'Adult' Uniforms

[ParkMan]

I'm a cub leader, and so I tend to have a different perspective on this than many. At the Cub level, it's rare to get a long time leader with lots of bling, knots, etc. More of the long timers I meet tend to go the opposite direction - they shun knots, rarely wear WB beads, etc. A temporary patch - what's that? So, the new Cub leaders that I know pick up on that and don't bother either. In my 4 years with my son's pack, I am the only person to ever earn a knot out of probably 30 different leaders. As such, I get questions all the time from the boys - Hey, what's that on your uniform?

 

I'd love to have some around the block guy show up at the pack meeting with more bling than you could imagine. I imagine a lot of kids would love it!

[Pack18Alex]

I wear my little Cub Service year from my two years as a cub Scout, the boys asked about it in the beginning of the year, no one in our Pack leadership ever wore won. I earned my Tiger Knot (now the lame Den Leader knot instead of the cool orange one, boo), which is the first leader award in our Pack History.

 

I think if we had more adults in uniform and with uniform bling it would be good... I put a few random things I qualified for on mine... my wife teases me about it, but my son is proud.

 

[Stosh]

I've been active in scouting since the '80's and have collected up a ton of bling over the years. I wear the knots on all my shirts. I have a shirt with silver loops for UC functions, a short sleeve red loops and a long sleeved red-loops. Then I have one shirt with all the bling that I use for special occasions (or in the case of a few on the form, to tick others off.)

 

However, they are accompanied by belts, socks, and pants, red jacket and hat. Traditional hat for formal and outback style for in the field.

 

I still use one of two uniform pants. Both purchased back in the '90's. They have taken a lot of abuse, but if cleaned and maintained like any other clothing, they have lasted well. Yes, the pockets have been replaced many times, the junk I carry in them are always wearing them out. But just because I get a hole in my pocket doesn't mean the pants are useless. Just fix them and move on.

 

Stosh

[jc2008]

I have to agree with the craftsmanship of the pants. I have to buy my husband new pants 1-2 times a year and its not cheap! He will only wear the official BSA pants though. You would think, by looking at the pants, that he was trudging through trenches in a war and not just a Wolf (now bear) Den leader. He wears the uniform a lot though, he thinks that if he is asking the kids to dress to the nines in their uniform that he must set the example.

[King Ding Dong]

I have to agree with the craftsmanship of the pants. I have to buy my husband new pants 1-2 times a year and its not cheap! He will only wear the official BSA pants though. You would think, by looking at the pants, that he was trudging through trenches in a war and not just a Wolf (now bear) Den leader. He wears the uniform a lot though, he thinks that if he is asking the kids to dress to the nines in their uniform that he must set the example.

I have worn the microfiber switchbacks for at least once a week for two years with no signs of wear and on at least 8 campouts. The microfiber shirt is another story. Lots of damage on the collar.

[jr56]

I have experienced better wear out of the older styles of pants. I still manage to wear out pants much more quickly than shirts. I don't think I have ever worn out a shirt.

[Krampus]

We had a scouter who wore an older style uniform (green) with the 1937 Jamboree patch...that he earned because he was there and stood shoulder to shoulder with BP, West, Beard, and other.. He died a few years ago at the age of 90-something. He also wore his original Eagle medal, from the 1930s. Who among you would have been rude enough to criticise his wearing of the uniform? Sheesh.

Old guys like that would be an obvious exception. 40 or 50-somethings wearing more bling than Lady Gaga is ridiculous. When the 50-somethings become 70 or 80-somethings, then more power to them. But for now get real.

[King Ding Dong]

I have experienced better wear out of the older styles of pants. I still manage to wear out pants much more quickly than shirts. I don't think I have ever worn out a shirt.

You must shave on campouts. I am beginning to think that is what's wrong with my collar.

 

That or just inconsistencies in the scout slave labor in China.

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

Adult uniform is always a hot topic. Like most here I have a few pet peeves:

 

1. Patches worn in the wrong location. Take the time to figure out where things go.
   
2. More than one temp patch hung on the right pocket … really, can’t you just choose one?
   
3. Patches attached by safety pin, tape, or Velcro. Take the time to sew it on.
   
4. Outdated insignia, meaning: Council Strips or lodge flaps from dead councils or lodges; office patches from prior offices; loops from the wrong registration; incorrect unit numbers, ect.
   
5. Uniforms in poor repair, or poorly cleaned. Yep it gets dirty, and works, but can be washed, sewn, and even ironed.
   
6. Although I understand charter orgs can choose for units to not use optional uniform parts the replacements should be appropriate. Basketball shorts, Pippi Longstocking socks, white socks, and neon colored athletic shoes are not suitable replacements.
   
7. Sport team logo worn anywhere on, or with, the uniform.
   
8. Wearing someone else’s uniform shirt, for any reason.
   
9. People wearing awards they did not earn, or patches from events they did not attend … this one really ticks me off.
   
10. Now the big one: anyone who does not respect the uniform, isn’t proud of what they’ve accomplished, the heritage the uniform represents, and doesn’t understand that how they wear their uniform reflects on all members of the scouting movement.
    

Adult advancement exists for a reason, and you should be proud of your service and accomplishments. However, we should use our uniforms to encourage, and excite the youth about the program, not upstage them. I joined scouting in 1975, and could put enough insignia on my uniforms to look like a South American dictator, but choose not to. Everything we do has a purpose, so too does each piece of insignia; carefully choose what to wear on your uniform based on what you intend to accomplish.

 

Back to Gilwell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Basementdweller]

I have to agree with the craftsmanship of the pants. I have to buy my husband new pants 1-2 times a year and its not cheap! He will only wear the official BSA pants though. You would think, by looking at the pants, that he was trudging through trenches in a war and not just a Wolf (now bear) Den leader. He wears the uniform a lot though, he thinks that if he is asking the kids to dress to the nines in their uniform that he must set the example.

Like JC....I am lucky to get a year out of a pair of pants.....

 

Of course I wear mine 4 days a week and some weeks every day.....

[King Ding Dong]

Adult uniform is always a hot topic. Like most here I have a few pet peeves:

 

1. Patches worn in the wrong location. Take the time to figure out where things go.
   
2. More than one temp patch hung on the right pocket … really, can’t you just choose one?
   
3. Patches attached by safety pin, tape, or Velcro. Take the time to sew it on.
   
4. Outdated insignia, meaning: Council Strips or lodge flaps from dead councils or lodges; office patches from prior offices; loops from the wrong registration; incorrect unit numbers, ect.
   
5. Uniforms in poor repair, or poorly cleaned. Yep it gets dirty, and works, but can be washed, sewn, and even ironed.
   
6. Although I understand charter orgs can choose for units to not use optional uniform parts the replacements should be appropriate. Basketball shorts, Pippi Longstocking socks, white socks, and neon colored athletic shoes are not suitable replacements.
   
7. Sport team logo worn anywhere on, or with, the uniform.
   
8. Wearing someone else’s uniform shirt, for any reason.
   
9. People wearing awards they did not earn, or patches from events they did not attend … this one really ticks me off.
   
10. Now the big one: anyone who does not respect the uniform, isn’t proud of what they’ve accomplished, the heritage the uniform represents, and doesn’t understand that how they wear their uniform reflects on all members of the scouting movement.
    

Adult advancement exists for a reason, and you should be proud of your service and accomplishments. However, we should use our uniforms to encourage, and excite the youth about the program, not upstage them. I joined scouting in 1975, and could put enough insignia on my uniforms to look like a South American dictator, but choose not to. Everything we do has a purpose, so too does each piece of insignia; carefully choose what to wear on your uniform based on what you intend to accomplish.

 

Back to Gilwell

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's an iron ?

 

Some of these banana republic generals need lots of temp patches to balance the shirt. We can't have scouter leaning over all the time.

[jr56]

I agree with the pet peeves, but if you have earned the award, you are entitled to wear it.

 

[Pack18Alex]

So my daughter in the Girl Scouts has a Vest back covered with Patches earned from joining her brother at the Campouts and other big activities. GSUSA guidelines use the pack for "extra" patches. So my wife and mother in law are sewing up a nice cotton "Red Vest" for him to put the rest on, and making one for me.

 

Why? We're trying to encourage participation. We used to give out the event Patches at the event when people left, this year we gave them out for one event at the next Pack Meeting, and the boys that didn't go were jealous and wanted to know how to get one. We're hoping that with the Red Vest (and others will follow our lead), the boys will push their parents to take them to more of the events where they'll get Temp Patches.

 

Same thing with Belt Loops. Our five boys that went to Scout Camp earned a TON of loops/pins. Hoping that my showing them off at the August Pack Meeting (being earned), and September (being worn), we'll get boys interested for next summer... That's the hope.

 

Even if my wife teases me that I look like an African Dictator (with the WWI-era UK Style Uniforming we have, we look more British Colonial than Spanish, but that's a minor nitpick).