Re: female Eagles
(no name) ((no email))
Tue, 15 Sep 1998 14:27:27 +0000
"Thomas W. Strong Jr." <strong@DEMENTIA.ORG> wrote:
>The summer before last, we had an intern in this council who wore
>a full BSA uniform. She had earned the GSUSA Gold award, and
>after much discussion, it was apparently decided that she should
>wear the eagle knot to represent it (being the highest youth award
>in both programs, and since it would be clear that she wasn't n
>eagle scout), but the most common reaction she mentioned was that
>people thought she had borrowed the shirt.
Oh Thank you, Tom!! Thank you very much for your posting today!!
I've been on the phone with two folks (both volunteers) serving on
the BSA's National Insignia and Uniform Committee. I've been
railing because the day before yesterday, I got my answer back
about the possibility of new square knots for female members of the
BSA whom have achieved First Class or Gold Girl Scout status; for
those holders of the Congressional Award; and for those holders of
the Youth Leadership in America Award.
Basically, the letter stated that "they don't get a lot of
complaints or requests for it, and to them, that's how they
determine whether or not new uniform items are developed". Of
course, I was thanked for my ideas and the designs.
The answer is "no national square knots will be developed at the
present time".
SO....in looking back at all of the postings here on Scouts-L (a
microcosm of the Scouting program admittedly, but a good determiner
of what people are interested in nevertheless!), I've only found
nine postings (four of which were written by me!!!) to the list
since 1994 (my archived stuff is on the other computer, packed up
and ready for the move next week) which address those awards and
devices to represent those awards.
Tom, with your permission, I will forward a copy of your posting to
the Committee, along with other stuff I find. This is my
justification for devices for these awards:
*The Congressional Award is the highest youth award which is
awarded by Congressional action. Surely the BSA should support an
award which is available to a large number of Scouts and Venturers
with a cloth device (the "term" for all of the "knot emblems") to
represent those holders of the Bronze, Gold or Silver Congressional
Award.
*The Youth Leadership in America Award was awarded to more than
16,000 Senior Patrol Leaders, Post Presidents and Varsity Scout
Captains during it's history. There are SOME local Councils that
are STILL presenting the award, even though the medals are no
longer available. It was a superlative example of getting the
"cream of the crop" of our youth leaders to look inside their units
and to provide quality leadership. It really does deserve more
than the holders wearing the bar to the medal!
*As the BSA receives more female Scouters, and as many of those
Scouters desire to be positive role models to the male youth that
they serve, the BSA should consider offering a special cloth device
to wear representing those few females whom have earned the Gold
Girl Scout Award, the First Class Girl Scout Award, and their
predecessors. This will become more important as time goes onward
and many of our female leaders become Council, Regional and
National leaders. While the GSUSA has a cloth emblem for the First
Class Award, this award emblem is not permitted on BSA uniforms IAW
(in accordance with) the BSA's Rules and Regulations and the BSA's
Uniform and Insignia policies. A cloth square knot to represent
those awards would *mark* those female Scouters that are wanting
our youth to "follow their lead" toward the highest levels in our
program.
The door is still open for local Councils to approve the wearing of
these types of emblems....so I'll keep trying. But Tom, your
posting came at a really good time today...thanks again for posting
the information!!!
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
(note that these addresses will expire on 1 October 1998)
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@hq.21taacom.army.mil
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