Velcro For POR Patches

[Hawkrod]

THe badge magic type products actually come off pretty easily. I used to think it was a difficult mess but there are several easy ways to remove it including dry cleaning. I use Goof Off and it works great (we have a used uniform library, it seems as though I end up doing a couple every month lately!).

[BrotherhoodWWW]

I like using velcro for some of my shirts. My unit shirts all have sewn on position patches as I figure I'll wear them enough. My District shirts have velcro as I wear several different patches. I think for older boys it might make some sense but only to save wear and tear on the shirt. You still need to sew the half to the POR patch, just as easy to sew the patch to the sleeve IMHO.

[Eagle732]

Scouts are lazy and can't or don't want to sew their own patches on, sorry to break the news to you 92. Ever wonder why the Scout Shops all sell Badge Magic?

 

My recently retired Lt. Col. / ASM got me thinking about doing this when I saw him in uniform.

[Eagle92]

'732,

 

I know. When i worked for supply, I actually tried the old stuff in the nozzle can back when it first came out as I refused to sell something I hadn't tried or knew about. It was a mess.

[Proud Eagle]

If velcro for patches is good enough for the Army ACUs, then surely it is good enough for us?

 

The Army ACU (part of the inspiration for the centenial BSA uniform, clearly) has velcro pre-sewn to certain areas to make patch placement easier, even if the soldier doesn't always have a patch in that position.

 

Plus that little pocket is nearly impossible to use a sewing machine on. I like machine sewing for my uniforms when possible. It looks better and it lasts longer (in my experience).

 

Plus, boys don't sew much. Truth be told many leaders don't sew much either.

 

I once sewed on an Eagle knot onto the shirt I was wearing while in the back of an SUV full of people on the way to a section CoC meeting. It worked fine for that day, but was not at all up to speck for long term use.

 

The velcro is also a good idea if you have a half-dozen district/council positions which is unpleasantly common. I know some of the commissioner types like to talk about "single silver service" or some such but that is more myth than reality in these parts. Few jobs get done very well because the few available volunteers are trying to do 3 or 4 each plus unit level service. Not good. So if a bit of velcro makes their lives easier, go for it.

 

I can't really see how you could use one shirt for both unit and district positions, the unit numerals would need to be removable, and you would need to swap shoulder loops. I do know of those with both pack and troop positions that keep both sets of loops with their shirts and use velcro patches for quick swapping.

 

The first use of velcro I ever saw on a scout uniform was by a youth in my troop. He was a transfer from Texas with his Eagle. He was given two positions in the troop, and came up with the velcro idea all on his own.

[OscarTango]

Has anyone seen Venturing green color velcro pieces? Can't seem to find a matching color, would like to try this idea.

[Eagle732]

Velcro Attach-A-Patch is sold in four colors; Desert Tan (matches Boy Scout uniform), Black, Sage and Foliage Green.

 

[Basementdweller]

Again as an adult leader........I don't think POR patches are all that important. The only time they are important is school recruiting night.

 

Too me they are just bobbles and badges for the mini Napoleon that resides in all of us.

[fuzzievohs]

I only wear two hats right now: VP and SM. I thought Velcro might solve the problem of wrong POR. I even went so far as to make green/silver shoulder loops (cut them in half, sewed them back together).

In the long run, it doesn't work for me. But it might for others.

 

For it to work, I would need Velcro for the numbers, OA Flap, some square knots, and a non-approved Old Goat Patrol patch (please no lectures from the patch police). It just got too silly.

 

So I have a couple of different shirts: Wood Badge (don't wear anymore because WB21 doesn't want you to), VP (don't wear too much, just large District or Council events), SM (have 3 or 4 that get a lot of wear and tear).

 

For sale: matching set of green/silver shoulder loops, only $25 plus shipping and handling!

[Proud Eagle]

Why in the world did you need to put the OA flap on with velcro? Do your dues lapse frequently enough you need to be able to go flap off when you aren't paid up?

[Hawkrod]

If you live within a council that funds its program through patch sales you would understand! LOL

[Eagle92]

Hawk,

 

AND?????

 

You do know that once a patch is official, you can always wear it, so you don't have to keep changing lodge flaps. I know I still have my 13 year old lodge flap on one of my uniforms.

[Eagle732]

This velcro idea can become more trouble than it's worth if taken to the extreme. That is why in my OP I specified my intent to use it just for Scout's POR patches.

 

My reasons for doing this:

Saves wear on uniforms

Saves sewing a different patch on every 6 months

Prevents Scouts from wearing a POR patch after their term has expired

Saves money by reusing patches

Saves wear on patches and increases their life by removing them before washing the uniform

 

The best part about this is that it's not mandatory, if you don't want to do it then just sew the patches on as always,.

 

 

[Hawkrod]

Eagle92

 

AND?????

 

You know that once a patch is official, you can always change to it, you can keep changing lodge flaps.

 

LOL Sorry, I could not resist.

 

If you only have 13 year old patches then you have updated far beyond me. I have uniforms that are and have 35+ year old patches on them but I also have boys that want the "new ons". Our LA install snaps on his shirt pockets and it seems like he swaps lodge patches if somebody sneezes! LOL BTW, My son has several dozen various lodge patches and we are thinking of going with snaps for him as well. Fortunately he has his Jambo uniforms so he as he converts those back he will end up with several of his favorites in rotation.

[mdpeeler]

I have 2 shirts:

1 is for my "full-time" position as ASM and all patches are machine sewn.

1 is for my "part-time" positions as DC and UC. I use velcro for the position patches and I have a rectangle of "fuzzy" velcro below the CSP for unit numbers in case I need a 2nd ASM shirt and it is exactly the same color as the shirt and it is barely noticable. My Arrowhead will get velcro'ed there below the CSP (as directed by the Insignia Guide) once I earn it. As I am trained in all 3 positions, the "Trained" strip is machine sewn on both shirts. I took my time and did the sewing myself. It looks very professional (if I may say so myself) and I have gotten many compliments on it. It usually has the silver loops on it, but I keep a sapre set of green loops in the pocket, just in case. I agree that the sleeve pocket was a bad idea, then again, I don't like any of the bellowed pockets and they are now all sewn flat (again, looks very professional). My main reason for going the velcro route...I spent less than $10 on velcro and thread versus $60.00 for 2 additional shirts! I'm no snitch for the uniform police, but I do believe that a uniform should be worn properly and with pride (what with it being one of the methods of Scouting!). I hate to see leaders wearing uniforms that are poor examples for the Scouts.