Crew Officers in Uniform?

[lallen13]

Hi. I was just wondering about Crew officers in uniform at meetings. I know that the President should wear their Class A at all of the meetings, but should the other officers, like the Secretary and the Treasurer wear their Class As to the meetings as well?

 

Thanks!

[Papadaddy]

Short answer is, that's up to the Crew to decide. Some crews decide to have no uniforms at all.

[TheGong]

If your crew decides to wear the recomended uniform, than they all should wear it to meetings. The "class B" uniform or activity uniform as it's called in venturing is more for activities.

[BadenP]

lallen13

 

(GONG - Sorry guy but uniforming is NOT a method of Venturing.) They are NOT bound by the same regs as boy scouts, they can wear it once a month, twice a year or not at all. Read the Venturing Leaders Manual for correct information instead of taking incorrect advice here. Papadaddy wins the prize for the correct answer.

 

[CalicoPenn]

It's up to the crew to decide if they're going to have a uniform (or uniforms), what that uniform will consist of, and when they will be worn. My question would be, if the Crew decides that "Class A's" will be worn to meetings, why would only the President wear the uniform and not the rest of the Crew members? I would think that if there is an expectation by the Crew that the President wears "Class A's" to the meeting, then the other officers, and the non-officer Crew members should also wear their "Class A's" to the meeting.

[qwazse]

Whatever you decide, I suggest you do so in writing. Do it in two sections: one that defines your uniform (or declares that your crew does not have a uni) and another that defines when it should be worn.

That will be one less thing you have to explain to newbies.

[emb021]

"Whatever you decide, I suggest you do so in writing. Do it in two sections: one that defines your uniform (or declares that your crew does not have a uni) and another that defines when it should be worn."

 

I would suggest something slightly different.

 

Have the youth work this out.

 

Yes, it should be down in writing. Best put it in your crew's Standing Rules (or policies/procedures document).

 

Something like:

 

Our crew uniform is xxx.

The Crew uniform shall be worn xxx.

 

(nothing wrong with defining a 'class a' and 'class b'. I've seen many crews do something similar to troops. They wear the forest green venturing shirt at more formal occasions, and have a t-shirt for activities stuff. Then the 'when to wear' could be something like a troop might have: forest green shirt at meetings and more formal occasions (training events or the like), t-shirt at activities and events. Also set down who decides when one or the other is used- ideally the officers or the president)

 

[TheGong]

I am not saying that you have to wear the class A all the time but if the president does so should the rest of the crew. Even though uniforming is not a method of venturing you should still have pride in it. But it's all up to the crew that's why I said if they decide to wear the Class A they should wear it.

[BadenP]

Gong

 

The situation you describe in your last post rarely if ever occurs in Venturing. Remember the crew as a whole decides if and what they want concerning distinctive clothing, not just the officers. However there are NO rules of what and when to wear any uniform in Venturing since it is not part of the program.

[qwazse]

Emb, the OP is a youth, and my comments were directed accordingly. Adults, if you have the itch to write something for the kids, listen to Emb and sit on your hands. There's enough paperwork in this world!

 

Gong, I could see a crew making up a rule that the president should commit to wearing whatever the crew defines as class A at any formal function.

 

I could also see myself asking the crew officers to evaluate the pro's and con's of that strategy.

[TheGong]

I am a crew president and I do ask my officers to wear the class A on the first of every month. In my crew the uniform is one of our methods.

But the question orginally asked was, if the president wears the class A then should the other officers? In my opinion yes they should but thats an opinion im not stating a fact.

[BadenP]

Gong

 

Even though you are the crew president it is NOT your place or right to make that request of the other officers or the crew members. Again uniforming is NOT and never has been part of Venturing, there are NO methods of Venturing. I suggest you get a copy of the Venturing Leaders Manual and really read the parts about how the crew is set up to function and make decisions, it is very different from a boy scout troop.

[TheGong]

Okay BadenP you fail to see my point, the original question was asking for an opinion I gave my opinion. You take handbooks to literally, a venture crew is not a boy scout troop they are very different, but how you show leadership is very similar.

[BadenP]

Gong

 

I get your point just fine, you don't get mine. Leadership/Decision making in a venturing crew is by concensus of all the members, and that is very different from a troop. It is nice that you want to wear a Venturing uniform to your meeting, but you should not and can not expect the other crew members to follow suit. You seem to be fixated on leadership using the troop method but you are no longer in a troop. You really do need to read the VLM so you can understand the difference between the troop and crew, the methodology is VERY different.

[qwazse]

This is why written by-laws are important. Gong, you may be a persuasive fellow, and your mates will happily agree with your suggestion - this year. Then a new slate of officers comes along that doesn't share your vision. They are allowed not to, but when Secretay Jane sees that nobody is wearing the green shirt every third Thursday, she may be a little put out after having just spent the $ on a new shirt.

 

Adding and revising by-laws for these detailed decisions is part of how we manage collective leadership.