Uniform for MBC

[clemlaw]

Until about 7 days ago, I was registered as ASM of my son's troop.  But he'll be aging out this year, I haven't been very active for the last year, and it didn't make a lot of sense to renew.  So as of September 1, I no longer have any troop position.

My registration as merit badge counselor, however, remains, and there are a few occasions when wearing a uniform would be appropriate.  So if there are any members of the merit badge police, here's my plan:

I'll remove the troop number and ASM patch.  Since MBC is a district position, I'll replace the shoulder loops with silver.

Any other suggestions?

 

[fred8033]

I'm not the uniform police either.  Silver epaulets sound fine.  It is a council/district position.  On the other hand, the goal of MBC is to get the scout to learn something new and at the same time learn to work with other adults.  As such, I'm not sure you really need to wear a uniform as a MBC.  In fact, I'd argue there are reasons to not wear it as the MBC program is often perceived also about getting the scout comfortable reaching out into the community for resources. 

Wear it or not.  100% your choice.

Edited September 6, 2021 by fred8033

[clemlaw]

I agree with you 100%.  When I was a Scout, probably about half my merit badges were done through someone in the troop or at camp, which makes sense for ones like camping, cooking, etc.  But the other half were with a counselor who had no apparent connection to scouting, and making a phone call to an adult to set up an appointment was an important skill.  And there probably wasn't anyone in the troop qualified to counsel Atomic Energy, Coin Collecting, or a few of the other arcane ones I earned.

 I'm a counselor for Law merit badge, and if a scout wanted to earn that one (and I've been waiting next to the phone for years), when he met with me, I'd be dressed like a lawyer and not a scouter.

But I'm also a counselor for Signs Signals & Codes and Radio Merit Badges, and those are often done as a scheduled session with a local scouting museum.  Even though I'm not a fan of "classes," and I try to avoid that word, both of them can be meaningfully completed in one day in a group setting.  And when I'm leading such a group, the uniform seems appropriate.  

[HelpfulTracks]

If you don't have the silver tabs I would not buy them. Technically, you will be considered at large, and generally silver tabs are for assigned and or commissioned positions.

If you already have them, no big deal to wear them either. 

[mrjohns2]

On 10/4/2021 at 7:41 PM, HelpfulTracks said:

Technically, you will be considered at large, and generally silver tabs are for assigned and or commissioned positions.

I have never heard of silver tabs being described that way. District committee members and CORs are the first group that come to mind. An MBC would be a council or district position if they choose to wear a uniform - thus they would wear silver tabs. Silver tabs are for district or council positions, assigned, commissioned, or volunteered for. 

[clemlaw]

Come to think of it, I'm too cheap to buy new tabs, so I'll just keep the current ones.  🙂