New Troop/Pack Flags from Supply

[Gwaihir]

Just a general gripe... apparently 3 or 4 years ago, BSA switched from embroidered lettering on Troop/Pack flags to a screenprinted version.  I gotta say, this caught me by surprise.. and the flag just doesn't look nearly as good.  The letters don't pop off the flag.  Everything is muted and kind of subdued.  I wish there was a 3rd party alternative because I'd much rather get the Pack an embroidered flag.  

[ItsBrian]

Really? I feel like the quality goes down as well, it more likely will fade eventually.

[The Latin Scot]

Well THAT'S annoying to hear! We just ordered a new Pack flag last week; I hope the quality isn't quite as awful as you suggest, but now I am not keeping my hopes up. 

 

Oh national supply ... thou art such a cruel master.

[ValleyBoy]

Our Troop has not had a Troop Flag since our flag was destroyed when the SM at that time house burned down about 15 years ago.  Since that time we had looked into getting a new flag several times with the last time being 4-5 years ago.  At those times with the only option being a flag with embroidered lettering the price of the flag was just more than the troop could afford.  Yes the embroidered flags look better but how many units have had to make the decision not to get a unit flag just due to the cost.   

[qwazse]

Our Troop has not had a Troop Flag since our flag was destroyed when the SM at that time house burned down about 15 years ago.  Since that time we had looked into getting a new flag several times with the last time being 4-5 years ago.  At those times with the only option being a flag with embroidered lettering the price of the flag was just more than the troop could afford.  Yes the embroidered flags look better but how many units have had to make the decision not to get a unit flag just due to the cost.   

Is this emblematic of folks being less charitable to Boy Scouts, less charitable in general, or to scouts and troops having to deal with increased fees to national?

Consider, registering 20 members would have been $300 cheaper just a decade ago. That buys a lot of flag.

[Stosh]

We have a nylon, printed troop flag. 

 

No, it's not as nice as the older embroidered one.

 

From 10' away it looks fine.

 

From any distance away, not having one looks fine, too.

 

The only reason my unit has a flag is because the adults wanted it.  The boys couldn't care less about it.  99% of the time it's in the storage closet.  Doesn't go outside where it will get dirty.   Flag ceremony most of the time is done with just the US Flag.

[NJCubScouter]

The only reason my unit has a flag is because the adults wanted it.  The boys couldn't care less about it.  99% of the time it's in the storage closet.  Doesn't go outside where it will get dirty.   Flag ceremony most of the time is done with just the US Flag.

 

I guess it's all a matter of troop tradition.  All of our opening/closing ceremonies include both the American flag and the troop flag.

[ValleyBoy]

Is this emblematic of folks being less charitable to Boy Scouts, less charitable in general, or to scouts and troops having to deal with increased fees to national?

Consider, registering 20 members would have been $300 cheaper just a decade ago. That buys a lot of flag.

In my area yes the Boy Scouts have gotten more expensive since I was a youth but folks are still just as charitable as they at that time.  The made difference is the local resources are not where near where they were when I was a youth to the scouting program due to the decline in my area in population an other changes in the local economy.  These changes have really effected  the scouting program in my area in the following way due to the changes in support that the scouting program was supported since my youth. 

 

Just a little history of scouting in my area.  First Troop was chartered in 1911.  The biggest supporter of the scouting program was a local textile company that is no longer in existence.  This is how that company supported the scouting program in our area until the mid 1980's.  Each of the 7 small communities in our area had a scout hut that was owner and maintained by this company.  Today only one is left.  Most were sold by the unit sponsoring intuitions after they received ownership from the local council and are now in private ownership.  This company also paid all registration fee's and Boy's Life  for all scout units in the area.  The company also paid for a complete scout uniform for each adult that worked for the company and paid them for time missed from there job when attending scouting activities.  If a youth's parent worked for the company they would pay for a completed uniform for that youth.  Also each youth in the program had at least one parent that worked for the company.  Besides the above the company paid all cost for rank advancements and merit badges earned by all youth inside the council.

 

Where it has really hurt the units in my area since that time is that this company was the real sponsoring intuition of all the units even though they were not the one listed on each units charter.  Even thought it has been close to 30 years most of the local sponsoring institutions are still living in the past when it comes to the scout units that they sponsor.  Its a battle we fight every day.   

[NJCubScouter]

Just a general gripe... apparently 3 or 4 years ago, BSA switched from embroidered lettering on Troop/Pack flags to a screenprinted version.  

 

Unfortunately, this seems in line with the change from the embroidered lettering of "Boy Scouts of America" above the pocket of the uniform shirt to... I don't really know.  Pressed-on letters?  In any event, the letters frequently fell off.  We have kids who are down to "of America", or less.  But I guess this problem was so widespread that they now seem to have gone back to embroidered letters.  I don't know when they changed back, but the shirt I bought about a month ago has embroidered letters.  So I suspect the only way they would go back to embroidered flags is if the screen-printed flags start falling apart quickly, though I don't see why they would.

[Stosh]

I guess it's all a matter of troop tradition.  All of our opening/closing ceremonies include both the American flag and the troop flag.

 

If one has both, great.  If not, it's not the end of the world.  The minimum requirement is the US Flag, anything else is pomp and circumstances.  White gloves, snappy movements, sharp commands, and whatever one wishes to add is good.  But when all is said and done.  The unit flag, state flag, and everything else is not really necessary.  Respect and the US Flag.  That works for me.

[NJCubScouter]

If one has both, great.  If not, it's not the end of the world.  The minimum requirement is the US Flag, anything else is pomp and circumstances.  White gloves, snappy movements, sharp commands, and whatever one wishes to add is good.  But when all is said and done.  The unit flag, state flag, and everything else is not really necessary.  Respect and the US Flag.  That works for me.

 

White gloves, I'll have to bring that up at the next committee meeting.  (Just kidding.)

[ValleyBoy]

If one has both, great.  If not, it's not the end of the world.  The minimum requirement is the US Flag, anything else is pomp and circumstances.  White gloves, snappy movements, sharp commands, and whatever one wishes to add is good.  But when all is said and done.  The unit flag, state flag, and everything else is not really necessary.  Respect and the US Flag.  That works for me.

That the way I feel.  I am just glad that our unit is now in the position to purchase a Troop Flag. 

[Tampa Turtle]

We have our dutch oven riddled flag, now a bit dirty with festooned with several decades of camp awards etc. Boys like to bring in more than the US Flag. When they do flag ceremony inside they frequently do the whole red beret, white gloves, and red cord deal just because THEY like to look snappy....so it is OK with me.

 

Coincidentally we were just at a special Veterans Day concert combining two high school bands, multi-media, and a 103 veteran of WWII and somehow when 500 odd people rose to give the pledge they couldn't find a US Flag! Needed some Boy Scouts,,,give them 5 minutes they would have found one!

[ValleyBoy]

We have our dutch oven riddled flag, now a bit dirty with festooned with several decades of camp awards etc. Boys like to bring in more than the US Flag. When they do flag ceremony inside they frequently do the whole red beret, white gloves, and red cord deal just because THEY like to look snappy....so it is OK with me.

 

Coincidentally we were just at a special Veterans Day concert combining two high school bands, multi-media, and a 103 veteran of WWII and somehow when 500 odd people rose to give the pledge they couldn't find a US Flag! Needed some Boy Scouts,,,give them 5 minutes they would have found one!

Yep that would be us.  Would probably be one that we had been give to retire that we had in one of our auto.   

[NJCubScouter]

Coincidentally we were just at a special Veterans Day concert combining two high school bands, multi-media, and a 103 veteran of WWII and somehow when 500 odd people rose to give the pledge they couldn't find a US Flag! Needed some Boy Scouts,,,give them 5 minutes they would have found one!

 

Or they could have checked with the Scouts ahead of time and they would have learned to "Be Prepared."   

 

A couple of times, in a real pinch, when we have been without an American flag for whatever reason, one Scout stood where the flag would be, turned his right shoulder toward the troop, and we pledged allegiance to the flag on his uniform.  That's at a troop meeting; I'm not necessarily recommending that in front of 500+ people.