Which jacket for Cub leaders?

[Rip Van Scouter]

I posted this under UNIFORMS but got no response. Maybe some Cub leader will see this here and have an answer for me!

 

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OK, in the Scoutstuff catalog both the red "Boy Scout" windbreaker and the blue "Cub Scout" windbreaker appear in the LEADERS section. Obviously, a female leader wearing the yellow/blue uniform would wear the blue jacket. But, if you are a male cub leader or a female cub leader wearing the "khakitan" uniform, would you wear the corresponding red jacket with the BSA emblem or the blue jacket with the wolf head embroidered logo?

 

The green and red socks are to be worn by leaders with the khakitan uniform, not the Cub Scout blue and yellow. Cub leaders also wear the green "Boy Scout" web belt and buckle, and with the demise of the generic Cub Scout b-ball cap, Cub leaders are left only with the green and red "Boy Scout" b-ball cap as "official" headgear, so does it follow that the red jacket should be worn with the khakitan uniform? Or should Cub leaders attempt to identify as much as possible with the Cub program by wearing the blue jacket? Unfortunately for me, the blue jacket only goes up to size 3X and I need a 4X or 5X.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

 

 

[WWBPD]

Rip,

 

Its a jacket...technically not part of the uniform. Your choice. Personally I would go with the red (with green pants its better to look like a Christmas decoration than...I really can't think of anything that is olive green and royal blue).

[cajuncody]

My opinion is that the best look would be a surplus military coat. However that is not BSA. Since there is no specified jacket I would assume (there is that word again) that you can wear any jacket. Military (most atleast) jackets are made to work well with that color green and can be bought for little of nothing.

my 2 cents.

Kristi

[Rip Van Scouter]

Hmmmm.....

 

"Its a jacket...technically not part of the uniform."

 

It may be "optional", but if it is has official BSA insignia (Universal emblem with the letters BSA), has insignia placement described in the official insignia guide, and is approved to wear with the field uniform (either for activity or BSA-sanctioned events, meetings, training, etc.) I would say it IS part of the uniform. I know my old Air Force First Sergeant would have had a fit if you told him that his optional poplin windbreaker with his rank pinned on was "not technically part of the uniform" because it was not shown on the "Class A" Service uniform inspection guide!

 

"I really can't think of anything that is olive green and royal blue"

 

I guess you mean "dark blue" (being an old USAF vet I have a hard time saying "navy blue", even though that is how the Scoutstuff.org website describes the jacket!). Well, guess what, the USAF is trying out a new Air Force only Camoflage pattern for their BDU uniform, and its colors include olive green and dark blue! Not only that, for years USAF airman and officers wore Olive Green fatigue uniforms with a dark blue belt, earning them the nickname "bluebelt" from Army soldiers they happened to serve or train with, particularly at US Army Parchute Training ("Jump School"). Not only that, the official USAF dark blue raincoat was authorized for wear with the "pickle suit" (olive green fatigues), since airmen were not issued olive green (now camo)ponchos like Army soldiers were, unless assigned to ground combat field units (security police, tactical weather observers, forward air controllers, etc.).

 

So, I am still in a quandary as to whether to wear the blue or red jacket. I understand that at one time the wool "jac-shirt" was also made in dark blue for Cubs and Cub leaders, but it did not catch on, so it was not economical to continue to produce and sell. Well, as the weather turns colder this winter, I will see how many Cub leaders wear red or blue jackets or red jac-shirts. What would be really "cool" would be an official version of the USAF MA-1 flight jacket, which is commonly available in many colors already at your local military surplus store. Dark blue would be suitable for Cubs and Sage Green (close to olive, since Olive is not available). Since MA-1's are not official issue in the Air Force anymore (being replaced by a newer "nomex" flight jacket), why couldn't they be adopted by the Scouts? After all, the current red and blue windbreaker jackets are simply a version of the old nylon "coach's jacket", with the official patch or embroidered logo added on. Face it, the Scout uniform is a "military style" uniform, which is really part of its appeal to the kids, so why not make it "cool" instead of "dorky"? Hmmmm. Maybe I will send a letter to the Supply Division with the suggestion!

 

 

[Oak Tree]

In our district I've only seen leaders wear the red jacket. Your idea to see what everyone else wears in your area is probably the simplest solution. The red jacket does seem to be a better match for the color scheme, and it will continue to work for you as you/your boy move into Boy Scouts. Presumably someone is buying

[Oak Tree]

the blue jacket or Supply Division would stop selling it, but you couldn't tell that from what I see.

 

Oak Tree