Am I becoming the uniform police ??

[WestCoastScouter]

This post is mostly for fun discussion... :-)

 

I've never commented on insignia misplacement to anyone. But I have seen lately some cub scouts with their council patch at the bottom of their short sleeve, den patch on wrong arm...

 

Even saw a leader that put his BALOO patch (completion patch) on his left arm, where a DL, or CM patch would be...

 

Again, I just smile and I know that since 90% of our boys are good with their insignia placement that I should just let it go.

 

Should I be more of a stickler ? or should I just not worry at all... which is what I think I should do.

 

I do give all new scouts a uniform placement guide flyer, and also tell them the local tailor shops names and Ph numbers that will do patches for about $2.00 each...

 

 

[Eagle92]

WCS,

 

 

WELCOME TO THE DARKSIDE, BWAHAHHAHAHAHAH (CAPS FOR THE EVIL SOUNDING VOICE)

 

By all means do what you think is best. The handouts do work.

 

Funny you mention it, but as part of the district Webeloree, they have a uniform inspection. When my pack leaders were reading about it, they made the comment that they need to get the uniforms up to par.

 

Now if we could get all leaders to care about their uniform appearance. One pack in my district looks liek the Belgians I met, patches everywhere.

[WestCoastScouter]

When we have our den or pack meetings, many times I see the boys neckers to be ALL over the place on their neck...

 

So I do call them over and kindly then show them HOW to fold it, and to put it on... give them a wink and send them happily on their way... they'll get it soon on their own !

 

The boys do like these fun uniform inspections... check their nails, shirt tucked in... I kinda pretent to be a drill seargant... they all giggle as I walk down the line of boys, cuz they know that I am normally a goofy leader with them. Told one boy, "IS THAT A PLEDGE PIN ON YOUR UNIFORM." Ok.. the dads get the joke, boys dont.. but that's ok.

 

Ok... I'll admit that I was proud of my sharp looking boys at the district Pinewood Derby Race... as where they and their parents.

[BDPT00]

Thank you for saying something. If nobody does, it'll never be fixed, and the bad example would continue.

Clean up the kids (and adults) in your own unit. You shouldn't try to fix them all. One very significant service you can offer is to find a comfortable way to inform mom (or whomever) when you see a new sash worn over the left shoulder. Fixing 2 or 3 merit badges is a lot easier to deal with than a few dozen.

Thank you for paying attention. I'm sure it's appreciated.

BDPT00 (patch police)

[Scoutfish]

Nah, you are noyt becoming part of the UP yet.

 

When you get out a tape measure to be sure that a Fluer de lis is exactly center between pocket and shoulder seam, and you use a ruller/ square to make sure it is dead center from side to side..then look out.

 

 

If you find that the council patch is ALMOST an 1/8 inch below the shoulder/arm seam, and you demand it be fixed... Then you are there!

 

 

But from what you describe, it sounds like you only have pride in the uniform and that you only want to see others have that pride too.

 

Good call if you ask me!

[Stosh]

Anytime I see a patch misplaced I ask the boys if they have ever bothered to read their handbook. On the insides of the front and back covers they are shown where the patches need to go and if one lays the book correctly it also gives the measurements.

 

I have had in the past weekly uniform inspection and walk down the line making adjustments. No slide, not rolled right, etc. and always tell them if they are having trouble getting it right they need to have their moms dress them better next time.

 

Now after a year of this little game, we have taken it to the next step. The PL looks the boys over before coming on line for flags to make sure everything is okay. Now I only address the PL with my comments about how well or not well his boys are.

 

Boy that are not ready, not in full uniform, etc. stand in the back with the adults for flags. It's an uncomfortable place to be and so they correct the problems rather quickly to get back in the ranks with their buddies.

 

Stosh

[Twocubdad]

Welcome aboard.

 

Have a donut.

[Buffalo Skipper]

I like the light approach to this thread. That's good, thread--patch, sewn on. Hehehe...

 

I have a leader who is crossing from Cub Scouts. He is a veteran scouter, who eagled with the troop. His dad was WB SM, Silver Beaver and all that good stuff. His collar is armor plated with CS pins and he hangs his Philmont patch on his left pocket and has another temp on his right. I haven't come up with a nice way to tell him to fix it. But you gave me the idea. He is currently re-reading the current SM handbook and his son's BS Handbook. I can always encourage him to pay extra attention to the section on patch placement. ;-) Maybe he'll get the hint.

 

His scouts (Webelos who crossed with him) are also semi/pseudo-uniformed. We generally have uniform inspections once a month. With a court of honor in 2 weeks, we could have an inspection next week in prep, and could have each scout have a list of corrections before the CoH.

 

I still don't get what was suposed to be funny about the posted list: "You might be a member of the uniform police if..."

[ned_rothstein]

I was at a CS Leader training earlier this week, and I saw a CM with his position patch on the wrong sleeve, his Council strip almost an inch below the shoulder seam, his unit number way below that and his World Scouting crest about 1/2 inch above the pocket. Set my teeth on edge through the whole session.

[BDPT00]

I hear ya loud and clear. It's just sloppy. If they cared, they'd do it right. (Or they copied a trainer who didn't care.)

I'm also one who didn't appreciate the "you might be the uniform police if ..." I have high doubts regardng someone carrying a measuring tool in their pocket. Ever seen one? I do happen to use one when I'm putting my own uniform together, yes, but I don't carry one with me.

BDPT00

 

[Arrowhead]

I need suggestions on how to approach Scouts and their parents about insignia placement. My "knee jerk" reaction is usually "If you cared about this, you would find out before you did it." Fortunately, I haven't actually said that to anyone.

Last fall I put together a small folder with "essential" information about the Cub Scout program and our pack to give to each Scout. I included a uniform inspection form, and noted that insignia placement is in each handbook. There may have been some improvement over the year before.

Maybe next year I'll include one page with bold 36pt font stating "Ask me before you attach anything to your uniform!"

 

Have you ever seen National Geographic's "Arlington: Field of Honor"? The scenes about uniform preparation and inspection bring tears to my eyes.

 

Am I too serious, or am I just proud to wear my uniform properly?

 

Best regards,

Eagle 1977

[BDPT00]

I like your comment about "See me first."

Another thing you might say is "Don't guess."

I think it's good to warn people that they may make mistakes if they aren't careful. The trick is trying to figure out the best way to do it. Ultimately, you're doing them all a favor.

BDPT00

 

 

[evmori]

If the uniform is being worn, it should be worn properly. Having patches in the wrong place and other elements astray is not the way to go. Maybe it's time to have a uniform inspection!

[rdclements]

When I was a CM, at one pack meeting I gave each den a copy of the inspection sheet. They then had 5-10 mins to inspect each other and send their best dressed scout to the front of the room. Then, those guys inspected each other and figured out who was the best dressed among them. The best dressed of the best dressed took a treat back to share with his den. The adults were only observers and the scouts were motivated to get parental assistance in fixing their look.

 

Around my part of the world, the worst offenders are the veteran scouters who really should know better. We've got one whose shirt looks like a patch quilt. I thought it was a joke until I noticed that he wasn't laughing. Don't forget about the Venturing Advisor who wears venturing loops and insignia on a tan shirt. I know he knows better.

[Buffalo Skipper]

BDPT00, I too have a measuring "tool." Jig is really a more appropriate term, and I use it to place my service pins. It a piece of card stock, with 4 wide V cuts across the top. The card is placed aligned along the top edge of my knots; there are hash marks to align the center marks to align . he top of the The point of the V is where the pin is placed through the shirt.

 

As I only wear all my service pins on the most formal occasions, I don't have to use this often. And, though accurate, I really made it as a jig to keep them straight.

 

I like to be very forgiving with scouts, especially if it is obvious that they have tried to put on their patches themselves. I do encourage them to put them on themselves, and sometimes it doesn't turn out great. My son likes to do all his own MBs, but he does ask that I pin them first. He also does most of his other patches, but asks that do his "rank" patches, because I leave the pocket open; he is getting better with every patch. I have one scout who actually stitches all his own patches with a sewing machine. His mother does machine embroidery on the side and has something like 4 different machines set up in her sewing room.