New Scouts in Uniform

[gbern]

We have just had an influx of 10 new boys join our troop.

We have our guys are to come to our weekly meeting in either a class A or class B and Must be in class A for Board of Review, Court of Honors and other times as noted.

 

How long a time frame shoulds we give the new boys to get theur uniforms?

[Fat Old Guy]

Five or six years. A uniform is not mandatory for Scouting and to require it is contrary to the policies of BSA.

 

[dan]

gbern

First question, do the boy know what a Class A or B uniform is? Do the parents? The reason I ask this is that the handbook does not address Class A or B uniform. Make sure they know what you mean when you say Class B the handbook calls it a sport activity uniform. This way if there is a questions you can tell them on what page to look up the information.

If the troop is all wearing the uniform, they are most likely to follow along after a while. If not use uniform inspections with positive reinforcements to get everyone in uniforms.

[evmori]

Fat Old Guy has a point. And we can't add or take away from the requirements.

[Fat Old Guy]

Dan brings up a good point. There is no such thing as a "Class A" or "Class B" uniform. Those are not Boy Scout terms and should be avoided.

 

 

[NJCubScouter]

If wearing the Scout uniform is not required, I wish someone would explain something to me. I thought, and just confirmed, that the "job descriptions" for every single position of responsibility include a requirement that the uniform be worn. Some say "Wear the Scout uniform correctly," while others say "Enthusiastically wear the Scout uniform correctly." (I have to think that this different is just an editing glitch.) Now, since you need at least one of these positions to advance past First Class, what does this mean? That only boys going for Star and up need to wear the uniform, and then only while they are actually in a position of responsibility? Somehow that doesn't seem right. I'm thinking that whoever wrote those job descriptions intended that the youth leaders wear the uniform, and do so "enthusiastically," to SET AN EXAMPLE for other boys to do the same. In other words, someone somewhere in national thinks everybody should be wearing the uniform -- as do, I think, the vast majority of Scouters and Scouts. Or am I missing something?

[Fat Old Guy]

Uniforming, like advancement is encouraged but not required.

[Eagledad]

>>Five or six years. A uniform is not mandatory for Scouting and to require it is contrary to the policies of BSA.

[dan]

Fat Old Guy

I think you missed my point. If a SPL tells a new scout that a Class B uniform is accepatable for a event, where would the new scout look to see what a Class B uniform is? I have found that sometimes people how have been in scouting for awhile tends to forget that new people do not understand the "slang" of scouting.

 

Ed Mori

I think you meant

"We" should not add or take away from the requirements.

 

[Laurie]

It isn't just the Scout who needs to know how to define class A and class B. When our son joined the troop he's now active in, we were given a packet of information. It stated that class A uniform was to be worn for all outings and ceremonies. I asked what a class A uniform was. Neither the Scoutmaster nor the Comm Chair chould answer that. They did tell me it was how the boys were currently dressed, and that happened to be uniform shirt with insignia with varying styles and colors of pants. That was 6 months ago. Since then, the permission slips no longer state class A uniform. It is now "full uniform" as in uniform shirt, belt, uniform pants (or pants resembling the uniform pants). The hats and neckerchiefs are rarely worn, though we were required to buy a hat. Bottom line: if the troop is confused, the boy will be confused, and the family won't care to purchase items that may not be needed. I like the uniform, encourage the uniform, but don't understand why a "uniform" uniform policy couldn't be easily adopted.

 

gbern--To answer your question, first, have they been encouraged to wear the uniform? They may be waiting to be told what to do.

[JimmyD]

As a Den Chief, I would always inform the parents at the Blue and Golds about our uniforms, (which is only the scout shirt), books and etc. Plus most of the time when the boy comes up to the meeting the parent follwos to make sure their son is ok. Parents don't mind being told these things they welcome it. I would try to do it through the parents first.

[Fat Old Guy]

"We" should not add or take away from the requirements.

 

No, it isn't "should not" it is "may not."

[FScouter]

There's no need to fret over how to define the uniform. It's defined quite clearly on page 12 of the Boy Scout Handbook. Confusion results when the troop or its leaders attempt to redefine what BSA has already defined.

[dsteele]

Troop uniform policies don't do much for me. I'm neither for them, nor against them. I think there's a better way --

 

Two examples:

 

Uniform policy example:

 

Parent says: "We have three months to buy Johnny a shirt, belt, hat, pants and patches for Scouts."

 

New Scout: "When am I going camping?"

 

In this scenario, the parents will be lucky if Johnny only hides his uniform until he gets into the meeting room, if he puts it on at all.

 

Boy leadership example:

 

Johnny joins troop. Attends first meeting and the SPL, the PL, and all but the new Scouts are in full uniform getting ready for their next campout.

 

Johnny feels a little awkward and says to his new patrol leader, "Umm, I don't have a uniform . . . yet."

 

"That's okay," his patrol leader says. "You're new. We understand."

 

That Scout is going to ask his parents when he can get his Scout uniform.

 

OR ... if a period of time passes, the patrol leader or senior patrol leader can inform the Scout that wearing the uniform is expected in his troop.

 

Of course, the boy example isn't going to happen unless the adult leaders of youth in the troop (Scoutmaster and Assistants) don't wear their uniforms correctly, quietly, and with pride.

 

Peer to peer pressure -- Scout to Scout, Adult to Adult. It works on all levels of Scouting.

 

DS

[Adrianvs]

Very good points, dsteele.

 

The parents should be aware of uniform policies, but it shouldn't necessarily be them who instigate and inforce the scout's compliance. I don't know how this situation should be different in Cub Scouting and/or crossover situations as opposed to new boy scouts joining the organization "cold."