Re: Old Eagle Scout and God & Country Award Medals
(no name) ((no email))
Wed, 28 Feb 1996 14:55:37 -0600
Robert Morley wrote:
>You can correct me if I am wrong, but I thought that the Eagle >Award (The
pin-on version), was one of the few awards that adults >were allowed to
carry-over from their youth. In other words, >adults are allowed to wear
the Eagle award, on their uniforms.
While we've all been under that impression, National says no.
We're allowed to wear the SQUARE KNOT associated with that award,
but NOT the award itself, medal nor emblem (in the case of those
awards with patches, like Eagle and Quartermaster).
However, as many have stated here, wearing the MEDALS ONLY during
SPECIAL OCCASIONS (and in particular, SPECIAL OCCASIONS INVOLVING
YOUTH MEMBERS) have NEVER been questioned by anyone, National,
Regional or locally (with the possible exceptions of those few
"Scouter Reds" out there that want to question why your third
button isn't turned upside right instead of upside down; and why
you are wearing the two-part leather belt instead of the brass-tipped khaki
belt).
Most Scouters that appeciate the special nature of their awards
only wear them during those times, anyway...there's seldom any Scouters that
are still wearing their Eagle Badge or their
Ace Award on the field uniform...and those folks are either "testing the
limits" of common uniforming, or are too old to "effect a positive change"
upon.
About a year ago, I attended a Scouting event in my field uniform, wearing
my old Explorer Post's neckerchief instead of the "non-unit" Wood Badge
neckerchief. I wore the Wood Badge woggle
and beads with the neckerchief. I was approached by a gentleman
that asked me if I belonged to a unit, and I properly responded
"not presently". He then informed me that "I wasn't supposed to
wear that neckerchief with the Wood Badge...it doesn't look right."
I then walked off to a side with this gentleman and explained to him that
"This neckerchief is highly personal to me, and this is why I wear it. This
particular neckerchief is represenative of those that strive to obtain an
education at the school where I worked at and served as Advisor to their
Post. This neckerchief is made in England, not the United States. It was
the neckerchief colors worn by the grandson of Lord Baden-Powell, when he
was a Scout. I therefore think that it's HIGHLY appropriate that I wear the
outward symbol of those that got this program started, as an example of how
the beads are to be worn with a unit neckerchief as well as an example of
wearing the neckerchief...by the way (name of Scouter), where's YOURS?"
I then walked off and rejoined the rest of the group.
While he may have been "technically correct", the wearing of a
special neckerchief or in this case, the actual youth medals and awards
during an event in which impressionable Scouts will be present, should be
viewed as an visiable *exception* to the BSA's uniforming policy. I believe
that the reason why this exception isn't written into the BSA's policy book
is because there's a wide
difference of opinion on what "constitute" a "special unit or
Council event". We can all agree that things like District and
Council recognition dinners, Troop Courts of Honor, Ships Bridges
of Honor, and Post recognition dinners are all "special unit
or Council event". But does "Scout Sabbath" or "Scout Sunday?"
Does the Scout Show? How about the Council's Camporee? The
National Jamboree? Order of the Arrow inductions?
Settummanque!
(MAJ) Mike L. Walton (Settummanque, the blackeagle) (
co-Owner, Blackeagle Servics of Kentucky (502.826.7046) __)_
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