The Latin Scot Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Hey everybody! I have a question about council patches. I have scoured the policies and guidelines about uniforms to no avail trying to find an answer, but I am sure somebody here will be able to supply a useful response. I recently received as a gift a council patch celebrating the BSA Centennial here in Orange County CA; for all intents and purposes, it is exactly the same as our council's current patch, only it is done with gold trim and has a special centennial emblem in the center. It's very attractive and I would like to wear it on my uniform, but as the centennial was now some years ago, I am not sure if that would be permitted. Is the wearing of a celebration patch for the centennial allowed after the year of its issue, or should I just stick with the current one to avoid improper uniforming? I am a firm believer in wearing the uniform correctly, so I won't mind if it's not allowed. However, it's a handsome patch that I should very much like to use if there is any provision made for such wearing. Thanks for any suggestions and information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 I have a number of uniforms that I have bought over the years and they sport the council patch of the year they were purchased. There is no way I'm going to take off an old patch and replace it with a current one that will be outdated in a few weeks. With that being said, I have an old green uniform with the red/white community and state strips on them. From what I have observed around my neck of the woods, one can wear any council patch they wish. One of my uniforms has the centennial patch for my council like the one you are describing for your council. Just wear whatever patch you like and don't worry about it. I have seen old FOS council patches from quite a few years ago as well. Go for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAHAWK Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Our Council had eleven CSPs in one year. Fund-raising. When it all started, I had CSPs on all my uniforms and was too lazy - or lacked motivation - to start playing musical CSPs. I have a number of the variations in boxes, including one all white and one all black, and new ones are coming with the combinations of five councils into three. Just got a 2017 Wood Badge Breakfast CSP. People around here (three councils) wear whatever suits them - another reason why Scouting has a brand of clothing and not a uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSScout Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 You will find in Scout policy that "Once a Scout uniform, always a Scout uniform". Your Council patch is A-OK to wear as long as thou canst...... Vintage is no obstacle, only appropriateness. The only limitation is that adults may not wear youth awards (totin' chip, Eagle patches, Patrol patches) (save your square knots) and youth may not wear adult awards (adult square knots, SM patches). But then, these things "be more like guidelines, ye-arrr", and I doubt if the Uniform Police would object. I know a well respected SM that wears his Totin' Chip, Fireman's Chit and OA flash on top of each other. He smiled when I mentioned it. And , too, when I did Wood Tools for IOLS, there was/is the IOLS director who wanted to know if the attendees had "earned" the Totin' Chip so she could "award" the patch to them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Latin Scot Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Great; I knew you guys would have the answers. Thank you so much! I will put the patch on tonight. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutldr Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 You must wear the CSP for the Council you are currently registered in. Any CSP from that Council is acceptable, although wearing it would imply that you were registered in that Council at that time. For example, if I first registered with the council in 2016, I would not wear a CSP that commemorated an event from 2010. But that's just me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAHAWK Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Here is what BSA says: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/Boy_Scout_Insignia.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Latin Scot Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Thanks @@TAHAWK, that was one of the first places I looked, but it doesn't give any information about the wearing of older or commemorative CSP's. And to @@scoutldr's point, it is indeed the CSP for the council I am registered in, and it is in fact the only one I have been with since I was a Scout myself. So, while I was in college at the time this particular patch was issued, it was still my "home base" as it were. As such, I feel that it will not be inappropriate to wear it. Thanks to all your comments everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAHAWK Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 And, in fact, the word "must" (or "shall," for that matter) does not appear at all. It just tells you where it goes - if there is one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Sometimes what is NOT written is just as important as what is written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back Pack Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Wouldn't this fall under the "once a uniform, always a uniform" standard? I've seen Silver [insert mammal here] all over Council wearing fifty different patches from the 80s to now. Haven't seen the uniform police get them yet. Heck, they have other stuff that doesn't belong on their uniform. As long as you belong to that Council and it's an official patch I'd think you're legal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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