How Do We Make Uniforming A Viable Method?

[packsaddle]

Personally, I've always liked it. I've liked the fit and feel of it. Not the polyester stuff though.

[PA Scoutmaster]

Our unit's QM actively contacts scouts leaving the program to collect unneeded gear. He maintains an inventory and we open it up to any scouts who need gear.

 

That's a great idea! I'll have to make that suggestion to our QM. We have a very small troop closet, but boys that stay with the program keep their stuff until it is not wearable, or they want to keep as a memento. I never thought of asking the boys who leave the troop. 

[TAHAWK]

Why did they join?  Primarily they joined to have fun with friends.

[BadenP]

Eagledad

 

I agree with most of your post, but I think that the trouble with the scout uniform is that it is a little outdated. There is too much trying to hold on to the old style of uniform instead of making it a multi wear piece of clothing that will appeal to the eye and needs of the teens of today. What is wrong with a uniform that can be made of more durable material is more practical and is less expensive, instead of it looking like a walking patch collection. If we really want the boys to want to wear their uniform it needs to first appeal to them instead of trying unsuccessfully to hold on to old and outdated traditional  uniform styles.

[TAHAWK]

I guess it depends on what "old" means.  .

[BadenP]

Tahawk

 

In this case old means the  past military style and looks of the uniform, and get rid of the hideous Khaki color. Time for something more contemporary.

[Stosh]

Something in a pastel?

[walk in the woods]

A decent quality green 3-button shirt with collar devices for rank and position. Blue jeans for pants and a troop ball cap. Low entry cost and easy enough for indoor and outdoor. Gets a kid uniformed for under $50.

[TAHAWK]

Boy Scout uniforms were last military in the 1920's.  Darth West ignored BP's advice and quickly dressed the boys up in U.S. Army khaki from Eisner, supplier to the U.S.A.  Only the buttons and insignia were different.  It took an act of Congress to make it legal.

 

That khaki uniform of choke-collar coat and riding trousers went away sometime in 1923 in favor of a darker khaki shirt, neckerchief, and regular trousers.  

 

In WWII, BSA had a special dispensation to buy cloth, but only OD was available, so OD it was.  Soon the very non-military red piping appeared on the pocket flaps.

 

The 60's brought a lighter OD of cheap, thin poly-cotton, which BSA insisted on calling "khaki."

 

Then came Oscar and the khaki shirt to go with the cotton-poly Maxi-Pill OD trousers, with variations on that for 25 years.

Edited May 9, 2015 by TAHAWK

[Gone]

I will say only this about wearing the uniform:

 

- Before the current boy leaders joined our unit we wore the uniform only at meetings. At summer camp it was a fashion free for all. We had very good boy leadership but the attitude was very laid back. Too casual. The boy leaders tried to correct that but the institutional history of not wearing the uniform bread a culture of discontinuity.

 

- When the current leaders took over they started the tradition of wearing the uniform everywhere. Created Class B and Class C uniforms and wore them 100% at summer camp. The mind set of the scouts changed. It became a communication game to see if patrols would remember what color of Class C to wear to events. Very Heartbreak Ridge (hint: bad Clint Eastwood movie).

 

The difference is not just happenstance. In our case wearing of the uniform had a direct impact on how the boys perceived each other and the increased level of discipline which was evident.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[Stosh]

The first time we went to a new summer camp, the boys all were wearing their full uniforms which they would wear for the week anyway.  The boys had no idea what the standard routine of the camp was, 

 

Anyway they show up for Monday am flags in full uniform as usual.  They look around and one other unit is wearing uniform shirts with blue jeans and a red webbed belt.  Staff was in full uniform.  The attention and comments from camp staff was priceless in setting the tone for the boy's.

 

It was a case of lead by example, because by the end of the week, all but one unit showed up for flags in at least partial uniforms (uniform shirts).  I don't think any of the units other than adults had full uniforms.

 

The year before at council camp, the boys weren't told that Wednesday was No Uniform Day and when they showed up for morning flags were told to take off their uniforms.  The PL's turned their patrols around and marched back to camp, did their own flags in camp and have never returned to that camp for summer camp as far as I know.  I haven't been to our council camp for summer camp for 10 years now.

 

To some boys who take scouting seriously the uniform can make or break an event.

[Gone]

@@Stosh, you'll love this. Went to camp in NM one year. A small unit (12 boys) from AZ were there. They wore the COMPLETE uniform from 1968....including the folding cap. They looked SHARP! One of the mom (Native American) was a seamstress and made them from a pattern for all the boys. Got the caps on EBay.

 

Our unit wears Class A for AM and PM meals as well as flags. Quick truck back to camp and swap out Class A shirt for Class C (color of the day). Class B is in their day pack for lunch meal wearing.

 

The mental impact, and patrol spirit, being uniform promotes should never be underestimated.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Bad Wolf

[Stosh]

At the Centennial Jamboree I was a 3rd ASM wore a reproduction 1910 BSA uniform (US military with BSA buttons and collar brass).  One of my Eagle scouts that just aged out was 4th ASM and he wore a complete 1960's uniform with all the community strip, garrison cap, etc. 

 

When we walked around to all the events, scouts came up and wanted our picture, but we refused unless the scout was in full uniform.  If he was, we got someone else to take the picture and the boy got a picture of 1910, 1960 and 2010 for his scrapbook.

 

Even with all the boys having to have 2 full uniforms for Jamboree, more than half the boys who asked for a picture were not in uniform.  Even with the excuse it was so hot out, I reminded them I was wearing a wool shirt under my wool tunic and wore wool pants and wool leggings.  Needless to say they got no sympathy out of me.  

 

One other boy from my contingent also wore a 1960's uniform because that is his normal uniform.  When I say full-uniform, it doesn't need to be the latest/greatest, it just has to be a full uniform.   A lot of boys really like the red piping on the mule-eared pockets of the old uniforms from before the ODL era.  I am also surprised with as useless as it is, the boys still like the garrison cap.  No takers on the red berets though.  That was beyond useless.  

 

My boys while in camp can wear whatever they wish, doesn't need to be BSA related clothing (your Class-B/C stuff).  But they do need full uniform for meals, flags (We always do in-site flags every am and pm), and when they are not in camp.

 

My current boys have even taken further steps along the way and have patrol neckers.  The troop wears blaze orange square neckers with black trim.  Adults wear blaze orange with white trim.  The next patrol will need to pick it's own color to go with the blaze orange necker.  The neckers belong to the troop, not the individual boys.  If they lose them, it's a $15 replacement cost because they are hand-made neckers.

 

The boys also have 6' staves that are also a part of their uniform.  They can be custom modified except for the hook and length by the boys.  The boys were all fascinated with the lesson I taught on how to wood burn your staff using a magnifying glass.  The PL carries the PL flag and honor ribbons on his staff  

 

And for all those that think this is going overboard on the uniforming, the boys like it, they got to pick it and from a quarter-mile away I know where my boys are.    Those blaze orange neckers are fantastic! and in a crowd, just look for the staves.

Edited May 9, 2015 by Stosh

[desertrat77]

"No takers on the red berets though.  That was beyond useless."

 

Stosh, I'll say this much about the red beret:  on campouts, they made great pot holders.   When you're cooking bacon in that aluminum frying pan, the beret came in handy (for once).

[Stosh]

"No takers on the red berets though.  That was beyond useless."

 

Stosh, I'll say this much about the red beret:  on campouts, they made great pot holders.   When you're cooking bacon in that aluminum frying pan, the beret came in handy (for once).

 

Never thought of that, thanks!