Re: Red Scout Beret
(no name) ((no email))
Thu, 16 Jul 1998 23:06:30 +0000
Henry Kramer <bear@VOICENET.COM> asked:
>I was wondering if anyone has information about the old red Scout
>beret. Specifically I would like to know when they were made a
>part of the uniform, also when they stopped being official Scout
>headgear.
The red beret was introduced originally as part of the Leadership
Corps uniform in 1971. The Leadership Corps, as rolled out then,
were the forerunner to today's Venture Crew -- three or more boys
aged 14 or over, whose jobs it was to work with and advise the
Troop's elected leadership, while training and coaching younger
Scouts and continuing on their advancement. Leadership Corps
members wore the kelly green Scout shirts with special "SCOUT BSA"
strips (that's what we were calling ourselves back then...SCOUTS
and SCOUTING/USA). In 1973, the red beret was extended for wear by
ALL Scouts if the Troop's leadership (that is, the YOUTH
leadership) elected to wear it.
The beret has NOT stopped being official, Henry. As long as the
hatgear is decided upon by the Troop's membership and leadership,
it may be worn if you can obtain them. This not only goes for the
red beret, but also for the "floppy ears" hat, the Campaign
("smokey the bear") hat, the flat Scout hat (in the military we
called it "the overseas hat") and seven other hats that the BSA has
rolled out for it's youth and adults to wear over the years.
The key, Henry, is the last part of the first sentence in the above
paragragh: ....it may be worn if you can obtain them." For some
reason (popularity, I guess), those hats are HARD TO FIND (the
official ones, not the ones that you can get from Brigade
Quartermaster or other military surplus outlets; The Cav Store is
another source). The OFFICIAL ones, like the one draped over my
bookcase behind me (I earned it by being the best Patrol Leader in
my Troop for a year), has the BSA's official seal and space for
your name inside the hat and of course the BSA outlined emblem on
the front.
You might even write National Supply; sometimes, in cleaning out
their warehouses and storage facilities, and sometimes in the
merger or closure of camping facilities, they get back some
uniforms and insignia and sometimes those hats find their way "back
home" again, ready for resale.
Hope this answers your question...I've GOT to get that page up
which has photos of all of those hats!!
Settummanque!
(c) 1998 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") (502) 827-9201
(settummanque, the blackeagle) http://dynasty.net/users/blkeagle
241 Fairview Dr., Henderson, KY 42420-4339 blkeagle@dynasty.net
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@hq.21taacom.army.mil
---- FORWARD in service to youth ----
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
