do get Scouts that come for their SM conf and BOR with the shirt and jeans. They have never been held back because of that.

 

I do use the chance during a SM conference to ask a scout who is not in uniform, simply "why"? I have never been given the answer that they are too expensive, but rather they just don't like them. Now, maybe the Scout's parents think they are too expensive, but my concern is finding out the feelings of the Scout, not the parents.

 

Since I've become SM, our troop has slowly worked its way toward a full uniform. In fact, in the past six months I've had SM conferences with Scouts going for Eagle, Two Lifes, and a tenderfoot. ALL showed up in a full uniform (I didn't even think they owned one).

 

Without making a big deal out of it, I complimented them on how well they looked in their uniform. Big smile on the younger scout, something of an embarrased smirk from the older scouts.

 

Back in December we had a Court of Honor. Not only were all the scouts present, but all but one were in complete uniform.

 

Perhaps it has helped that last summer the scouts came up with a new Troop T-shirt design. We had matching hats made too. Now, by their decision, their uniform for meetings is their T-shirt, hat and blue jeans. So it's not an official uniform - it looks great and they feel good knowing it was their decision.

 

Maybe that helped get them to wear the full uniform when appropriate. Maybe not.

 

Oh, and one of those Life Scouts that worn the full uniform for the first time late last summer? He's 17, finishing up his Eagle Scout Service Project, and I expect to have his SM conference next month. I wonder if he will have hemmed his pants by then?

 

 

[jr56]

Thanks for sharing. I feel your approach is usually the most successful.

[Vigil-Hiker]

I try to do the samething for my cub scouts. I am currently a den leader and always wear full unform to Scout events and Pack meetings. For my den meetings I wear at minimum, my shirt since I often end up working late and just make it home in time. For certain things like painting, I tell them to not wear their uniform. More of the Pack leaders are now wearing atleast the shirt, where before they wore street clothes. We suggest to the parents to not buy uniform pants for the boys, but get dockers style ones for less and can be used for every day wear too. All the cubs I know need new pants every year since they grow so fast.

 

Our Pack also has its own polo shirts and sweatshirts that we wear for things like camping and hiking when the uniform is not practical. We sell them for a $2 profit to help defray some our expenses. These are ok for some den meetings, but never for Pack meetings.

 

The first neckerchief is bought by the parents. At the end of the year, the Pack buy neckerchiefs for al of the cubs who are moving up to next den level, whether or not they completed their rank requirements. That way no one get left out of getting something by the end of the year. The Boy Scout troops we feed present our Webelos with their troop neckerchiefs when they cross over. Some packs here present the boys with their next handbook too.

[John-in-KC]

Thanks all for sharing.

 

Ok, are we talking uniform Method in the Cub and Boy program?

 

Yes, it is a Method, and it has good and true purposes in being a Method. In a mature, well run unit program, it provides a tool in the box for the leader, be he/she a DL or a SM/ASM. In a startup program, the unit may not be able to get there from here just yet, as we saw in a different thread. Then, imo, work to the ideal, but have a vision, set goals, and be a bit pragmatic about the how you get there.

 

Are the uniforms as furnished by Supply Division perfect? Heck, no. I won't go there today, you all can read my views in other threads.

 

As to Vigil-hiker, I'll say this: I commend your Pack for being well-uniformed .

 

Now, my two cents on Cub pants FWIW, my brother turns 56 in May. He, like me, was a Cub. He had a Blue shirt, but his Pack wore blue jeans as the common pants. This was 1958 in rural America. My honest opinion? It's time and past time for Supply Division to cut to the chase, particularly on Cub uniforms, and make blue jeans the approved trousers. It's only been a fairly common practice in the field for 50 years now

 

Of course, both he and I wore our yellow neckerchiefs from Bobcat to AOL... now, they nickel and dime units with neckerchiefs...