Eagle Scout Rank Patch wear after age 18

[OldGreyEagle]

I am not sure how to do this without sounding like a real cretin, so I shall step out where angels fear to tread.

 

The date on which a scout turns 18 is well know to them when they join the program. The Advancement program of the Boy Scout Program ends at 18. As the 18th birthday did not sneak up on anyone, everyone has the same opportunity to earn Eagle and wear the rank patch before their 18th birthday. Yes, if you get your paperwork in just before the 18th birthday, the Eagle Board of Review may be done afterward, but the scout doesnt get to wear the rank patch because they are no longer a scout.

 

Now, as mentioned, if a 18+ wears the Eagle patch on their Court of Honor day is it wrong? I wouldn't say anything

[nolesrule]

I don't have an issue with someone wearing their youth uniform at their own Eagle COH after turning 18. It happened to me. My b-day is in November. My EBOR was in August, and then I went off to college, so I was unable to have my COH until winter break, about 7 weeks after I turned 18.

 

That said, it was the only time I ever wore my Eagle badge.

 

After the COH, if registered as an adult, wear the square knot. If not registered at all, keep the uniform on a hangar in the closet. You can still wear the Eagle medal to formal scouting occasions, even in civies while unregistered. I always found the medal to be more special to wear than either the square knot or the rank badge anyway.

[acco40]

My "adult" son, in the eyes of the BSA, could not wait to wear an adult uniform - with an Assistant Scoutmaster position and a brand new red, white and blue knot above the pocket.

 

When I told him the Paul Bunyan award patch was just as "incorrect" on an adult uniform as on a youth uniform he just chuckled.

[GKlose]

A young man had earned Eagle in our troop, long before I arrived on the scene. I'd never met him until his younger brother's Court of Honor. When the older brother showed up, he was surrounded by many younger scouts from the troop. It was pretty obvious that he was a beloved member of the troop at one time. He's a college student now, and it was nice to see him back for his brother's Court.

 

This older brother was wearing his uniform, even though he's not a registered Scouter, and had aged out long ago. He was also wearing his Eagle Scout patch on his uniform.

 

Of course, he didn't know or perhaps didn't care about it, but it seems like it would have been just as wrong for the uniform police to suggest to him that it wasn't appropriate. In fact, the way I see it, that may have been the last time that he wears the uniform (and the patch) forever.

 

Guy

[Eagle92]

What I find amusing is that a 19yo ASM cannot wear his eagle patch, but a 19yo venturer can.

 

Or as was the case with a coworker of mine at a national scout shop, in his tan and green Scout uniform for work he had to wear the knot as he was 19, but if he wore the green and gray Venturing uniform to work, worn when assigned to work Summer Camp and at camp functions, he could wear the eagle patch.

[FScouter]

An assistant Scoutmaster is not a youth member.

[MrsG]

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses.

My son is registered as as adult member of the troop and the Advancement Chair got him a knot to wear. But I've held off sewing anything on until the ECOH is over. I just feel that until we have that milestone, whenever it may be, it should be OK for him to have his youth patches.

He's at college and in NROTC (he wants to be a Marine), so he really doesn't even have many opportunities to wear the Scout uniform anyway. I really don't think it would offend anyone in the troop; I just wanted a response in case the matter came up.

Thanks again.

[eaglescout1996]

MrsG, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

I was in the same boat quite a few years ago. I spent the summer at Fort Knox, I then was off to college as an Army ROTC Cadet and didn't have my ECOH until I was home for Thanksgiving. I actually still had my Life rank badge on since I hadn't worn it for six months.

 

Hope your son is having fun, ROTC can be a bit demanding, especially with a large class load.

[JGHowes]

In reply to BDPT00, who says he'd like to see in writing that Eagle Scout is a lifetime award, simply look at an Eagle pin sold by BSA. Engraved thereon is "Once an eagle, always an eagle". And if Ben Love, as 55-year old Chief Scout Executive, wore his Eagle Badge on his uniform, who are you to say he's wrong?

[sherminator505]

I can't believe this thread is still alive! I wouldn't wear mine on my uniform (granted, I'm well over 18) but I wouldn't walk up to an 18 year old ASM and tell him it needs to come off, either.

 

I, too, have seen adults wear the badge, and it did look out of place, but it didn't bother me nearly as much as the ones who wore the big First Class pin on their campaign hats when they first brought them back.

[Eagle92]

Sherm,

I need to play devil's advocate on the First Class Pin on campaign hats.

 

1) At one time there was no adult universal pin, i.e. pewter FDL in a circle, like today.

 

2) BSA did have pics with adults wearing the pin if memory serves.

 

3) Not many folks today, even a few national supply folks, understand that the pins ARE advancement, hence must have an advancement report filled out with appropriate signatures(BOR sigs) in order to purchase. HOWEVER...

 

4) ...The FC Pin, although it's supposed to be a restricted item b/c it is advancement, IS authorized for all youth, no matter what rank, to be worn on the campaign or expedition hat. Don't ask as national knows already.

 

Me personally I wish they made all the pins the same size, as the FC pin is larger than allof them, inlcuding the Star and Life pins.

 

Also wish they made an Eagle pin, but anyway.

[NJCubScouter]

Also wish they made an Eagle pin, but anyway.

 

What kind of Eagle pin are you referring to? I have seen my son's "Eagle kit" (he has not had his COH yet) and I believe it contains the pinned-on badge, two parents' pins, a mentor's pin and the cloth badge. (He will never get to wear the last item since he is 18; at his Eagle COH he will wear his uniform (though he is not registered as an adult, but that is the troop tradition) with his Life badge.)

 

Do you mean a different kind of Eagle pin?

[desertrat77]

NJCubScouter, good afternoon...there was a small oval lapel pin, many years ago, that was a sterling silver version of the then-current cloth patch. They are very collectable, and you can find them on ebay occasionally. I was lucky to get one several years ago...they are works of art, the likes of which you don't see today. I think they were primarily for wear with civilian clothes, but I could be wrong.

 

Personal observation: As far as adults wearing their rank from their scout days, Eagle or otherwise, I saw it more in the '70s...adults wearing Life or Eagle cloth patch. No one made a big deal about it.

[shortridge]

And if Ben Love, as 55-year old Chief Scout Executive, wore his Eagle Badge on his uniform, who are you to say he's wrong?

 

Someone who can read the rules.

 

The CSE isn't infallible.

[Eagle92]

I'm not talking about the tie-tac / lapel pin inthe kit. I'm taking a full size Eagle pin that can be worn in lieu of the cloth patch, just like the S-T-2-1-S-L rank pins.

 

Also let's not forget that 1) at one time national allowed adults to earn Eagle, I beleive prior to the 1950s,

 

and 2) Eagle patch was allowed to be worn by adults. Don't know when they changed that one. So I've seen 1 Eagle in a vintage uniform with his Eagle patch on it.