Odd uniform

[oldsm]

In perusing the April 2006 issue of Backpacker Magazine, my eye was caught by an image on page 52. Under "Reader Tips: 3 ways your fellow readers are getting out more", a reader wrote, "My boys joined the Scouts and I became a leader..."

 

The accompanying picture shows a boy of apparent scout age in uniform from the chest up.

 

The uniform is tan. It has no epaulets (or shoulder loops).

The right pocket flap has a diamond-shaped patch reminiscent of a Cub Scout patch, with a red star to each side of it.

An engraved blue name plate is located just above the right pocket.

The left pocket flap has three large gold stars.

There is some kind of multi-colored bar (red/black/yellow/black) above the left pocket.

There is a bit of U.S. flag visible on the left sleeve.

There is a "neckerchief" and eagle-type slide, but the neckerchief looks like a solid black scarf.

The hat is tan with dark trim. It is the old style all-fabric hat that could be folded flat (similar to what I had as a boy in the 60s).

The salute is formed by merely folding the thumb over. The pinkie is parallel to the other fingers. And the salute centered on the forehead, above the hairline.

All of this is in front of a rather faded U.S. flag, obviously just as a background.

 

My questions:

 

Is this some kind of special BSA uniform? Was it used sometime in the past? Is this likely just some unknowing/uncaring graphics artist's attempt to evoke an image of scouting? The reader is from California, so I would not expect that this is a "foreign" uniform.

 

Maybe this is nothing. But I'm still curious. Comments?

[scoutldr]

Been around scouting since the early 60's and collect memorabilia before that. Doesn't ring a bell. There was a khaki shirt without epaulettes briefly in the late 70's, but the other insignia you describe doesn't add up. Could have been a contrived uniform for the photo shoot perhaps because the BSA uniforms are registered trademarks and the BSA wouldn't grant permission? You see that frequently in movies.

[emb021]

Sounds like a contrivied uniform. I've been studying BSA insignia and uniforms for years and nothing you mention matches up.

 

The tan shirt (instead of olive or so called 'khaki') came in use when De Larente redesigned the uniform and added the epaulets around 1980 or so.

 

The pocket flap items are unknown to me and sound made up.

 

 

[SSScout]

Perhaps from one of the "private" boy (and girl!) organizations run by churches like the Seventh Day Adventists and others? I think one goes by the name "Pioneers", but they often call themselves 'scouts' (here we go again). I saw a church ( I forget the denomination) marching in the last 4th of July parade that had uniforms with black piping.

[SemperParatus]

I think you may be looking at a Royal Ranger uniform.

 

http://royalrangers.ag.org/adventure/uniform.cfm#

 

It sounds like the same elements, except they now use a blue beret.

[oldsm]

I think I agree with the "contrived" uniform theory. I checked the Royal Rangers link, and it is quite a bit different from what I saw in the magazine. The trademark issue of the BSA uniform makes sense. Maybe this is some stock photo that Backpacker came up with rather than a picture submitted by the contributor.

 

Thanks for the responses.