Re: Uniforms at BoR's

Michael Bowman wrote:

>> A number of postings on the subject of Boards of Review have indicated
that the member's Troop requires the Scout to appear in full "Class A"
uniform. While I would certainly agree that a Scout ought to be
encouraged to wear his uniform as completely as possible, I would ask
that we remember that we are reviewing the Scout's progress and not his
uniform per se. It is what is inside the Scout that really counts. Did
he grow in the program and advance? Is he exhibiting Scouting Spirit in
his daily life. Before making a requirement (not in the National
requirements)consider the following: <<

Mike:

While I almost always find your point of view right on the mark, I have to
disagree with you on this point. I'm at work so I don't have access to all
of my resources, but I'm sure that while not a rank requirement, there is a
requirement that a scout be in uniform for a BoR in the official
documentation somewhere.

I don't want to restart the uniform wars, since this seems to be another
area where a significant minority of individual scouters don't feel the
need to follow National policy. We are, however, a uniform organization.
If the scout doesn't have a uniform for the BoR, what does he do at other
times when the uniform is required?

This is not an area where a troop should just enforce the rules. The troop
leadership (including the committee) needs to take positive action to make
sure that every boy has a uniform. Things like uniform banks, fund raising
opportunities to purchase uniforms, "loaners", etc. should be put in place
by the leadership so that by the time the scout is ready for his first BoR
he has a full uniform available.

Once we start "justifying" why we don't require uniforms, we are on a very
slippery slope. Is there really that much difference between "my uniform
is dirty" as an excuse and "my uniform is dorky"? (besides the two letters
<g>). Here's how I would handle each of the hypothetical situations you
raised:

1. Family too poor, considers uniform bank a charity that they won't
accept, and 2. Family doesn't care, won't pay and scout can't afford it.

For these two cases, a troop fund raiser where the scout could *work* for
their uniform would resolve the problem.

3. Scout saved a life and ruined uniform the day before the BoR.

Glad to see the scout wearing the full uniform for this! <g> I would agree
that, in this case, an exception could be made. However, as a uniformed
leader, I would still try to get him something from the uniform bank, or
borrow one from another scout, if at all possible.

4. Uniform didn't get washed.

Was the BoR a surprise? If the scout was the QM for his patrol and
"forgot" to buy the food for the campout, would that be ok? IMHO, it's the
scout's responsibility to make sure that his uniform is ready when he needs
it. In this case, I would postpone the BoR.

I agree that uniforming is one of the most difficult aspects of troop
leadership. I admit that in my troop we don't get 100% uniforming. But we
do strive for it. We do have periodic uniform inspections by the SPL and
ASPL, with a bag of cookies for the winning patrol. We do have a uniform
bank, and do maintain "scout accounts" that a scout can replenish via fund
raisers or by collecting tapes from a local supermarket chain that has a
fund raising program. We do require full uniform for BoR's, and there have
been times when a scout "borrowed" a piece from another scout (I once saw a
belt passed from scout to scout to scout as each one went in to meet with
the Board).

Yours in Scouting

Joseph A. Alessi in Ozwin 2.12.1
JosephAlessi@Compuserve.com
ASM Troop 313 and District Advancement Chair
Scoutmaster, Jamboree Troop 530
I used to be an Owl

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