Pins on Adult Uniform

[Eagle94-A1]

I was told the pin for the Light of Christ award was the youth's lapel pin. Both boys wore it on the suits for First Communion.

 

The "Parents' Pins" were originlly "Mother's Pins, and would go on a ribbon that the ladies wore. Name changed some time in the 1990s, except for the one in the Eagle Presentation Kit.  That is still called a mother's pin since the there isa tie tac for dad.

 

As for the Council Pin,  if you go to jamo, you are authorized to wear it onthe hat, hence hat pins.

 

I actually mounted my pins for dispay in my office. Unfortunately I haven't found them since the last move

[cyclops]

I placed all of my mother's pins that my mom had collected on her ribbon - over her heart before the casket was closed at her funeral. It was one additional way for me to honor everything she had done for me in my life.

[scoutldr]

My dad was buried in his Navy Chief's uniform, with my Eagle rank badge in his hand.  As an Explorer, I never got to wear it.

[Krampus]

Why do we have uniform guidelines if we don't follow them? What other things are well meaning, but wrong, that we are going to elect to ignore?

[CalicoPenn]

Parent's pins aren't a pin for uniform wear - consider this, most parents don't have uniforms.  Some Troops have a tradition that mothers would wear parent's pins on a strip of cloth pinned to their outfit at court's of honor.  Other's didn't.  Fathers might wear them on the lapel of a sports coat, if they wore sports coats.  For most people, I suspect that the pins ended up in jewelry boxes, or perhaps mounted and framed.

 

Here's a good "rule of thumb" to follow as you decide whether to wear such a pin - did YOU earn it? Like Twocub, I'm not about to play uniform police with anyone about where and how they wear patches and pins (unless I'm officially invited to perform a uniform inspection using the uniform inspection sheet), but I'm less likely to slightly roll my eyes at a person wearing Eagle Scout mentor pins as I would be about a person wearing parent pins on a uniform for awards their children earned.  It's good to be proud of your children - but when you're wearing the uniform, it should reflect that you're proud of all the Cubs and Scouts you're working with. 

 

It's also not unusual in the Boy Scouts for there to be pins handed out that are meant for non-uniform wear which I believe those council pins you were given are in the category of.  For the purposes of the weekend, however, I might have worn it as a temporary insignia centered on my right bocket, where all other temporary insignia goes, otherwise, I'd tie a bit of cloth to my hiking stick and put the pin on that.

 

There is, however, a pin that can be worn on adult uniforms that has not been mentioned - the Service Star.

 

As for Wood Badge Beads - they can be worn with the official Field Uniform.

[scoutldr]

Agree with Calico.  I have the same reaction when I see military wives wearing miniature insignia of their husband's awards.  Pilot's wings, officer crests, submarine dolphins, SEAL trident, etc.  "YOU didn't do that.  Someone ELSE did that." (to use a now famous quote.)

[5yearscouter]

For Parent pins, our pack and troop gives out something like this

http://www.scoutstuff.org/rib-neck-proud-parent-multi.html#.VgBUmFhRFwE

we have moms and dads who wear them to court of honors, including those in uniform (gasp)

I have a lanyard with my name on it in a leather name tag thing,

and  have parent pins for each of my scouts on it, from bobcat up to Eagle on one side, and bobcat up to Life on the other side.  I wear it with my uniform and nobody has said boo about it except to compliment it. Including the local unform police. I usually wear it to court of honors or special events.

 

For temporary pins, usually they are stuck in the hats.

In cub scouts they could go on a red patch vest,

and I've seen adults sometimes wear red patch vests with their uniforms too.

http://www.scoutstuff.org/adult-patch-vest.html#.VgBVLFhRFwE

The Insignia guide says that's where temporary pins and patches should go.

 

either of those allow you to wear them, without wearing them ON the uniform.

Thus circumventing the uniform policy issue.

Edited September 21, 2015 by 5yearscouter

[blw2]

.......Here's a good "rule of thumb" to follow as you decide whether to wear such a pin - did YOU earn it?.....

 

 

Agree with Calico.  I have the same reaction when I see military wives wearing miniature insignia of their husband's awards.  Pilot's wings, officer crests, submarine dolphins, SEAL trident, etc.  "YOU didn't do that.  Someone ELSE did that." (to use a now famous quote.)

 

I strive to encourage complete and full uniform wear, but I'm not one to call folks out on it.... So maybe I'm a "police explorer" rather than the "uniform police"

 

For what it's worth, IMHO I lean towards this thinking, like CalicoPenn & scoutldr.....

EXCEPT to say in the case of a mentor pin..... I can imagine if such a pin is ever given to me by my son or another boy as a way of saying thank you for what I have done as a scout leader or other envolved adult role... then that I would consider as something that I HAVE DONE.  I did earn something, their thanks.  Personally, I would wear it with pride, regulation or not.

 

Some random pin given out to everyone attending some meeting, probably not.... because it wouldn't mean much to me.

 

So my litmus would be.... does it mean something to you?  is it something you treasure?  If so, wear it!

Edited September 21, 2015 by blw2

[gumbymaster]

I try to be pretty good about uniforming.  I want to set a good example - and I really try to let my example be the limit of how I uniform police.

 

But I also like to account for the spirit of the uniform guidelines.

 

As to the parent's pin.  At a court of honor or equivalent, parents are encouraged to celebrate their childrens' accomplishments by wearing the parents pin(s)/ribbon.  My pride in my Child's achievement does not go away simply because I am a uniformed leader; my Child does not deserve to see less of parent's honoring his accomplishment, simply because I am also a uniformed leader.  I have no problem with wearing the parent's pin at that type of event; even with my uniform.

[vumbi]

I'm organizing the random agents of entropy (called 'cub scouts') and getting the den leaders to get their dens to sit for a minute so we can start the pack meeting and one of the wolf cubs comes up to me. He has visited a vacation place with his family and wants to give me the little souvenir pin from that vacation place. He's just full of enthusiasm and wants me to know I should go there too and have as good a time as he did (I've been there many times) and I listen attentively and say, yes, I'd really like to do that and he's bubbling with pride as he gives me the pin and I don't even hesitate when I pin it on my uniform right above one of my knots. During the meeting our eyes meet many times and I can see the pride in his eyes as he spots that pin on my uniform. At the end his parents thank me and he gives me a hug.

 

There's no way I will NOT wear that pin on my uniform and the guidelines and you sticklers for 'form' can take a flying jump at a rolling doughnut if you don't like it.

Edited September 24, 2015 by ya lazima vumbi

[Stosh]

At one point the intent of the parent pin was a non-uniform memento because parents didn't wear uniforms.  They wore sport coats and nice dresses.  The pin was in recognition of what their child had done.  Tie tac?  How many people wear sport coats, let a lone ties?  Where's mom going to pin her pin?  Tank top? Sweatshirt? T-shirt?  Up until I recently retired I wore a sport coat every day to work and church, yet none of them had lapel pins and when I did wear a tie, I did not use a tie-tac.  Customs change with time.  

 

This is nothing more than a historic tradition that has come and gone.  If it is however, still relevant to scouters maybe a new tradition should be started about wearing them on the scouter's uniform.

[BDPT00]

We all have things we're proud of, and some of us would like to display them on something seen in public.  Fine.  Blood donor or 'I voted' stickers I would consider OK for that day.  That's what they're for.  As a Scoutmaster, I might wear a sticker like that if it were part of a Scoutmaster's Minute.  Then it's gone.  Ribbons with pins for our kids' accomplishments are fine with me for a unit's court of honor.  Then they come off.  A fathers or mothers pin or a mentor pin (and those district or council pins) I'd think fine to wear when presented.  Then they come off.  A souvenir pin from a vacation place given to me by a Cub I'd see as OK for that meeting.  Then it comes off.  All of these things are mementos, and there's a time and place for them.  Actually there's no place for them on the uniform, but use your discretion when they're presented.  Then take them off.

And one more thing while I'm at it.  The comment made a couple of days ago regarding trainers wearing proper uniforms.  The reason given for that as very appropriate for the trainer, but it doesn't matter for the unit leader is flawed.  One of the major roles for both positions is to set the example.  I see no difference.  Either we set the example, or we don't.  What kind of example do you prefer?  

[MattHiggins]

. . . He has visited a vacation place with his family and wants to give me the little souvenir pin . . .

 

There's no way I will NOT wear that pin on my uniform and the guidelines and you sticklers for 'form' can take a flying jump at a rolling doughnut if you don't like it.

 

I agree 100%. I'd do exactly the same and imagine the vast majority of leaders would too. Eventually, the pin would come off.

 

It's still worth knowing the correct way to wear the uniform. I have no interest in being the uniform police, I just wanted to know for me. The BSA materials can be both informative and highly frustrating. Quite often sections don't have complete answers and more information is found elsewhere. 

Edited September 24, 2015 by MattHiggins

[Eagle94-A1]

This conversation reminds me of when I was working for National Supply immediately after 9-11-01. Manager, who wear the professional uniform, gave out American Flag lapel pins for the staff to wear. She looked at me with horror and disgust when i told her I didn't need it. She said "WHAT!?!?!?!" Pointing to my right sleeve I told her, "Already have one."

 

Now I am a member of the "uniform police." There may be a pin I wear for a meeting or special event that isn't authorized. Like others, it is usually something that someone has given me. But I don't wear it all the time.

 

Does anyone still wear hatpins? I remember back in the day seeing folks with hats full of them. Grant you it was authorized only for jambos, but still saw it a lot.

[Stosh]

The problem with hat pins is that when one lifts the canoe up onto their shoulders and doesn't get it exact, those little pin backs can leave quite a gouge in the scalp.