Move to minimedals

[Protoclete]

Just coming off our Council annual meeting and awards dinner, I am renewed in my only uniform pet peeve in Scouting. Too many adult medals around the neck. 

Certainly, most of us don't wear most of them most of the time anyway, and that is the nice thing about the square knots (when there is one), and even in formal settings choosing just one makes sense. 

But we have three minimedals that stand out as unusual (and, i think, exemplary) in this regard - the Scouter's Key, Scouter Training Award, and Den Leader Training Award. It always struck me as strange that there were only these three, and nearly everything else is a neck medal (or a plaque/certificate). Silver Critters, Venturing/Sea Scouting Leadership, Adult religious awards, NESA/Alumni awards, etc. Maybe it's just me, but wouldn't it be nice of all adult awards were just minimedals, so could be worn in combination? The miniature size keeps the emphasis on youth only having full size medals, and also helps diminish clutter around the neck? 

These days, it's at the bottom of the list of things to concern about, and probably just me anyway, but had to have my mini-venting session. Thanks! 

[InquisitiveScouter]

Do you mean something like this???

https://www.medalsofamerica.com/blog/when-wear-miniature-medals/

 

Worn on the chest, or do you mean small medals still to be worn around the neck??

Edited October 12, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter

[qwazse]

If I had a choice between a mini medal and a plaque, I’d take the mini medal.

But, how about an electronic medal in the form of a screen that scrolls all of your awards. Make it solar powered so that the wearer had to spend time outdoors to keep it blinging, 

[BetterWithCheddar]

Maybe it's just me, but as an adult, I'm not too keen on wearing medals. Save that type of acknowledgement for people who save lives. I'm still appreciative of recognition but would prefer a square knot and/or small desktop award. I do, however, share the OP's desire for consistency. 

[Protoclete]

On 10/12/2022 at 5:03 AM, InquisitiveScouter said:

Do you mean something like this???

https://www.medalsofamerica.com/blog/when-wear-miniature-medals/

 

Worn on the chest, or do you mean small medals still to be worn around the neck??

I was thinking of something like these, worn on the chest, like the training wards. 

[skeptic]

I like the digital idea.  Design the shirt to have an electronic sreen of some type on the needed place and they could be uploaded to scroll or something.  Might even do that for youth ranks; push a button after approval and the rank displays on the pocket.  Similarly, optional patches on the other side could be loaded and chosen to show in a rotation or somethng.  How exciting would that be?

[MikeS72]

1 hour ago, skeptic said:

I like the digital idea.  Design the shirt to have an electronic sreen of some type on the needed place and they could be uploaded to scroll or something.  Might even do that for youth ranks; push a button after approval and the rank displays on the pocket.  Similarly, optional patches on the other side could be loaded and chosen to show in a rotation or somethng.  How exciting would that be?

Makes me wonder what rank Elroy Jetson achieved! 😄

[jcousino]

BSA would find a way of running ads on it (LOL)

[d.a.m.]

Mini medals?

I earned medals from deployments to the forward edge of our nations defense 

 

I urge you to look up when medals and mini medals are worn

Ans: Very seldom

What happened to knots?

Just wear knots and let’s dispense with looking like Columbian dictators

if there is no knot for some of these awards we need to develop some

last I checked this was about the boys

 

 

[scoutldr]

I always liked the European tradition of the true war veterans wearing their awards on civilian suit coats....during the recent English festivities, I looked up some of the medals I saw on Charles, Anne, and the various other royals.  Most were of the type of "I was alive during this time" such as "Queen's Jubilee" and "Queen's Birthday", etc.  They are also "honorary ranks" bestowed upon them because of position in the hierarchy.  The days of the King actually commanding troops on the battlefield are long gone.  

[mrjohns2]

5 hours ago, scoutldr said:

The days of the King actually commanding troops on the battlefield are long gone. 

Harry did some real soldiering. 

[AwakeEnergyScouter]

9 hours ago, scoutldr said:

I always liked the European tradition of the true war veterans wearing their awards on civilian suit coats....during the recent English festivities, I looked up some of the medals I saw on Charles, Anne, and the various other royals.  Most were of the type of "I was alive during this time" such as "Queen's Jubilee" and "Queen's Birthday", etc.  They are also "honorary ranks" bestowed upon them because of position in the hierarchy.  The days of the King actually commanding troops on the battlefield are long gone.  

Well, yes, we all transitioned to constitutional monarchies (or republics) as you might recall?

The reigning monarch wasn't just stripped of their political power, they were also stripped of their position as commander in chief. Like the political leader, commander in chief is meant to be chosen by merit. 

And we've tried very, very hard to limit the number of actual war veterans, because wars are awful. It was going rather well until quite recently.

That being said, some commanders in chief have gone down in the history of their countries as national heroes in the same way a reigning monarch might have, such as field marshal Mannerheim. When I think of that kind of leadership in war, I think of him. He saved Finland. Brings a tear to my eye given what's happening in "the borderlands", because two of my great grandfathers fought in the Winter War and one of them didn't make it. But Finland did. 🇫🇮 🇪🇺

Edited June 12, 2023 by AwakeEnergyScouter
Should include republics for completeness, especially when I then go on to talk about one

[yknot]

15 hours ago, AwakeEnergyScouter said:

Well, yes, we all transitioned to constitutional monarchies (or republics) as you might recall?

The reigning monarch wasn't just stripped of their political power, they were also stripped of their position as commander in chief. Like the political leader, commander in chief is meant to be chosen by merit. 

And we've tried very, very hard to limit the number of actual war veterans, because wars are awful. It was going rather well until quite recently.

That being said, some commanders in chief have gone down in the history of their countries as national heroes in the same way a reigning monarch might have, such as field marshal Mannerheim. When I think of that kind of leadership in war, I think of him. He saved Finland. Brings a tear to my eye given what's happening in "the borderlands", because two of my great grandfathers fought in the Winter War and one of them didn't make it. But Finland did. 🇫🇮 🇪🇺

An exception is the British monarch; he/she is still commander in chief and is the only one in Britain with the power to declare war although that is fairly well delegated.  Prince Phillip was in WWII, the Duke of Kent, an aviator, died in it, and there's Andrew and Harry... Anne is probably the one who most reveres the military but did not go to war. She did, however, do the modern equivalent of a princess riding off to do battle for her country when she competed for a medal in the 1976  Olympics. The sport of Three Day Eventing is modeled on the pre-mechanized cavalry and at the time she competed, had only recently been opened to non-military participants. In her capacity as a multi-year member of the British Equestrian Team, she does have medals she earned representing her country that she could also wear, but does not. She, her father, and her daughter Zara Tindall are unique among the British monarchy in having those kinds of medals. 

[Better4itall]

I'm partial to Eagle Scout Mentor pins. I've been awarded 15 at ECOH's, and I only wear them all at formal events, along with my son's Eagle Dad pin. On my regular uniform I only wear one and my son's pin, along with a rotation of event patches that I've participated in. I've been at this scouting thing for a while 😉