Temporary patches?

[Porteiro]

I've heard (second hand) that our district office is telling people that adults are no longer supposed to put an patches on the right pocket of their uniforms.

 

Can anybody confirm or confound this claim?

[UCEagle72]

My guess here ... they are saying that the adults need to stop putting temporary patches on the "left" pocket (I see them here all the time). The right pocket is the correct location ... for ONE temporary patch.

 

[Papadaddy]

I would not listen to "second hand" information, and just follow the official BSA Insignia Guide (available online). One "temporary patch" per uniform is allowed centered on the right pocket (wearer's right).

 

P.S.: Adults over 18 may not wear rank badges in any location.(This message has been edited by papadaddy)

[Eagle92]

From the Uniform Inspection Sheet for Scouters found here:

 

http://www.scoutstuff.org/retail/docs/uniform-inspection-sheets

 

Right Pocket

Boy Scouts of America strip is centered above the pocket.

Order of the Arrow lodge insignia is worn on the pocket flap.

Current national Scout jamboree insignia is centered above

the BSA strip and any other items above the pocket.

Optional insignia, if worn, is placed in the following order,

from the BSA strip upward: interpreter strip, Venture or

Varsity strip, name plate. The name plate may be worn on

the pocket flap if no lodge insignia is worn.

Temporary insignia, including one current world Scout jamboree

patch, centered on pocket. Only one temporary insignia

may be worn at a time, and they are not required for correct

uniforming. Cub Scout leaders and female leaders wearing

the official uniform shirt or blouse may wear one temporary

insignia centered above the Boy Scouts of America strip (emphasis mine).

Notes

 

Left Pocket

World Crest emblem is centered between the left shoulder

seam and the top of the left pocket.

Embroidered square knots are centered above the pocket in

rows of three.

Service stars are centered above the pocket, 3⁄4 inch from

top point to top point and 3⁄8 inch from either the pocket

or embroidered knots.

 

 

So the right pocket IS the place for temp insignia. However as I noted above in the quote, All CS leaders, as well as all female leaders, can wear 1 temporary patch above the right pocket INSTEAD OF on the right pocket. I didn't make the rule, national did. Now I can understand the ladies having the option, but not male Cub Scout leaders. Also why don't female Venturers have the option?

[qwazse]

Have you met a female venturer who really wanted another patch over the right pocket of her green shirt?

 

I've met very few that even wanted the green shirt!

[Eagle92]

Sorry about bolding the end, that was an accident and I didn't catch it until after I was unable to edit.

 

Actually I've met a few female Venturers in uniform. Grant you most are camp staff and required to have one.

[eaglescout1996]

Not to get off topic, but my wife, who has district and council committee positions, prefers wearing the green/grey uniform over the tan/green one.

[Eagle92]

My wife DESPISES, and the caps are for emphasis, the tan and green uniform. When she was registered with a crew, I got her the green and gray uniform, and she loved it. When we were planning on her being a DL, I got her a vintage 1950s Den Mother uniform, complete with Den Mother patch, City and State strips, and ladies' yellow tie. Missing one fully embroidered number. Unfortunately times have changed and that is no longer the plan.

[eaglescout1996]

What number? When I was living in Germany from '89-93, we still using the fully embroidered red numbers, as that's what was in the Scout Shop....I might have what you need lying around.

[Papadaddy]

In that era, cub scout unit numbers were blue/gold if memory serves.

[Eagle92]

The number is 3, and don't worry about it. I got a friend on the job already. According to the Den Mother's Handbook it was red. I think the 1940s had the blue and gold numbers.

[shortridge]

Districts have offices? Wow, that's nice.

[Jeffrey H]

In Cub Scouts, we love those temporary patches that hang off your pocket buttons. I know the guide says the right pocket but I don't care if anyone wears them on the left pocket. If a leader wants to wear one on each pocket or several, just for fun, then that's okay with me. I generally follow the insignia guide to the letter, but it's only a guide and not military law. Have fun wearing those temp patches! They show off where you have been and what you have been doing in the Scouting program.

 

 

[Eagle92]

Must respectfully disagree with you Jeff. We as leaders need to set the example for the scouts in our charge. We need to follow the rules and regs.

 

Now if you want to show off patches, rotate them using plastic patch holders.

[Scoutfish]

I'm gonna say that my position is between Jeffry and Eagle92:

 

If wearing an extra temp patch gets the cub scouts more interested and more likely to participate in a program, activity, or event, then I say it is far more reasonable and justified to wear a patch or two too many per uniform specs.

 

THis isn't the military, and I am not bound to the United States Code of Military Justice, nor am I acting in a treasonous way.

 

Matter of fcat, I were a temp camp patch on my shirt above my right pocket. It's a cool patch with a pirate ship on it.

 

Occasionally, I also wear another temp patch hanging from the button of that pocket. It is a POW WOW patch. It's a cool looking dream catcher style feather thing with 5 more feathers hanging from it.

 

Both catch the boys eyes and get them asking questions. About half who ask questions end up telling their parents they wat to go to camp and do other stuff. Leaders want to go to POW WOW to learn..and get a patch too.

 

So in the end. more people get trained, and more kids participate and go to camp:

 

By far OUTWEIGHING any disgrace I might bring to the uniform. PERIOD!!!

 

But, as a CM who also is a MBC and a regular RT participant, I do take the extra bling off when wearing the uniform at those times.

 

Why? Cause I am not attracting cub scouts which is the whole reason I wear exrta patches on occasion.

 

And I bet any of you a whole box of Trail's End popcorn of your choice that if I was to ask both my DE and SE which is more important....They will tell me to wear as many patches as I want if more kids participate and get active!