Where is it Written, travel in uniform?..and is full uniform needed for family camp?

[blw2]

Ok uniform police, where is it written....

Specifically re. Cub Scouts if that matters.....

that you should wear the Field Uniform while traveling?

 

We have a family RV/tent camping trip coming up at Fort Wilderness. Our pack isn't a full uniform outfit, but I'm a fan of the uniform method so I have been trying to set an example.

I'm just trying to wrap my head around what I want to do re. wearing my uniform..... and having my son wear his.

Since nobody else will be wearing it, I don't want to force him to be the only one.

We don't have any formal scout events planned, it'll just be family get together and fun.

I'm considering just bringing it and wearing mine on our full day, Saturday, around camp.

 

I have no question about wearing it when going to a council camp, but this is different. More relaxed.... and I know the other leaders won't be in uniform, and only some of the boys will be in T-shirts.

 

What would you do?

 

[King Ding Dong]

Since the BSA does not have a rule that the uniform is required, it does not have a rule that it must be worn while traveling.

[frankpalazzi]

The "Travel In Uniform Or Insurance Won't Cover You" myth has been around for years, You won't find it anywhere in BSA literature. Your attire when traveling, visiting, or camping is a Pack decision,.

[duckfoot]

No Brainer. It's a family trip, relax...leave the uniform at home.

[scoutergipper]

It depends on the kind of Pack you want to have. If you set an expectation that uniforms will be worn when traveling and on "official" Scout outings, then that's what your Scouts and Adult Leaders will do. Since this doesn't sound like an official Pack event, I wouldn't expect any requirement, but certainly an option for yourself and your son and others would be appropriate.

 

One of the areas BSA falls down is in marketing and visibility. As I noted on another thread, having Scouts wear the uniform to school on the day of a Pack or Den meeting was a great way to generate visibility when I was a Cub Scout. Being ashamed to wear the uniform in public is no way to generate public confidence in our program.

[qwazse]

If you are proud of your uniform. Wear it. It's the best you can do.

The second best you could do is have a chocolate bar for every boy who is in uniform at dinner and/or flags.

[Basementdweller]

"I" and the PLC require uniform when traveling as a unit. My boys are well behaved and a good example of the BSA. Now if my lads were like that horde of animals I saw in VA last summer, I would quit or make them dress in prison garb.

 

 

There is no national requirement

[Eagledad]

If you are proud of your uniform. Wear it. It's the best you can do.

The second best you could do is have a chocolate bar for every boy who is in uniform at dinner and/or flags.

This reminds me of a back packing trip we did in New Mexico; we decided to go to the Santa Fe Arts Festival the day before we got on the trail and as we were driving in the parking lot, the Scouts saw several young ladies about their age. So they decided to remove their scout shirts while we adults left ours on. The scouts took off on their own, but they were close enough in the crowd to watch venders giving free food to those of us in uniform. We laughed later joking with the boys that they didn't even get the girl. Barry

[Troop185]

I am still trying to get over a pack campout at Fort Wilderness! Wow! I wish I was in your pack.

[Eagledad]

"I" and the PLC require uniform when traveling as a unit. My boys are well behaved and a good example of the BSA. Now if my lads were like that horde of animals I saw in VA last summer, I would quit or make them dress in prison garb.

 

 

There is no national requirement

Our scouts follow the scout Handbook on uniforming, but we do have a unit rule that scouts must wear the full uniform while traveling. We started doing this when we found that store clerks at the many gas stops and convienience stores we stop during our trips kind of panic when a couple dozen boys go running through the store. The uniform identifies them to the adults in uniform and surprisingly calms them. I remember a truck driver at one gas stop in Clayton New Mexico personally apologized to every scout because she was wearing a sexually derogatory t-shirt. She was ashamed and said she would never do that in public again. Folks respect the Boy Scout uniform more than we can understand I guess. Barry

[Jeffrey H]

Agree with others. The uniform requirement "while traveling so you can be insured by the BSA" is a myth that appears to have no end in sight. The uniform is not required to a member of the BSA or participate in BSA activities, therefore members out-of-uniform will receive BSA insurance coverage. We wear the uniform to proudly identify ourselves as members of the BSA, but that's about it. Whatever your Pack decides to do regarding the uniform is up to your Pack. Have a great outing!

 

 

 

[Eagledad]

Thnking about this, I remember the 140, or so, scouts in the pack when I was asked to be CM didn't have a uniform policy. The way we tackled that problem was through the Webelos by encouraging them to wear full uniforms at all the activities. That wasn't hard to do either because we also give them the same camo booney hats the military soldiers wore. The hats were great because they were very durable for scouting activities, and they looked very cool compared to the BSA baseball caps. My 30 and 27 year old sons still have theirs and most of the scouts wore theirs through Boy Scouts as well. I remember looking at a lot of pictures of scouts at their Eagle COH wearing those booney hats everywhere from the Canadian Boundary Waters to scuba diving in Mexico. Somehow it became a Pack policy that only the Webelos had the honor of wearing the booney hat, so they wore their uniforms with a lot pride, and the younger ages couldn't wait to be Webelos. Because the Webelos looked cool, we never had problems with all the scouts dressing in uniform, even while traveling. Barry

[qwazse]

If you are proud of your uniform. Wear it. It's the best you can do.

The second best you could do is have a chocolate bar for every boy who is in uniform at dinner and/or flags.

Who knows? Had they kept their uniforms on, you might have had yourself a venturing crew for the day!

[Basementdweller]

Thnking about this, I remember the 140, or so, scouts in the pack when I was asked to be CM didn't have a uniform policy. The way we tackled that problem was through the Webelos by encouraging them to wear full uniforms at all the activities. That wasn't hard to do either because we also give them the same camo booney hats the military soldiers wore. The hats were great because they were very durable for scouting activities, and they looked very cool compared to the BSA baseball caps. My 30 and 27 year old sons still have theirs and most of the scouts wore theirs through Boy Scouts as well. I remember looking at a lot of pictures of scouts at their Eagle COH wearing those booney hats everywhere from the Canadian Boundary Waters to scuba diving in Mexico. Somehow it became a Pack policy that only the Webelos had the honor of wearing the booney hat, so they wore their uniforms with a lot pride, and the younger ages couldn't wait to be Webelos. Because the Webelos looked cool, we never had problems with all the scouts dressing in uniform, even while traveling. Barry

Not to go off topic, I am completely mystified by the money......scuba diving in mexico. We cannot pay for a $200 summer camp.

 

Depressed and completely lost when it comes to financing a troop.............

[Eagledad]

Thnking about this, I remember the 140, or so, scouts in the pack when I was asked to be CM didn't have a uniform policy. The way we tackled that problem was through the Webelos by encouraging them to wear full uniforms at all the activities. That wasn't hard to do either because we also give them the same camo booney hats the military soldiers wore. The hats were great because they were very durable for scouting activities, and they looked very cool compared to the BSA baseball caps. My 30 and 27 year old sons still have theirs and most of the scouts wore theirs through Boy Scouts as well. I remember looking at a lot of pictures of scouts at their Eagle COH wearing those booney hats everywhere from the Canadian Boundary Waters to scuba diving in Mexico. Somehow it became a Pack policy that only the Webelos had the honor of wearing the booney hat, so they wore their uniforms with a lot pride, and the younger ages couldn't wait to be Webelos. Because the Webelos looked cool, we never had problems with all the scouts dressing in uniform, even while traveling. Barry

Well I don't have details of the trips of different troops because I had 17 Webelos that ended up scattered in troops all over the district. I was invited to their Eagle COHs where they showed off pictures of their scouting adventures. I was told by one SM that the scuba trip in Mexico through a local outfitter was cheaper than the trips to Boundary Waters. I guess its all in who you know. Barry