New patches, "BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA" Strip?

[Rip Van Scouter]

I went to our Cub Scout Roundtable this week and at the sign-in table, along with the usual flyers, were a couple of bags of sample patches, one being a new oval "Centennial Recruiter" patch, and the other being a rectangular strip with the words "BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA" in all red, block-style capital letters. This patch/strip is different in appearance from the one that comes on the uniform shirt. For one thing it has a red, merrowed border around its perimeter, like on the standard "RECRUITER" strip. For another, the word "OF" is all full-size letters, while it is smaller letters on the uniform shirt. The backing cloth itself, while tan like the shirt, is a stiffer material, more like twill, with visible thread rows, not like the finely woven shirting material of the standard strip.

 

So my question is, where, if anywhere would these be worn on the uniform? Does the "Centennial Recruiter" patch replace the old "RECRUITER" strip? It would seem too large to wear under the right pocket, as the strip is now. I am assuming the criteria to earn this patch would be the same as the old one, except that it must be earned during this Centennial celebration period.

 

What about that new strip? Is it for wear on some new shirt that will replace or co-exist (like the Switchback pants)with the existing shirt(s)? I use the plural because there seem to be some minor design differences between shirts of different materials, and one can still choose short or long-sleeve. Perhaps it is for wear on a red jacket or jack-shirt, with someone at HQ deciding that the universal emblem is not enough identification for official outerwear.

 

Neither of these appear yet in the Scoutstuff.org catalog, so I thought I would ask here. The fellow (a district staffer and unit commissioner) manning the sign-in table had no idea about either. "The DE just dropped them off" he said.

 

Anyone know about these new patches?

 

Oh, and in case you were wondering if these were "official BSA" or just Council or District custom patches, the clear film backing is patterned with the "Supply Division" and "Scout/Stuff" logos.

 

 

[emb021]

Can't answer about the strip, but the Centennial Recruiter patch would need to be worn ON the right pocket. Its not a strip, so its inappropriate to wear it below the pocket. (sadly, some boys just don't get this concept, and I occassionally see kids wear large patches below the right pocket).