Wearing your uniform as a leader

[gungho4scouts]

The question was brought up regarding wearing your uniform as CM, CMA, CC, etc. at den meetings. I've been looking in the publications regarding leader uniforms and everything out there leads to; yes you do.

 

IMHO, if you're a leader in any capacity as a Scout, you help set the example as well as motivate the Boys to wear their uniforms. Thinking like a Cub, I would be wondering why I have to wear my uniform all the time and my Dad only wears it when he wants to.

 

And with the recent changes to the Tiger Cub's uniform are the adult partners expected to still wear the Orange Sweat Shirts? In my council, I haven't seen anyone wear it, and the Service stores actually discourged me from buying it.

 

Is there any publication stating a leader shouldn't wear their uniform at den meetings?

[Twocubdad]

I'm the cubmaster but I always wear my uniform to my son's den meetings, although I'm there only as a parent. There are times I wear a Scout uniform four nights a week.

 

You're not going to find any reference which discourages anyone from wearing their uniform to a Scout function of any kind. Is it an issue for some reason?

 

The orange tiger shirt is still available and is optional for both boys and parents -- "Class B" if you like using that term. I don't think I've seen any of this year's tigers or parents wearing one.

[SemperParatus]

I would be shocked if a BSA publication said an adult should not wear their uniform to a scout meeting/event. The best way to teach young scouts to wear their uniform with pride is for the adults to set the example.

 

While its been a while since Tiger Cubs, I would suspect that the Tiger Cub sweatshirt is not a popular item because of its limited use. Assuming one child, it is only worn for about 9 months until crossover when it is usually permanently retired.

[SR540Beaver]

Semper,

 

It isalways appropriate to wear your uniform. I was the CC of my son's Pack. Funny thing is, when the committee met, no one wore their uniforms. We kept it casual. But when we camped, had den meetings or pack meetings, I was always in full uniform. Pants too. The CM was the only other one who wore a full uniform. None of our DL's did.

 

I'm now an ASM and always wear a full uniform. I was running late one evening and managed to pick my son up and get him to the troop meeting on time. I then turned around, went home and put on my uniform and returned.

 

My feeling is that if you are a leaader and it is a function of any kind with boys present, wear your uniform.

[Eamonn]

I am a uniform wearer. Wearing or not wearing it is no big deal.

I used to wear it a lot more than I do, in fact I'm finding that I'm "Required" to wear it less and less. Last night I attended our Council Heritage Society dinner, the meeting started with cocktails, so off course there were no Scouts or uniforms. To night I had a dinner meeting with our Area President, again there was alcohol served.

A few years back our then SE asked us not to wear uniforms to Executive Board meetings, I have no idea what that was all about.

While I do wear the uniform a lot. I know that the fellow who will take my place as District Chairman more than lightly won't wear one. He will be more of a District Meeting Chairman, where I tend to stick my big nose in every place.

Eamonn.

[EagleInKY]

I think anytime you go to a scout function where uniforms are appropriate, whether it's in an official capacity or not, you should wear your uniform. We had a friend at church get his Eagle recently. My son and I both came in our uniforms. Some other scouters from church asked why we wore our uniforms, since it wasn't our unit. I told them I was a scout and proud to demonstrate that I'm part of the same brotherhood as that new Eagle.

 

My dad taught me that by example. Even today, if he comes and visits one of our troop meetings or a COH, he wears his uniform.

[ScoutNut]

The orange shirts (t-shirt & sweat) are still considered to be the official uniform for Tiger Adult Partners. If, for whatever reason, your Scout Shop does not carry them, you can purchase them from other council's Scout Shops or order them from National.

 

Out of my 6 current Tigers, 4 of the Adult Partners wear the orange Tiger t-shirt to every Tiger Den meeting and Pack meeting or outing. Our Tigers usually have at least 50% of their Partners wearing the orange adult shirts. I have noticed at District activites that other units also have some Tiger Partners wearing orange shirts.

 

I am all for wearing the BSA uniform. However, I believe that the appropriate uniform should be worn for the appropriate activity. I wear my Leader uniform to all Tiger Den meetings, Pack meetings, Pack outings, trainings and District activites. Last year I had a Tiger whose dad is a Webelos Den Leader and one whose dad is Cubmaster. At Tiger Den meetings and Tiger outings they both wore their orange Tiger Adult Partner t-shirts. They were at the activites in the capacity of Tiger Partner and not Webelos Leader or Cubmaster and so wore the appropriate uniform. At Pack meetings they wore their Webelos Leader and Cubmaster uniforms because that is the capacity in which they served for that activity.

 

I wear my Cub Scout Leader uniform whenever I attend an Eagle Scout ceremony with the Pack because I am there as a Cub Scout Leader. Neither my husband or myself wear our Cub Scout uniforms when we attend a Court of Honor at our son's BS Troop meeting. We are there strictly as parents, not as Cub Scout leaders. If I was a ASM with his Troop I would wear my Boy Scout Leader uniform, not my Cub Scout Leader uniform, to COA's. Likewise, I would not wear my Boy Scout Leader uniform to a Cub Scout Pack meeting.

 

This is not written in a BSA publication, just the way that I interpret wearing the BSA uniform correctly.

 

 

[acco40]

I don't think there is anything wrong in your post but it would not be improper to wear your Cub Scout uniform to your son's COH. You are still Cub Scout leaders. However, just like the position patch, the unifomr you wear should represent the function you are carrying out.

 

[fotoscout]

If it's a Scouting function, you wear the uniform. End of discussion.

 

However, I have been to two Eagle Courts of Honor recently where the new Eagle was either the Scoutmasters son or an ASM/UC/WB-Staffer's son. In both cases the dads were wearing a suit and not their uniform. Normally, these two guys are always in uniform. Is there a protocol here that I am not aware of?

(This message has been edited by fotoscout)

[OldGreyEagle]

Our Scoutmaster wore a suit when his son had his Eagle Court, he said on that day, he just wanted to be tbe the dad, just the dad.(This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle)

[acco40]

For some functions, like an Eagle COH, the young men should be the focus of attention. A Scoutmaster, whose is attending his son's Eagle COH, may simply wish to stay in the background to make sure the spotlight stays focused on his son.

 

I'm reminded of one of the UCs in my district. He is a great guy but he has been in Scouting for close to 50 years. At a roundtable, when awarding a 20 yr service pin to someone, he never hesitates to mention or reminisce about when he earned his 20 yr pin, same when awarding a Silver Beaver, etc. With his "Panamanian General" scout shirt, the focus always seems to be on him and not the individual receiving hte award.