Re: New Cargo Pants
(no name) ((no email))
Mon, 11 Jan 1999 16:51:04 -0600
Irish <irish@IGLOBAL.NET> wrote in part:
>Our troop occasionally uses the cammy cargo pants that I got from
>DRMO.
DRMO, for those not aware, is the Defense Reutilization and
Marketing Office, a military "auction house" and "open store" for
surplus items. In Germany, for instance, DRMO sells furniture
(real woods, not "paperboarded" or "compositeboarded" furniture!)
which has "gone out of style". That's where I got my nice wood
glass cabinet from for $30 and where I try to pick up bookcases
whenever I can for $5-10 per set!!
In the States, DRMO offices frequently have surplus uniforms,
trucks, cars, computer equipment and other things..not much
furniture because for the most part, the military has went out of
the "furnished apartment" business, but you can still find some
older stuff...
>They may not make a fashion statement, but those pockets sure do
>come in handy; the pants are comfortable as well.
Unfortunatly, Irish, it's also a negative fashion statement: The
BSA has been fighting this for the last seven years. Scouts and
Scouters SHOULD NOT BE WEARING CAMO'ED ANYTHING with the Scout
uniform or in the place of the Scout uniform or while participating
in Scouting-related activities.
Why not?? Those things are, as you stated:
>An added bonus is that I would rather have the boys tear them up
>than the ones that the parents paid big bucks for.
Cheap to buy and cheaper to maintain. They are more durable than
the current BSA pants, and the design "blends in" more with
woodlands than those pants do.
All great plusses. But here are the minuses:
*The wearing of such items tend to move Scouts and Scouting in
those units in directions that the BSA would rather not have a part
of. While marching, chanting calls and saluting are parts of
Scouting I remember, it also sends off negative images to parents,
community members and other Scouts and Scouters.
*Camo is associated with two broad groups of individuals: soldiers
and hunters. I'm both, although I haven't hunted in quite some
time (since my Sophomore year of college!). There are good
soldiers and hunters and bad ones. Unfortunately, whenever people
turn on the television sets, there are negative images of
"individuals using hunting rifles" and "former soldiers wearing
camoflauged pants". The BSA is trying to distance themselves from
those negative images, while at the same time acknowledging the
fact that hunting and soldiering are skills that the BSA came from
back in its infancy and that large segments of both have high
regard for the BSA and its programming which includes respect for
others, followship and leadership, and safe outdoor practices and
concern for the outdoors and its habitats.
*Finally, the BSA has chosen uniforms which would tend NOT to cause
confusion with any official uniforms worn by our military, whether
informally (as the Battle Dress is worn, as a "work uniform") or
formally (as various styles of Naval uniforms are worn). Our
uniforms are carefully selected, carefully designed and carefully
trademarked and litigated upon to prevent those "errors" from
happening.
Yes, Irish, I've GOT to agree with you and others: paying $73 for a
pair of pants which only see wear twelve days out of a typical
month and for a shirt which, depending on my eating and exercise
habits, may or may not fit me well...is a LOT to pay for. Even
more, as the parent of children, I've got OTHER priorities too,
like stuff they can wear EVERY DAY to school or church.
But the point is that we've got OFFICIAL UNIFORMS and that's what
we should be wearing. I would love to see the BSA adopt a policy
whereby jean material in blue, green and grey would be allowed for
wear with the BSA uniform shirt, therefore cutting the cost in half
and still giving Mom and Dad (or Meema!) opportunities to use that
lower half as school or work clothing for their children. It's
needed, especially as more and more Scouters are saying that the
pants aren't meeting their needs.
The BSA DOES listen to US; remember it was US that ask them to
bring back the cargo pants (and they have, kinda!). Your
voices...the ones in the field and not just on this forum...are the
key to this. The BSA does from time to time even ask for your
opinion through your local Councils.
One thing I don't buy, Irish: As long as I've been associated with
the BSA, I've never had a piece of BSA uniforming that I've
returned to them in exchange for a larger one or one with more
"room" refused. Yeah, they have charged me for the difference in
price. But even when I requested a belt for my wife, after she
wanted "an official belt larger than their printed sizes", the BSA
has come through. For the money we invest in our uniforms, the BSA
knows that we demand quality and when we don't get it, they are
ready to do something about it.
Send the Supply Division a pair of those camo'ed pants and ask them
if they would consider making a SCOUT version of those pants. But
please, please don't have your parents go out to DRMO or eleswhere
and uniform your Scouts in stuff that clearly *isn't Scouting*!!
The Supply Division is housed within the BSA's National Office.
They don't have "outside email" but it is hopeful that they will
set up a website later this year with a way you can make
suggestions and send them via a web-based form.
Settummanque!
Our troop is considering several alternatives to the ca
>talog
>pant; many are not only more cost-effective, but also well
> tailored. We
>can all be *uniform* without sacrificing comfort, fashion or
> utility.
>
>I know several female scouters that wear the White Stag pant
> (purchased
>at Wally World for just under $15) They are comfortable, durable
> and
>--IMHO--don't look half bad.
>
>Just a thought.
>YIS,
> Irish(Charter member of the "Can't say NO" Club)Kilbride
>Marfa, TX ** ICQ#23397665
>Advisor/Leader/Co-leader/ASM/Committee Member/Unit Commissioner
for
> Girl/Boy/Venture Scout Programs in Marfa
>
>"...and a good ol' Buffalo, too"
(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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