Which Knots are important to you, and why?

[GernBlansten]

The only knots I would even consider to wear would be ones I earned as a youth. The program is for the youth, not us adults.

[ASM915]

Lee,

 

Welcome. Wear them proudly, and like ScoutDad, have a place in your heart for the ones you recognize others with.

 

I wear my Eagle with it's Palm, AoL, Adult Religious Award and Scouter Training, the last two being submitted by others.

 

I submitted a fellow scouter for the DAM and was honored with presenting it to him last year. He has been involved for a while. Love to talk, but never about anything he has done. It took 6 months to drag up any information to put on the nomination form.

 

The District Advancement Chairperson informed my son when interviewing him for the Heroism Award a few years back, that he had an obligation to wear the knot, so that the Scouts(er) would know that he acted unselfishly and without concern for himself to help someone, and that someday they may be called upon to do likewise.

 

Some knots you can run through a list checking off requirements. Others, you are nominated for. If you receive one, it is only right to respect the person that nominated you, by wearing it.

 

If you are in a good unit, you may find yourself nominated for a training knot you weren't expecting. It's is nice when someone is quietly watching and keeping track of what you are doing, even when you aren't.

[prairie]

I wear my AOL to inspire the boys, the lack of an Eagle knot both that you can be a good Scout without it and that time or motivation can run out on you.

[Eagle69]

I have 8 (Eagle, Religious Award Youth, Religious Award Adult, Scoutmasters Key, Scouter Training, NESA Outstanding SM, District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver). I think the Eagle, the NESA award, DAM and the Beaver are the ones I'm proudest of. The Eagle represents hard work on my part to achieve what at that time was something not many had, the NESA because it required nomination by my SPL, the DAM and Beaver because they both are recognition by my peers for the work I had done in Scouting.

[MVScouter]

I wear all of the knots I've earned--10. ( Eagle, youth religious, Arrow of Light, BS training, Commissioner Key, James E West, Community Service Award through the American Legion, the Boyce New Unit Organizer Award, Cubscouter, and Webelos Den Leader.I'll be awarded the Commissioners Award of Excellence next month. I should have gotten it in December, but sometimes the wheels in scouting turn slow. No big deal.

 

I've noticed in our district too, most every adult scouter wears the knots they've earned. Our training chair is always encouraging adult scouters to earn them. I've had several scouters come up to me to ask me about the Comm. Serv. Award. I say to them, hey there's at least 10 different community organizations you can earn this through.

 

I rejoined scouting in March of 2000. Yes, I agree that the benchmark for receiving the DAM is around 5 years. That seems to be the norm in my district...5+ years. If I am fortunate enough to be nominated for the DAM and be awarded, that will be my most cherished. As for the moment....hummmm, I'm very proud of my Eagle award even though it was earned 41 years ago. When I receive the Distinquished Commissioner, that I will honor that award above the others. Commissioner service is a position I have always taken seriously and I have strived to help my units to the best of my abilities. It takes 5 years of service to receive this award.

 

As I stated in a different post, earning knot awards can be a very significant benefit to the Scouting program. Taking myself as an example, I have actively sought to earn the awards I have. You could say, I have been motivated. The by-product of my efforts toward my goals has hopefully generated a positive influence on the scouting program and every scouter I have come in contact with. The number of ways are too many to list.

 

What if I didn't care about earning scouting awards, would that have made me a less effective scouting volunteer? Honestly, in my case, I'd have to say yes. I am not ashamed to admit this. So, I conscientiously put forth a greater effort toward helping the youth and the unit knowing that if I achieved certain requirements, I would be rewarded. I can only hope that my motivation toward my goals created an even greater benefit to the scouting youth I helped along the way.

[firstbighungry1]

Personally, I have five knots on my uniform. In the order that I earned them: Youth Religious (earned twice, once as a cub and once as a Venturer), Arrow of Light, Eagle (I wear my 3 silver palms and yes that does translate to nine palms total), Venturing Silver Award, and the Venturing Leadership Award. If I would have to choose a single favorite, I would choose my Venturing Silver Award. This is really the only award that I ever really had to work for as a youth.

 

When I went through Commissioner Basic Training this past year, they made a good point about the wearing of knots. They first asked if anybody was in the military and then asked if they wore all of their ribbons on their uniforms. They said that we as scouters should wear all of our knots with pride. We earned them so we should wear them.

[Beavah]

When I went through Commissioner Basic Training this past year, they made a good point about the wearing of knots. They first asked if anybody was in the military and then asked if they wore all of their ribbons on their uniforms. They said that we as scouters should wear all of our knots with pride. We earned them so we should wear them.

 

But we ain't da military, eh?

 

The example set by our National Commissioner is to wear a small set of 5 knots, correspondin' to his current status/service in the program, and keepin' the uniform clean and neat. Just like da Insignia Guide says, eh?

 

Our past National Commissioner and current BSA President typically wore only 3 knots.

 

Scouters can choose to do what they want, eh? There's no Uniform Police, and they should follow da lead of their CO in terms of "ethic" for wearin' awards and finery and such. Some units place more of an emphasis on such things, and that's OK.

 

But it does seem just a touch out of sync when local folk of limited service are wearin' twice the number of knots as volunteers of national prominence.

 

Beavah

 

[Gold Winger]

"Just like da Insignia Guide says, eh?"

 

I thought that the Scoutmaster's Handbook said that. In any case, I consider clean and neat to be stain free and ironed.

 

FWIW, in the pictures that I can find of Bill Hillcourt, he wore no knots but he did wear what looks like an OA flap ABOVE his right pocket. Maybe we should all do that.

 

Of course, BP wore tons of fruit salad.

 

If you want to talk about cluttered, let's not worry about the fellows who wear their awards where they are supposed to be. Let's look at the guys who wear pins on their collars, pins on their epaulettes, temporary patches dangling from both pockets and multiple QU patches on their right arm.

[Beavah]

I consider clean and neat to be stain free and ironed.

 

 

Yah, well, da old Beavah's memory ain't perfect. The quote is "neat and uncluttered" not "clean and neat" (though a Scout is Clean as a matter of Law, eh? ).

 

Members wear only the insignia that show their present status in the movement. Members should make every effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered.

 

Let's look at the guys who wear pins on their collars, pins on their epaulettes, temporary patches dangling from both pockets and multiple QU patches on their right arm.

 

Yah, sure, them too . Though if yeh look carefully, each of those things is addressed in other places in da Insignia Guide, eh? While da quote above applies to legitimate insignia worn in their proper place.

 

Insignia guide is just a guide, eh? A program support material. Lots of folks adjust da guidelines a bit for great reasons that make sense for da kids. And lots adjust the guidelines for other reasons. Not a big deal, really, to choose to wear more knots than da National Commissioner and BSA President. Just somethin' to be thoughtful about.

 

Beavah

 

[Gold Winger]

Award knots are not insignia.

 

" to choose to wear more knots than da National Commissioner and BSA President."

 

My district commissioner and Council president are never seen in a uniform. Maybe I should follow their lead.

[John-in-KC]

Lisa'Bob wrote:

Hamster patrol??!???! Now *that's* funny! Just better not put them next to the Owls in the critter order

 

OK, now that means war...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76HcLEunsws&feature=related

 

 

[Gold Winger]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkdT4sslCV8&feature=related

[local1400]

Well we've been around this mullberry bush til I'm dizzy. An Insignia Guide (BSA Item #33066, around $5.00) is a worthwhile investment and is light enough to be carried in the 3-ring binder containing your SM handbook (at least the latest version!) QUALITY UNIT EMBLEM: Right sleeve, position 3 (4 inches below seam or, if National Honor Patrol Award is worn, touching it). Only the most recently earned Quality Unit emblem may be worn. GW, the 'Members should make every effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered' is in the paragraph under the heading EXCESS INSIGNIA. Keeping your uniform 'clean and ironed' would fall under the 11th point of the Scout Law. I am up for re=election as Uniform Sheriff.

[Beavah]

Yah, I can't get that Hamster Dance out of my head now thanks to John-in-KC, and then local1400 starts bringin' up Mulberry Bushes...

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=e9egHKNz2m4

 

Very disturbin'.

 

Beavah

 

[Pack378]

I know the den leader knot is pretty freely handed out but I am really proud of mine. I think I have worked harder as a den leader than any other position I have held. For Gods sake I have to compete with XBOX, playstation, football, Baseball, and everything else in the world and I have not lost even one boy. I wear my knots so that new leaders know that I know what they are going through. I do think a third row is a little tacky but please don't go for the 4th... LOL