Re: Troop Flag

Rick Covington <rcovingt@DSCCC.COM> asked:

>Terry Slades' message on flags brought up a question I have for
>the list.
>
>Our new Troop is considering making a troop flag, to avoid the
>high cost of the store bought flag.

I *personally* don't recommend this, if you're going to use this
flag to *officially represent your unit*. Yes, the BSA's flags ARE
expensive. VERY expensive, considering that it's nothing more than
nylon (or cotton, depending on which version you purchase), with
the BSA's seal in the center (a copyrighted item, BTW) and that's
it. But the official flag is representative of the National
organization, just like a military unit's flag is a small
representation of the military organization they belong to.

A private organization ran afoul of the BSA in 1994; they tried to
use the BSA's new logo (the nice red and blue logo) on a white
background to "sell" to BSA units as "the BSA's flag". While the
flag looked kewl...I ordered one for myself...the BSA quickly put
the brakes to it and got ALL of their flags (and I got my check
back along with a letter explaining the situation).

If on the other hand, you want to create a BANNER to display along
with the flag or instead of the flag in less than formal occasions
(or formal along with the official flag), you're welcome to do so.
A lot of units do this, and display their camporee patches and
Council participation ribbons on that banner. Incorporated into
your unit's history, the banner could be the backdrop for some nice
ceremonies whereby the standard BSA red and white flag doesn't just
"get it" sometimes.

>Is there a policy or regulation that would limit our design?

I'm not aware of a specific BSA *policy* that says you CANNOT
create your own unit flag; but I look at "unofficial flags" like I
look at "unofficial uniforming". I was really hoping that since
the BSA changed the Exploring flags, that we would get white flags
with the present BSA logo in the center with lettering in either
red or blue (red). The same would go with the Cub Scouting flags
in yellow (gold) with blue lettering. Didn't happen (yet), mainly
because the same BSA flags used today has been used practically
since the earliest days of the BSA.

But then, all *I* do is sit around and write letters suggesting
things to National *heheheheehehe* (Burt, did you get this idea or
do I have to send it to you in a snailmail letter?? *smiling*)

A BANNER would add a lot of personalization to a unit,
particularily a new unit like yours; a FLAG would de-emphasize the
idea that the BSA has a standarized flag which all units should be
using and displaying and projecting to the public. I think that's
why the BSA came down so hard on that business that was doing
nothing but "meeting a demand". I think their big problem was that
they were advertising it as "the _new_official_flag_ of the BSA.

Hope this helps, and if your unit and your unit's seamstess does
create a banner for your unit, please take a photo of it and show
it off...it may just give other Troops and Teams some ideas of
their own!!

Settummanque!


(c) 1998 Mike Walton ("no such thing as strong coffee,...") blkeagle@mninter.net
http://mninter.net/~blkeagle Burnsville, MN 55306-7130 (612) 435-3085
privately at kyblkeagle@aol.com or waltonm@server.kaiserslautern.army.mil
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