Red Vest

[ManyHats]

When is the appropriate time for cubs to wear their red brag vests?

[Basementdweller]

We have boys that wear them all the time and we have some that just wear them at pack meetings. I think pack meetings or other special events.

[ScoutNut]

Whenever they are wearing their complete uniform.

 

I would not recommend wearing it to go on a picnic, plant flowers, roll around in the mud, etc. Felt can not be washed and must be dry cleaned. Of course, some families do not mind sending the vest to the cleaners every week so that would be their call.

 

 

[infoscouter]

I also think it's also not appropriate for them to wear them while they are the color guard or flag bearers in a flag ceremony. (I thought I had a cite for that somewhere). Other than that - what the others said.

[ManyHats]

So it's ok to set a Pack rule that states when not to wear them? For instance we would like to request they not wear them at the parade, so we present a uniform group.

[ScoutNut]

Oh Lordy! More Pack "rules"!

 

Before you enact this "rule", you should decide what will happen to the poor Cub Scout who is so excited to be marching in a parade he wears his vest, along with his full uniform. Will you send him home in tears? Take his vest away? Drop him from the Pack?

 

Sheesh! This is Cub Scouts - NOT the Army!

 

On the flier telling about the parade, simply request they wear their uniforms, but leave their vest at home. And, if some bad rule breakers come wearing that pesky vest, let them march, show off their accomplishments, and demonstrate to the community what Scouting is all about - having FUN!

 

[ManyHats]

Ok rule came out stronger than I meant. What I had in mind was what you stated. In the newsletter request uniforms, but no vests.

 

BTW - I'm a little offended by your remark. We care too much about each kid and there are not very many in our Pack that even have the vests.

[CalicoPenn]

Is there any way to get red vests to those in the unit that doesn't have one? Maybe its time to start a new tradition in the pack - felt isn't that expensive - maybe folks can make a red vest, given all the parts. Just a thought, though not really germane to this discussion.

 

I like the idea of Cub Scouts walking in a parade with their red vests on - the brag vest should be considered part of the recruiting mission - a red vest with a bunch of patches on it shows non-cubs that the pack does a whole lot of neat things, and could be a gateway to getting a lad to join.

 

On the other hand, you could suggest that Cubs just dress in uniform with no vests - as long as you understand that there will inevitably be an excited Cub Scout or two that just doesn't get the message and will probably show up wearing it. You'll have to decide what to do then - dampen the spirit of those Cubs by telling them not to wear it on the parade route, or let them wear it and have other Cubs who followed the rules wonder why they get special treatment.

 

And what to do with the lads that show up in blue jeans, or wearing shorts (cause its hot outside). I'd be grateful if they all just showed up at least wearing the uniform shirt and neckerchief. I don't think the lads really care if their buddies are wearing a red vest, or blue jeans - They'll only care that they get to walk in the parade with their buddies.

 

Calico

 

PS - if you have Den Chiefs, and they aren't walking in the parade with their Troop(s), make sure to invite them to walk with the Pack at the parade too!

 

[talen333]

We took one red felt vest and cut it apart at the seams to use as a pattern and then went out and bought a sturdier more readily washed fabric and made our own vests. You cannot tell until you get up close that it is not the same as the official vests but all the boys like the homemade vests better after they see them. Moms and Dads like that you can wash them and they still look good.

[gcan]

a neighboring pack had the bears make them as a project for one of the requirements. Den dues paid for the few dollars worth of felt!

 

We allow our boys to wear thier vests anytime they are wearing thier full uniform- they are awfully proud of thier accomplishments, and enjoy being able to talk about where this patch or that one came from.

 

that said, we made our own out of TAN twill fabric (from Wal-mart for about $2 a yard). One of the Webelos' grandmoms made them for all the boys, and they turned out great! they are durable, and hold up to ironing on patches. The red felt turns all the patches pink when you wash it... even without washing it, the boys seemed to balk at wearing the red- to "girl scouty", i was told by a pack of 9yo's.

There are a number of patterns on the web!

 

I can send you a picture, if you want to see how it turned out.

[gcan]

a neighboring pack had the bears make them as a project for one of the requirements. Den dues paid for the few dollars worth of felt!

 

We allow our boys to wear thier vests anytime they are wearing thier full uniform- they are awfully proud of thier accomplishments, and enjoy being able to talk about where this patch or that one came from.

 

that said, we made our own out of TAN twill fabric (from Wal-mart for about $2 a yard). One of the Webelos' grandmoms made them for all the boys, and they turned out great! they are durable, and hold up to ironing on patches. The red felt turns all the patches pink when you wash it... even without washing it, the boys seemed to balk at wearing the red- to "girl scouty", i was told by a pack of 9yo's.

There are a number of patterns on the web!

 

I can send you a picture, if you want to see how it turned out.

[Lisabob]

I happen to really like those vests and we encouraged all of our cub scouts to wear them anywhere and everywhere they wanted to. If nothing else, they were excellent conversation starters. Adult: "I see you have an interesting patch here. How did you earn that one?" Proud Cub Scout: "Well....(long story to follow)." Add a beaming parent somewhere nearby, listening to their child's enthusiastic scouting story.

 

Incidentally they also made for great media coverage.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

"I'm a little offended by your remark. We care too much about each kid and there are not very many in our Pack that even have the vests."

 

So you want to tell little Jimmy, who is proud as a peacock of all of the patches on his vest, that he can't wear it because - A) He will look different from the other Scouts and that is bad, or B) He might make a boy who doesn't have a vest feel bad?

 

Why let them have vests at all if you do not want them to wear them?

 

Vests are GREAT! They are wonderful, walking billboards of everything your Pack does. Our Pack makes our red vests and we give it to the new Scouts at their first Pack meeting.

 

If your Pack has a bit more $, or if you charge your families for the vest, I saw a great idea at our Summer Camp Weekend. One of the Packs used tan fishing vests as brag vests. They looked great, had a lot of room for patches, and had all of those wonderful pockets on the front! As a plus, they are washable!

 

 

[PACK15NISSAN]

In our Pack we try to keep the vests down to Pack Meetings or special events, we treat them just like any special awards. That keeps them "special", not just something you where every week.

 

I think a parade or anything out in the public (minus something that might be dirty) is a great time for the vest or any other awards, it gives the kids a chance to show off what they have done.

 

Now don't shoot the messenger because I do not know everything about the situation, but we had a Webelos last year who would not join Boy Scouts because he couldn't wear his red vest. He wore it all the time and became dependant on that vest to feel good about his accomplishments.

[Lisabob]

While that seems a bit extreme, I would submit that a boy who made his stand over the vest probably was not emotionally ready for boy scouting anyway. The vest may have been his excuse, who knows.

 

As for when to wear them, well I stand by the approach we took, which was pretty much anytime they wanted to.

 

I have been told that boy scouts actually CAN wear the vests by the way, but I think most of ours wouldn't want to be caught dead in it - too "little boy." Some of our new scouts do wear them for a bit after cross over and that's fine (nobody tells them not to), but by about May (usually everybody has a boy scout uniform by then) it is rare to see the red vests at meetings anymore.