just a little uniform rant

[dan]

Wow This Thread has it all!

BSA wants to make money

uniform sucks

how much a den should meet

boys hate the uniform

Camo is outlawed

The Roy Williams myth memo about camo

 

AND

NOW

 

Leather pants! :0

 

 

[erickelly65]

BrentAllen,

Thanks for the info. I am aware of the councils finanical aid programs. The challenge with our district is one of the scale of the issue. It is one thing to ask the council to help out in a one-off way but when you have dozens (if not more) boys needing help with uniform costs it becomes an issue. I have heard it stated about 85% of our target demographic in my distract qualify for a free lunch program.

 

 

[Slouchhat]

Well, many buy the leather breeches used at flea markets or on Ebay as they are pretty expensive if you buy them at the clothing shops. Mine cost me about 30 Dollars used, but near mint. At the shops you pay a minimum of 150 Dollars. At least.

 

For those who are wondering why leather breeches...have you ever been on a three-week hike in Sweden's Sarek National Park or in Mongolia or in the Yukon Territory? Then you would know that no other pants would withstand the rigours of such a tour.

Ask the old mountainmen why they wore buckskins.

[Gold Winger]

"The Roy Williams myth memo about camo"

 

Why do you call it a myth? Mike Walton has a copy which he used as his source for his web site. Maybe if you ask him, he'll send you a copy.

[Oak Tree]

I'd be curious to know if it's authentic, but in a way, I don't think it would really matter to me. If BSA wants to make policy, they have to publish it somewhere other than in inter-office memos.

[Gold Winger]

If they published all policies then they wouldn't be able to put you on Double Secret Probation.

[Slouchhat]

Hello,

I don't think a memo is enough to make a statement a policy or a rule.

Our handbook clearly says what the uniform is. A bit of transparency would help you a lot, it seems.

 

best regards,

Volker

[dan]

Goldwinger

I take anything Mike Walton says with a grain of salt.

[Gunny2862]

Gold Winger, I'm still waiting to hear from you about your verboten ALICE gear...

[Gold Winger]

"I take anything Mike Walton says with a grain of salt."

 

Sounds like a personal problem. Anytime that I've asked him a question he's given me page and paragraph of his source.

[Gold Winger]

"Gold Winger, I'm still waiting to hear from you about your verboten ALICE gear..."

 

What can I say? I have great anguish everytime that I put it on. "is this the right thing to do?" I continue because I haven't found anything else that does the job as well just like I went for years without official BSA pants because I couldn't find a pair that fit without going "Made to order".

[dan]

"Sounds like a personal problem"

 

Nope, he is just a volunteer like you and I. Nothing official on his site or what he has to say.

 

[Gold Winger]

"The uniform shirt is not a Field shirt, and the BSA does not use the term "Field Uniform.""

 

That's recent then. In the tenth edition of the handbook, they said "The field uniform consists of . . ."

 

There must be more recent references to the term "field uniform" because I've used it since I got involved in Scouting.

[Gold Winger]

" A bit of transparency would help you a lot, it seems."

 

I don't know how things are in your country but if I wore a transparent uniform, I'd get arrested.

 

The book does prescribe the uniform but far too many don't want to buy all the parts. Or when on outings we usually don't wear the uniform and what is appropriate becomes an issue.

 

 

 

[BrentAllen]

GW,

I don't know the history of uniform terminology - I wouldn't be surprised to see that from the past. This question has come up before, but usually more about using the terms Class A and Class B. The issue was addressed by Scouting Magazine in the May-June 2006 issue.

 

http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0605/d-lett.html

Saluting in uniform

In addition to the official Class A Scout uniform, the BSA also has a Class B uniformofficial Scout pants or shorts with a troop or camp T-shirt. My question regards protocol during flag ceremonies: Should a Scout use the Scout salute while in a Class B uniform or place his right hand over his heart?

 

Christopher Dillon

Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 24

Bloomsburg, Pa.

 

First, when referring to uniforms, Class A and Class B are military terms that are not used in the BSA. The correct Scouting terms for the two versions of the uniform are "official uniform" and "activity uniform." Although less formal, the activity uniform is still considered an official uniform, and therefore it is appropriate for boys to use the Scout salute while wearing it during a flag ceremony.