Patch Placements

[advancement lady]

Where do you find a complete list of patch placements (BSA Snorkeling, World Conservation, Totin' Chip ETC.) I also need to know what qualifies as a "Temporary" and can be sewn on the right pocket. These scouts are receiving patches from everywhere (camps, training, church) and I want to be informed about placement, so I give them the correct information!

[Twocubdad]

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/06.aspx

[advancement lady]

Thank you for your reply, but it still isn't a full account. Example BSA water activities go on the swimming trunk's left leg!?! That empty right pocket space is what I am most interested in, but there isn't a list of what can be sown there.

[Twocubdad]

I didn't intend to post that specific page, but the link to the whole insignia guide. Sorry.

 

But the more pertinent page is at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/06F.aspx

 

This list all the odds and ends patches you mention. Otherwise, the right pocket is for just about any other activity patch the Scout wishes -- summer camp, camporees, even troop activities. Personally, I'm good with a Scout putting any Scout badge there he wants. I'd think someone would have to be wrapped pretty tight to complain about a Scout's choice of temporary badges.

[emb021]

What Twocubdad says about temporary patches is true.

 

Pretty much ANY scout patch that doesn't have a particular place to go can go there. This means pretty much all the activity patches (summer camp, scout show, camporee, high adventure, any council activity, troop activity, oa activity/event, etc) can go there. A few others, like World Conservation, etc, go there as well.

 

If the patch comes with a button loop (some do, some don't), use those and don't bother to sew them on. You can also get plastic patch holders that will hang from the button. This makes it easy to swap out patches.

 

Me, I years ago settled on wearing the Philmont Arrowhead patch there and pretty much nothing else.

 

[advancement lady]

Thank You both ~ I get it now and can help out our troop!!!! Too many patches ~ Too little time!?!

[Roadkill Patrol]

My son got back from NYLT from which he was given a patch. He wanted that put on his uniform and said everyone wears it above the right pocket. After looking in the guide and finding it was a temporary patch, I informed him he could put it on the pocket because he is going to need the space above his right pocket for his jambo patch when he goes next year. If he wasn't going to jambo and didn't need the space above his pocket, I probably would have told him to ignore the guide and go with the norm.

 

I learned that it is best to see where official patches go and anything else is considered a temporary patch worn on the pocket.

[BDPT00]

That's a common error. Some seem to think that because it's "national" that it goes above the pocket. The other common problem is when a staff member wears it up there, it becomes the new rule. It's a good reminder of how important it is for trainers to be in proper uniform. Yes, I'm well aware that some don't care, but I'll assume that most will do what they know to be proper.

BDPT00

[advancement lady]

I agree with you both ..... there are some patches that should have a standard placement, but the extra "important to the scout" should have a spot to be displayed. I just never realized that the right pocket was pretty much ~ up for grabs.

[Scoutfish]

The problem with people wearing above their right pocket comes from trhe fact that CUB SCOUT leaders can wear temporary patches there.

 

Take a scouter like myself who works on the pack, troop, and district level and you see people at troop functuons with a temp patch above their right pocket.

 

 

[Scoutfish]

You can always sew them patches to their backpcks or daypacks.

 

When we ordered ( by this I mean I ordered them , but the boys paid for them) custom patrol patches for our NSP, the minimum order amount worked out so every boy gets 2 patches.

 

They are sewing one on their shirt and the other to their backpacks and day packs.

 

[ZScout5]

Cub Scout leaders may only wear temporary patches on the right pocket, just like everyone else-NOT above. The only exception I've heard of is for women, since it might accentuate a certain part of their anatomy.

 

However, I have not seen any women do this, and I think parents might think that because the leader wore a patch above the pocket, that the scouts can too.

[Scoutfish]

 

ZScout5, check your Leaders uniform inspection sheet again.

 

BSA Uniform inspection guide ( PDF ) from Boy Scout Trail:

 

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/external_frame.asp?goto=/docs/uniform_male.pdf

 

BSA Leaders uniform inspection sheet from BSA.org ( PDF )

 

http://scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/34048.pdf

 

" Cub scout leaders and female leaders wearing the official uniform shirt or blouse may wear

one temporary insignia centered about the Boy Scouts of America strip. "

 

Cub Scout leaders AND Female leaders. Meaning any cub scout leader andfemale leaders in other types of units. Otherwise they would have just said female leaders and not mention cub scouts.

[ZScout5]

SF, you are correct according to the inspection sheet. I still do not understand the reasoning behind singling out the Cub leaders for different treatment.?

 

In contradiction, the insignia guide only gives exception to female leaders.

Female leaders wearing either the traditional yellow Cub Scout leader blouse, the optional tan leader blouse, or the Venturing blouse, may wear one temporary insignia centered above the Boy Scouts of America strip.(This message has been edited by ZScout5)

[Eagle92]

Z,

 

FYI if you are using the online IG, it was replaced with one in 2009 or thereabouts, but that was never put online. And somewhere i heard that they are not making another one.

 

Yep it's a very common problem with NYLT patches, and JLTC patches before it, being worn above the pocket. I had several scouts ticked off at me when I told them it was in the wrong place and I gave them the choice of removing it or leaving it on and losing points in the uniform inspection. All of them challenged me on it and I showed them the IG info. Some took it off, and some left it on.

 

Had one SM very ticked off at me for taking points off the uniform inspection over that issue and another, until I showed him the IG. He's now my boss since he's the District commish

 

What's interesting is that I told the folks running the program during the course they were wearing the patch in the wrong place and telling participants the wrong place to put it, showing them the IG. They said they didn't care becasue they were goign to wear ti there anyway.