Service Stars for Cub Scouts

[Buffalo Skipper]

How do your different packs handle service stars for their Cub Scouts? In the past, we have always let the parents get them if they wish.

 

Also, may I assume that a Cub who joins as a Tiger and continues through Webelos and crosses over keeps a 4 year pin? I say this because if he crosses in February/March, this is only 4 years and 6 months as a cub scout. Right?

[GKlose]

None of the packs we've been involved with have ever handed them out, but I've bought them for my kids.

 

To answer your second question, I look at it this way: Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelosx2 = 5 years. Program years.

 

I have no idea if there is official policy on this or not.

 

Also, as a side note: I recently heard from another adult scouter that we could be wearing service stars now, counting our Scout (Cub and Boy) and Scouter years. I'm kind of a bare minimum guy, so I don't presently wear one.

 

Guy

[Eagle92]

Way stars work is that they wear one star with the number of years as a CS. That star andyellow backign can be worn as a Scout, venturer, and adult. Scouts wear a star with a green backing, venturers ( and for those of us old enough Explorers) wear a red backing, and adults wear a light blue backing. Adults have the option of either A. Wearing all their stars throughout their total scouting career, i.e in my case a 3yr. Yellow for CS, 7 yr Green for Scouts, a 1 yr red for Sea Scouts, and 16 yr light blue for adult service, or B wear a 26 year star and light blue.

 

From my experience in supply, it was 50/50 on the number of units giving those out, usually with trops getting them

[AlFansome]

 

In our Pack, we award service stars at the last Pack Meeting of the year along with new neckerchiefs and handbooks for the new Wolves, Bears and Webelos. We have a bridge the boys walk over and receive their items on the other side.

 

We also do a 5-year service star for boys bridging out of Cub scouts, assuming they've been in since Tigers. The reason for this is that we do our recruiting and applications for new scouts in May/June right after kindergarten graduation. So, technically our scouts are scouts from May before 1st grade to February of 5th grade...4 years and 9 months...close enough for a 5 year service star.

 

Eagle92 is right on with regard to the choices for adult leaders and service stars...one for each program level or one for total years as a scout/scouter. Wasn't there also at one point an orange backing for Tigers when that program first started? I seem to recall something but am too lazy to go check! :-)

 

 

[SctDad]

Yes at one point in time there was an orange for tigers, but they did away with that and just made them all yellow. I just handed out 5 stars tonight. all with yellow backgrounds.

 

I will get mine later. The boys come first.

[Eagle92]

Yep TC at one time were issued an orange backing for their 1 year star. From aug. 1982 until sometime in the 90s I believe, TCs were not considered part of Cub Scouts, but for lack of a better word affiliated with CS. The uniform for both TC and adult partner was the orange t-shirt and hat. When you completed TCs, you were issued first a 3" square TC Graduate patch to be worn as temporary insignia on the CS uniform. Then it morphed into a TC Graduate strip worn under the right pocket. When TCs offically became part of the scouting program, they did away with the orange background, and tenure in TCs counted towards CS tenure.

[ScoutNut]

We give out our Service Stars to the Tiger, Wolf, Bear and 4th grade Webelos at our Graduation Pack meeting at the end of May.

 

The 5th grade Webelos get theirs as part of their crossover to a Boy Scout Troop, along with their new Handbook and loops.

 

 

[kretzb]

Our pack awards service stars at the last pack meeting as part of cross over to the next rank. Webelos crossing over to scouts in March receive a service star for their years with the pack. Adult Leaders also receive service stars. We try to reuse stars from previous years, but its no always easy to get them back.

 

I remember as a Cub Scout receiving an Attendance pin and bars.

 

[Buffalo Skipper]

Thanks for all the good info. What I was really asking here (and I clouded it with my own fluff) is what is BSA's policy on Service Stars. I believe it is complete and whole years. If this is true, then the most would be "4" and not "5" for crossing Webelos. Right?

 

I am only an honorary member of the uniform police, (not a registred member with full benefits...) but my son is crossing over in 2 months, and I would like to see that all the boys in his den are recognized correctly.

[AlFansome]

 

If you look at http://www.scouting.org/Media/InsigniaGuide/10D.aspx?print=1 it will list which service stars are available to be worn with which uniform.

 

In particular, note that the 5 year star says "all members" instead of "Boy Scout, Venturer, or Scouter". That would mean that it's OK for Cub Scouts to wear.

 

This is the closest I've ever seen to an "official" word on the 5th year star.

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

Why get picky about a couple of months out of a year? We are not about penalizing these boys.

 

This is their 5th year in Cub Scouts. Full or partial, it does not really matter - it is still their 5th year. Give them their recognition, and congratulate them.

[Sarge]

I agree. No splitting hairs over a couple of months. If they finish their W2 requirements in their 'Fifth Year' in scouts, they have completed 5 years of scouting.

Give 'em the star.

[Lodge 489]

How would time spent serving in the Order of the Arrow between the ages of 18 and 21 be counted? I know that they are still considered youth during that time period but would those three years add on to their BS service with a green back or count as adult time with a blue back?

[scoutldr]

To be active in the OA, you MUST be a registered member of a unit(Pack, Troop, Crew, Ship, etc), OR be serving as a District/Council Scouter. The service stars represent your tenure in the BSA, and have nothing to do with OA membership.

[Lodge 489]

True but... if I understand correctly when you are a Venture Scout aren't you still cosidered a youth until 21? I know that in OA you are.

 

I may be wrong about that but if I recall correctly a Venture Scout can still wear their rank badge until they're 21. Maybe it's changed from what I remember. Thanks for the feedback.