Leaderboard

One key difference between BSA and virtually any other youth program that heavily utilizes volunteers is that the BSA tries to keep theirs even once the volunteer's children are no longer involved. As a result, a uniform that serves as something of a badge of service has more value than it would if you were just using parents as volunteers for the length of their child's participation. It also helps newer Scouters gauge the value of input from more experienced Scouters. Not that it's foolproof by any means, but at least if someone has been around long enough to earn 4+ knots, you know t

Perhaps I worded it poorly. We are there for scout safety, first and foremost. Sure, we help out. We should not be viewed as replacements for paid staff while being charged full price and burning personal leave.

I like to point to my AOL knot and tell Cub Scouts I was once where they are. Aside from that, I like to be low key. We have a leader locally, that has been in all of 3 years that told me he likes to wear a uniform and put things on it. also ticking off boxes is a goal of his. Its someone I don't associate with any more unless I just have to.

Well I can say that maybe the plan has not been approved because no one can come to agreement about anything LOL!!

I just saw an ~85 year old scouter who was wearing his tiny oval eagle badge. I gave him a pass with no entry into the infraction log book. He is a great guy and I don’t mind him wearing it.

That's also against the rules. Once you're 18 you have to swap the eagle patch for a knot. I gave out a lot of eagle patches that weren't allowed to be worn. I asked that the parents get their son a knot.

The general vibe I'm getting here is that pretty much everyone has a preference one way or the other, but is also mostly ok with everyone doing whatever they personally want to do. Which is great. I like to say I'm open-minded about uniforms but I do have one thing I'm 100% against: Adults wearing Eagle rank patches. I've seen 2 people do it.

Yes, those who over bling with mentor pins. 😜

I don’t wear a suit jacket to church anymore, so my mentor pins go on my uniform. If it bothers someone, and they own a “proper” outfit on which to wear them, and they wear it regularly, I’ll send them one for them to wear. I’m not a fan of rows of knots. I love seeing temporary patches and Jambo patch’s on everyone. O/A flaps are cool too. Things with words that carry real meaning. BSA dug it’s own grave. They deserve scouters who overbling if they encourage obscurely titled council patches that can be seen from space at night.

Well ... since I like giving my opinion. minimalist I want a functional uniform. Easy to wash. Pins. Hanging patches. No disassemble / reassemble at each wash. Appropriate for hiking, biking, canoeing or outside in the weather Survives muddy, sweat and hard use. Quick to build-up after purchase. I want two or three matching shirts without spending hours sewing each and trips back to the scout shop for extra patches that I'm missing. I want a uniform I can use all the time and everywhere; not something that has so mu

I guess I am an outlier. I don't do "fun". My 1 day at Woodbadge was the worst experience ever. I hate songs, I hate skits, I hate games. <shrug> I do like making sure a Scout learns the skills they need. More than that, I guess I "enjoy" what I do as a CC. I am the one doing the work required to figure out what we are doing about being charted since we are a UMC unit. I am the one leading the effort regarding our meeting space. We own our building, but the city wants us gone to build something else there since its their land. I like making sure the meeting place has the

I had a 60 year "career" with the BSA, including cubs, Scouts, Explorers and adult. I always took the Uniform and Insignia Guide to heart and wore my uniform in accordance. I feel adults should set the example for proper uniforming and would never shame someone for properly wearing an award that was earned. Of course, I grew up in a military family and had a 32 year career as a civilian in a military organization and being "out of uniform" is simply not done. Even BP continued to wear his military honors on his Scout uniform.

I’m trying to find it, but isn’t that a Johnny Cash song. Barry

I think people should follow the Guide to Awards and Insignia. Then the uniforms will be, uh, uniform. I won't confront the person, no, so I'm not so bent out of shape to tell them what to do if I see it. I do notice it and note it in my mental infraction book logbook.

If only Summit had squirreled away some of the +/- $750 million ( yes they squandered that much) spent on the Disney Scouting Land into some T-Bills or interest bearing bonds, maybe they could afford staff. That balloon payment looming is not paying for itself

Can be. Camp should not assume unless explicitly stated. Kudos to adult volunteers who step up to supplement camp staff. That's their choice and kudos to them.

Looking at the wall behind my desk. Years ago, I had two extra sashes. So, they hang on my home office wall and show my bling. Eagle dad pins. Eagle mentor pins. Favorite camp patches. Pins from other organizations I received. Pin for my Woodbadge animal. Pin for religious scout org. Better than hidden in a drawer. Reminds me it is scout stuff.

I think that may be one of the issues that is really hurting the OA. That is up to the candidate if they want to go through the ordeal. It should be up to the Scouts to determine who amongst them is worthy.

I've never heard this. I struggle to get enough adults to come to camp already... High adventure hasn't been an issue. Summer camp, they scatter.

That seems to be a pretty common misapplication of the rule as I've heard LOTS of Scouters saying it too. Probably because the rule isn't written well. Canoes are a different enough beast from other multi-person craft that they should just have their own entry specifying non-swimmers can only ride with adult swimmers. BSA's fixation on narrative formatting (rather than bullet points) is a real problem in many of these instances of guideline misunderstandings.

I dunno... I think I saw someone flying a kite back in May, and he looked like he was having a tiny bit of fun

Life should be a rainbow. A wide spectrum of variety that motivates each individual. In 25 years plus, I have worked from the den level all the way up to National committee. What I like to do is find out what motivates any given individual, and get it for them. If you love patches, I will find you patches. If you love pins, I will find you pins. You love being recognized by your peers, then Ill make that happen. Have uniforms with knots, pins, etc. I have uniform with nothing on it. I just want people in our organization and I want them motivated to do their best. Give back,

I frankly don't care, within reason, if people are paid or volunteer. I care much more about whether they are doing a good job. I think in scouts we have seen that there is no monopoly at the top, on the part of either paid professionals or volunteers, regarding poor leadership, miscalculation, and mismanagement of the organization. The good folks that have been there trying to swim upstream have just kept getting pushed to shore apparently.

As long as it is within the G2AI framework, I am fine with it. Outside that, you are setting a poor example. This is the key. Example. Using the uniform to make a social or political statement is the worst...

I've decided that adult uniforms are really just a test of other adult's patience. Some people like opulence and others minimalism. If it encourages them to keep volunteering then why not? Unfortunately, uniforms are a great trap for people to judge others that are different. "You have to wear your POR patch. How else will anyone know you're the SM?" Honestly, if that's a problem then there are bigger issues, but I digress. People vary, so there will be lots of opinions, all valid to each. A scout uniform is like a book cover, best not to judge it. Think about it, how uniform is our unifo

When we were sentenced to Camp Covid at Philmont this summer after an adult tested positive, I was awakened by everyone singing Happy Birthday to a mountain lion. Allegedly, 1 person saw a mountain lion. When we saw several sets of eyes in the woods adjacent to the camp, a 19 year old ranger thought we were surrounded by mountain lions. Uh, the only animal dumb enough to just stand there and stare while 50 people sing loudly and shine headlamps is not a mountain lion. It's deer.

Fortunately, I'm told our scouts had a great time. The adults were not expecting to employees for the week. Asking adults to take a week of leave, pay over $400 and then expecting them to do the work of the full time staff made their week less than enjoyable. Again, I do sympathize with the camps. Everyone is struggling from camps to restaurants. But they should take the money they set aside for wages and give it to the adults performing those jobs. It's not right for them to not do that. Show some respect to the volunteers who saved your camp.

If one wears their uniform properly, it really isn’t over done. What is clearly overdone are the adults with all of the mentor pins on the collar or the scouts with the tied knots on their epaulets. Ugh. Or the wood badgers with patrol patches, and fake Wood badge knot and giant critter patch. Ugh. Overdone.

Love it!

I am a minimalist, mostly because I don't like to bring attention to myself. I also don't like to wear my WB Beads or OA sash. I do like my SM Patch. However, just from the couple of knots on one of my shirts, I do agree that patches are conversations starters with scouts. I have no problem with adults who shirts and jackets weighted down with knots, patches and other regalia. It's part of the fun. I even met a one legged SM who had camp brands all over his wooden camping leg. Barry

I think a balance is needed. I live in a military community and there are all sorts of combinations of personalities and uniforms. I've seen adults with just the knots from youth and I've seen adults with huge patches covering almost the entire right side of their shirt. For me, I look at what will inspire the Scouts and other leaders. I wear my Eagle and AOL knots, as well as training knots. The training knots are intended to inspire other leaders to get involved in all Scouting has to offer, enabling them to better serve. I wear my lodge flap because it is a sign of brotherhood. I wea

I prefer the minimalist approach as well. It is also BSA policy. "With the exception of the Cub Scout badges of rank, members wear only the insignia that show their present status in the movement. Members should make every effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered. Previously earned badges and insignia—not representing present status—make a fine display on a BSA red patch vest, on a trophy hide or blanket, exhibited in the home of the recipient, or at functions where such a display is invited. Scouts may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank) on the back of the merit ba

overreach? anti-competitive? The Girl Scouts have neither a monopoly of scouts who are girls nor cookies sold by scouts. We have talked about selling GF, non-dairy snacks, e.g., power bars, cookies. https://www.otisspunkmeyer.com/blog/teaching-leadership-responsibility-and-life-skills My $0.02,

A few weeks ago at an out of council summer camp one of the scouters discovered the outline of a huge arrow at a fairly remote part of camp. The head, with a fire ring at its center, was an equilateral triangle with 60 ft sides. Everything was overgrown with weeds and tall grass. Clearly it had not been used for some time. The road to it was in very poor condition it would take a lot of work and truck loads of gravel to make it driveable again.. I guess the camp just doesn't have the money and emergency vehicles must have access to all active camp areas so they just abandoned it. My hea

A great opportunity perhaps to rekindle a small bit of the camp and perhaps the local lodge history.

"because children had control of the vote had no idea whom they were voting for ." Kinda like our National elections.