Webelos Uniform

[David CO]

15 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

 

In the past when I have expressed my opinions about the wearing a neckerchief, I have stated my reasons even specs while respecting those with different and obviously wrong ( joke) opinions. Maybe ball caps are the future? Bolos?

My $0.02,

It's beginning to look like isolation suits are the future.

 

[TAHAWK]

AT LEAST  MASKS  (BACKWARD NECKERS)  😊

 

NEW, ONE-SCOUT-TO-A-TENT  YP POLICY.

[SSScout]

*sigh*.   

The Scout Uniform is preferred, yes.   The kid's nakedness should be covered (I guess).  Time was,  the Scout's uniform needed to be "used". It is called the "FIELD " Uniform for a reason. It was designed (used to be) to be worn "In The Field".,.   If you wanted a clean uniform, you got more than one .  I know many a OA denizen who will tell you there is more respect garnered by a dirty , calloused sash than from a bright shiny one.  The character ingrained is to be respected. 

Service projects?   Field uniform in my day.  The public visibility was desired and utilized.   The senior Scouts in my Troop had no problem in wearing a pair of Scout pants that obviously had been thru some "history".  

If you watch "Follow Me Boys", see if you can find a whole complete uniform amongst the Troop. Here are some Scouts, from Malawi . . . .  Their uniform is first and foremost the neckerchief.   The Cape Maclear Scout Facebook page is wonderful.    

Uniform?   My favorite story is of the young newly minted Cub Scout who was told the family was going to his cousin's wedding, and they would be wearing their best clothes.  That Saturday, after breakfast, he showed up in his Cub Uniform.  They let him wear that to the wedding. 

Scouting is supposed to be about SCOUTING not clothing. 

[David CO]

21 minutes ago, SSScout said:

The kid's nakedness should be covered (I guess). 

So I'm told.  Someone should have informed Norman Rockwell.

[MikeS72]

22 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

While my document is out of date, it is posted on a BSA website. I do not believe yours is a BSA website.

That link comes directly from scouting.org.  Search inspection sheets on scouting.org and it will take you to that page.  You will also find the 2018 inspection sheet at the link below, also from scouting.org.

https://www.scouting.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/510-75018-WebelosInspection_WEB-1.pdf

[yknot]

That link reminds me that I come to this discussion from a different place than those who have only experienced the uniform method through scouting. When I was a kid, I participated in a youth sports related organization with military roots that performed formal uniform inspections of the candidate whether for advancement or competition. White glove, fingernail scratch, see your face in the shine type inspections.The formal inspection at heart was a safety inspection, but you were expected to present yourself with military precision. There was purpose to that because the sport was inherently dangerous and required attention to detail to manage risks and prevent injury. Almost every component of the uniform,and associated equipment, while looking neat, was a function of safety or minimizing risk. There was no marketing behind it because the organization did not sell the uniform it only set standards regarding function. As a result, the uniform was both functional and economical. I was not a rich kid but I was easily able to meet this standard.

As an older youth member and then later as an adult, I became an advancement examiner and competition official. I conducted many of these inspections as part of my duty to assess whether youth were safe to advance to a higher level of training and competition. Because of the reasons outlined above I never had an issue with those uniform requirements because they made sense, were functional, and were never a  barrier for youth. When I started with scouting, however, I saw uniforms used in a different way-- almost as a tool for punishment. I could not understand this. In the other organization, it made sense to me if youth were prevented from participating if they lacked an essential safety item. In scouts, it did not make sense to me if scouts were prevented from participating if they wore the wrong color shirt.. It had nothing to do with function. It also made no sense that uniform components had to be discarded, not because they were unsafe or worn out, but because they were the wrong ... color? The uniform in the early guidebooks makes the most sense to me because it is based on function and not marketing. All the language associated with uniforming in the early  guidebooks is connected to function. In my opinion, if scouting survives bankruptcy, we need to revise this. 

[David CO]

49 minutes ago, yknot said:

All the language associated with uniforming in the early  guidebooks is connected to function. In my opinion, if scouting survives bankruptcy, we need to revise this. 

Scouting will survive, even if BSA doesn't.  Hopefully, whatever organization(s) take over the function of providing a scouting program for our boys, a practical, functional, comfortable, and affordable uniform should be a high priority.  The scouting movement should learn from BSA's mistakes.

 

[Liz]

So, when my daughter signed on as a Wolf Cub in early 2018, I didn’t get the memo that the blue uniform was no longer considered a Webelos uniform. She wore her blue uniform all summer after finishing Bear Scout rank, and when I found out that tan was now “required” I decided that I’d start working on putting her tan uniform together - but I didn’t hurry. Her blue one still fit and her tan was still a bit baggy on her.  I finally switched her sometime that Fall. There are kids in her Pack that are still wearing blue uniforms as Webelos and it doesn’t bother me a bit. Most of this discussion has been about the relevance of uniforms in general and not about blue vs tan. As far as I’m concerned, as long as either one is worn appropriately I don’t think it’s worth worrying about.  
 

My youngest just signed up for Lion Scouts. I couldn’t find a 2nd hand Lion t-shirt locally, and getting one on eBay and paying shipping one might as well buy new. So when COVID first hit, I was prepared to go get her a Lion t-shirt when the Scout Office re-opened, but the longer it dragged on and as we face a drastically different vision of den meetings this year, I decided I didn’t want to spend the money for a one-year t-shirt for my last child to maybe wear for Zoom meetings.  It’s only $10, but for $8 I was able to get a great used blue uniform shirt that she’ll be able to wear for 2-3 years. Since she won’t be at any in-person meetings, and the old yellow Wolf scarf looks like a Lion scarf from the front, she got a hand-me-down scarf. I was able to pick up a school uniform Skort for under $5. I figure since Lions don’t require any particular bottom wear, this part  is entirely within the rules and I’ll get her official uniform bottoms when she’s a little bigger and can wear a size I can more easily find on eBay (she’s tiny, and barely can wear a 4T). Her belt buckle has a Webelos symbol on it, but that’s temporary until her sister crosses over in around December or January and can pass her newer style buckle down (I know they can trade, but my older girl wears it more so having her use  the newer and easier to use belt buckle took priority). I noticed during the last year that about half of our Lions wore the t-shirt and half wore the blue uniform. 
 

A Scout is Thrifty. I’m definitely “Team Uniform” but I also place an extremely high value on the Scout Law. So I say, have the kids wear the uniforms they’ve got with pride while you see if you can start gathering up some hand-me-down tans for them. There is no sense in stressing the families out about colors. 

[TAHAWK]

On 8/3/2020 at 1:53 PM, SSScout said:

*sigh*.   

The Scout Uniform is preferred, yes.   The kid's nakedness should be covered (I guess).  Time was,  the Scout's uniform needed to be "used". It is called the "FIELD " Uniform for a reason. It was designed (used to be) to be worn "In The Field".,.   If you wanted a clean uniform, you got more than one .  I know many a OA denizen who will tell you there is more respect garnered by a dirty , calloused sash than from a bright shiny one.  The character ingrained is to be respected. 

Service projects?   Field uniform in my day.  The public visibility was desired and utilized.   The senior Scouts in my Troop had no problem in wearing a pair of Scout pants that obviously had been thru some "history".  

If you watch "Follow Me Boys", see if you can find a whole complete uniform amongst the Troop. Here are some Scouts, from Malawi . . . .  Their uniform is first and foremost the neckerchief.   The Cape Maclear Scout Facebook page is wonderful.    

Uniform?   My favorite story is of the young newly minted Cub Scout who was told the family was going to his cousin's wedding, and they would be wearing their best clothes.  That Saturday, after breakfast, he showed up in his Cub Uniform.  They let him wear that to the wedding. 

Scouting is supposed to be about SCOUTING not clothing. 

Not a single one is wearing Scout socks!!!!!    

[Liz]

Well, THIS is interesting.

I just went to go finish up some odds and ends of training, and My.Scouting recommended the module CS19 Cub Scout Uniforms.

No mention at all of tan uniforms for 1st year Webelos. Tan is for 5th grade, AOL. 

[GrubKnot]

The pack my boys & I where part of encouraged wearing the uniform but didn't ding anyone for not having all of the official parts. We were happier that you showed up than if you had all the pieces. Remember they are cub scouts. As for the blue VS tan  for Webelos, I told my scouts (parents) not to buy the tan shirt until they outgrew the blue. From what I experienced, most scouts out grew the blue shirt by the middle of the webelo year anyway. As far as I remember all of the scouts in each of my boys dens had a full official tan/green uniform by the time they were AOL. Cubs seem to "get it" about uniforms when they reach the webelo level & start interacting with troops.

[FireStone]

My Webelos will wear the blues and the tan uniform will be optional next year. Come at me, uniform police.

[mrjohns2]

On 8/19/2020 at 10:47 PM, FireStone said:

My Webelos will wear the blues and the tan uniform will be optional next year. Come at me, uniform police.

I’m an officer in the uniform police, but I can’t argue with the logic. Cubs start out with the blue uniform. They should wear it until it doesn’t fit or they join a troop. If it doesn’t fit before they join a troop, buy a tan replacement. Pretty simple. Get the right hat and neckerchief. Get the official slide. If lost, get a replacement that matches your current program. For the belt, just get the wolf buckle. Never get the tiger socks. 

[TMSM]

A scout is thrifty but the tan shirt is a good first step to thinking about joining ScoutsBSA. It allows them to start distancing from the younger pack members and feel like they are growing and becoming more independent. As a Webelos Den leader it is part of your duty to help them bridge over to a troop and to prepare to take on some personal responsibility

[BAJ]

When my daughter joined, I was relieved that joining at the point where she was earning AOL meant she had the option of just starting in the tan uniform.  I had visions of having to replace a whole uniform set after only a year of use...