ExperiencedUniforms

Hello all:

I apologize for the slightly off-topic posting. I operate a scouting uniform bank. I was looking through the box of uniforms this weekend, and ran across a custom-made shirt. This is official BSA issue, from one of the contract tailors they use. The shirt is an adult small, short sleeve with velcro up both of the sides and along the arms. I imagine it was tailored for a person who has limited dexterity to close buttons.

If anyone has a Scout that would benefit from this uniform, please contact me and I'll get it out to them. I do ask for a small donation to cover my costs and postage. If this is a hardship, I can work with the family.

Thank you.

Keep on Scoutin'

Ora

Hello Scoutnut:

Thank you for your reply. JoAnne did at one time carry GSUSA material for uniform projects, but they seem to have discontinued the line. Brownies wear brown colored vests, and Girl Scouts wear green color vests. Red is more for Cub and Boy Scouts.

If you find a source for brown or green material in GSUSA colors, please let me know.

Thank you.

Keep on Scoutin'

Ora

Hello all:

A leader contacted me asking if I have any vests. I suggested she try making some out of the material found at sewing stores. She says that Joanne here in Albany, OR no longer sells the material or patterns.

Does anyone on this list have any vests, material, patterns &/or resources they could share?

Thank you!

Keep on Scoutin'

Ora

Hello all:

Thank you for your input. I am a Unit Commissioner, and I attended a Troop Committee meeting for the troop I serve last evening. One of the discussions related to the fact that the boys would not have an opportunity to have their books signed, as neither the Scoutmaster (SM) or Assistant Scoutmaster (SA) would be able to attend the campout. I asked if this was a troop policy, or Council thing, as I had never heard of it in the past 20-so years of Scouting. The Committee Chair (CC) said that it is BSA national policy, and was backed up by the SM. CC said that the boys may teach skills, but the SM or SA had to sign. No members of the Committee may sign, as they do the Board of Review. I felt it prudent to drop the subject in front of the group, but wanted to get some additional information so that I could discuss it with the CC or SM further. Both of these Scouters are very dedicated, have all the books, and the CC is trained, the SM is attending training this weekend (reason why he can't be on the campout).

The troop is comprised of aobut nine Scouts. There are half a dozen yearlings, and two college-bound Eagles on the roster. I think the Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) is 15~ish. They expect to recruit, well receive anyway, about five crossover WEBELOS Scouts this spring. All of the yearlings are

Hello all:

Who signs off on the line when a Scout passes a skill test? In the handbook, it says that the Scoutmaster or someone designated by the Scoutmaster may sign. Can the Scoutmaster designate an older Scout (Patrol Leader, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop Guide), or does it have to be an adult?

Does anyone have a reference in writing?

Keep on Scoutin'

Ora

Greetings TP:

Have you tried http://www.powderhorn-bsa.org/ or writing to Signe at Hikin_Grammy@cox.net?

To check the obvious, have you called your local catalog outlet, or the national catalog at 1-800-323-0732?

Keep on Venturin' ora

Hello all:

I'm looking for a contact in a Crew or Ship in or near Sibley (near Kansas City), Missouri. Anyone on this list know of any?

Thank you!

Keep on Venturin' ora

Hello LauraT7:

These are some great sites that have other ideas for patrol patches:

http://www.gilwell.com/patrolPatch/ Note the "Custom Design" and "Homemade" patches. A great one is the racoon patrol turned upside down, then stitches looking like tire tracks across the animal. These are called the "Roadkill" patrol.

This is a good reference for Austrailian Patrol patches: http://members.iinet.net.au/~oneilg/scouts/patrol.html . My favorite is the Wombat patrol. Note that the Austrailian patches are woven, not embroidered, and are slightly smaller than USA patrol patches.

The place to order Austrailian insignia is from Snogum: http://www.snowgum.com.au/ . Shipping for a large order is actually more reasonable than ordering from BSA supply, even though it comes from Austrailia. Remember that the prices listed are in AU$, not USA$.

If you are looking for other non-traditional patches, try http://www.streamwood.net . Chris has some very nice dinosaur as well as other unique patrol emblems. These spoof patches are slightly larger than BSA issue.

I agree with NLDScout about having the boys create their own insignia. If you can get them to do it, it is fantastic. Maybe an all-white patch for the "snowstorm patrol," or a tan patch with a horizontal line for "the desert patrol."

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hello all:

Nice thread. Green on green or tone on tone is what it's called. I think it's KEWL. I also like the running lights on the squids.

I don't know about white loops. There's two kinds of dirt in the world; light dirt that gets on dark clothing, and dark dirt that gets on light clothing. White shoulder loops would get dirty quick. I know of some Venturers who resent the buttons on the shoulders of the shirt as they dig into your shoulders while wearing a backpack. But, there are those who say; who would wear a uniform shirt while backpacking? Add a metal pin to the shoulder, and youll quickly discover real pain while wearing a pack or heavy jacket.

Easiest solution when wearing the greens is to not wear loops on the (shoulder) epaulets, unless it is silver or gold.

Above the left front pocket on the blue uniform, is the words BOY SCOUTS of AMERICA in gold thread. Above the left front pocket on the khaki-tan uniform is BOY Scouts OF AMERCA in read thread. Above the left front pocket on the green uniform is VENTURING, BSA. Heres my query; to what program do the wearers of the blue shirts belong?

Keep on Scoutin ora

Hello lamulapescadora:

Have you found your uniforms yet?

I suggest you start with your local Council and District. Call the Council and ask if they have a uniform bank.

Take a look at http://www.geocities.com/o_sheffler/experien3.html#finding for additional suggestions.

If you don't get anywhere, send me a note (click on "send private message), and I'll see what I can do to help.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hello Bob:

Thank you for the correction. The catalog says that the vest is "not for use with badges of rank or office." I was looking for an alternative so the boys would have a place to display old awards. I was never aware that you could not display old rank awards on the vest. I guess the boys can sew them on a blanket.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hello rluz:

I believe that LDS units do not use the new oval patch, so the WEBELOS Award diamond should be still available from national supply. If not, send me a private message, and I'll see if I can round some up for you.

I would strongly suggest to you and your den that you make a bigger deal out of the new oval badge, especially if your boys are wearing the khaki-tan uniform. Convince them that the new badge is an honor, and that they are closer to Boy Scouting than Cub Scouting now. Tell them that the Cub Scouts don't get to wear oval rank badges, and that they should set the example for the pack as leaders. The other diamond patches can go on their red vests.

If they are wearing the blue uniforms, they SHOULD NOT wear the oval WEBELOS award.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

I am looking for information on the uniform exchange in Oregon state that was open one day a month or something.

Does anyone have any information about this exchange? I cannot locate the page any longer, and can't find it in my bookmarks. Any help is appreciated.

Greetings all:

I am assembling a network of uniform banks that would be willing to mail uniforms to Scouts & Scouters who request them. If you have a uniform bank for your unit, district, or council, I invite you to join the network. Having more resources will enable more boys to have the opportunity to attain a uniform. Our goal is to have every Scout in uniform. Being an affiliate member will also give you access to bulk quantities of uniforms, insignia, and accessories, as well as expertise and support. One of the affiliate members has access to dry cleaning solutions, and has moderate success at removing glue residue from uniforms. Another member is an armature tailor who can repair or alter uniforms that may not otherwise be salvageable.

Most affiliates only charge actual costs, or postage for uniforms. Some will even donate uniforms to Scouts with a genuine need.

It really is difficult to tell people that there are no uniforms available, when there are so many requests. Uniforms sitting in a box on a shelf or hanging in a closet would be better if worn by a Scout. There is a high demand for larger size uniforms that isn't being met.

My ultimate goal would be to have an affiliate in every Council to primarily serve the local population, and have a resource for filling needs that can't be filled locally. I would also like to provide a location for Scouts to donate uniforms that are outgrown, rather than having them donated to thrift stores or discarded.

As of this posting, I have about five contacts that are part of the uniform exchange.

You may reply to this bulletin board or to me directly if you are interested.

Thank you for your time.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Greetings South Pole Scout:

I run an online uniform bank, and am slowly assembling a network of other online uniform banks. If you are looking for low-cost unused and used uniforms, insignia &/or equipment, take a look at http://www.geocities.com/o_sheffler/experien.html

You can also find some links to uniform exchanges right here on the Scouter bulletin board at http://www.scouter.com/compass/Scouting_Organizations/Boy_Scouts_of_America/Uniforms/

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi David:

The patch you seek is a field design...it is not recognized or stocked by national supply. If you know of a person in your circle of freinds who has an embroidery machine, they can sew "Emeritus" on a current SM patch.

You should do what you can to recognize your outgoing SM. Try looking on ebay for the mylar SM badge. These were issued in the late ninteen seventies to "Trained" Scoutmasters. They sell for around 5 bucks usually.

There is no official swearing in ceremony of the SM, but it would be nice to have a change of office ceremony at a court of honor. You can have the outgoing SM present the troop flag to the new SM. If you can get the boys to do the ceremony, this is best, but if you have to, you can have the CC, your commissioner, or executive be the master of ceremonies.

Have the two SMs stand at the place of honor, and have the Senior Patrol Leader or ASPL bring the troop flag to the outgoing SM. The outgoing SM then hands the flag to the new SM. Have the oSM step back, and the MC step forward. Have the nSM hold the troop flag, raise his right hand in the Scout Sign, and repeat the Scout oath, or write an oath that seems fitting, somthing like;

"I, (say your name), promise to uphold the ideals of Scouting by living the Oath and the Law, support the three aims of Scouting by using the eight methods of Scouting. I will Do My Best to perform the duties of a Scoutmaster, So help me God." or something similar.

Then the nSM hands the Troop flag to the SPL, who returns it to its stand.

I would strongly suggest that the oSM miss the meetings for the next six months or so, so that the boys are not confused as to who they see as the leader. Especially after a 35-year tenure, it will be difficult for everyone to recognize that the nSM is the SM.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi Scoutldr:

I think what acco40 is objecting to is the spelling.

Also, the book of Mormon is the document, not the focus of the faith. It would be similar to referring to Christians as "New Testements," Jewish people as "Torahs," or followers of Islam as "Quarans."

I guess it probobly wouldn't offend a Christian, rather a compliment to be addressed in this manner, I suppose, but i think it is the spelling that acco40 is referencing.

I would hope that Yarrow started this thread as a genuine quest to learn more about the approach that the LDS church has with Scouts, and not a springboard to bringing out bad feelings about the LDS church.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi cubmastercash:

I don't have one either, but they have come up for auction on ebay (http://www.ebay.com) and Oaktree (http://www.oaktreeauction.com).

good luck.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi PAscoutmom:

Perhaps the boys that are vegetarian can bring menu suggestions that the other boys will enjoy. I know that it is not a favorite to get boys to eat salads, but this is a healthier alternative.

Worried about protein? More people in the world get protein from lentils like garbonzo beans (AKA chick-peas) than meat. Lentils cook fairly quickly, and they don't produce the gas that is associated with other beans. To reduce the gas produced, eliminate the meat portion from the food. You can also soak beans overnight to help eliminate the gas. pour off the soak water, and cook in new water.

I'm not a "Militant Vegetarian," or a strict one at that. I do like the taste of a well-grilled steak, but from what I've read, and personally experienced, it takes less vegetable matter to provide the nutrients for your body than red meat. Red meat is more difficult for the body to assimilate, and this is some of the reason you get logy or sleepy after a big meal. Pork is very difficult for the body to digest. This may be a reason it is forbidden from Kosher diets.

Fresh fruit is difficult to transport and store, but a cool apple or orange is welcome both on a hot or cold day. Nut meats are a great snack, too. Most nuts have more useable calcium than milk. Try to get the nuts raw, and whole. They will keep longer. Pumpkin seeds also have a high ratio of protein to carbohydrates. The boys should like sprinkling these on salads, or eating as a snack. A nutritious and fun trail food can be made from nut meats, shaved coconut, and seeds. Try to use raw ingredients.

Would the boys pass up pizza? Place tomatoes, green peppers, onion, olives, and etc. on French bread and toast in a Dutch oven. The boys can even make their own combos. If you have boys that have to have greasy nitrate filled meats, they can put them on their own slice of bread.

Have a contest to see who can find the most exotic vegetable and prepare it for the patrol. Have they ever eaten cactus?

Many people despise vegetables because they are poorly prepared and presented. No one wants to consume overcooked slimy vegetables. Instead, gently steam or eat raw. They should be firm, and not limp. Summer squash, zucchini, carrots, celery presented thinly sliced and served with a dipping sauce such as ranch dressing will get the boys to try.

As an all-around cooking spice, I mix spices like oregano, dill, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and paprika in a bag, pour some into a shaker, and use this as my "green spice." It really perks up anything in which it is included, cooked or uncooked.

I dont eat eggs, as they give me digestive problems, so a favorite meal of mine is to take the shelf-stable tofu and scramble it with curry powder, green spice, and onion. Serve with whole wheat toast and green tea. One box of the shelf-stable tofu can feed four boys, or one hungry Scout. The nice thing about the stuff is that you don't need to refrigerate, but the drawback is the packaging. You will have to pack out the materials.

If the boys can eat fish, you can try soups or pasta. Try to find whole-grain pasta, or pasta made with quinoa. The boys may not notice the difference in taste or texture, but their bodies will.

Try brown rice with wild rice mixed in. Start with the wild rice. place 3x the amount of water as rice. add a dash of green spice, pinch of salt, and a spoonful of olive oil. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, Cook for 20 min. Add brown rice, with 2x as much water as rice. cover and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat, and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Avoid stirring. Wild rice goes great with poached or steamed salmon.

What about nut butter and jelly sandwiches? Oatmeal?

Try to get the boys to look at situations like this as hurdles to overcome, rather than as a wall. There is an excellent book by Shelley Null, Healthy Cooking for Kids: Building Blocks for a Lifetime of Good Nutrition. It can be found on amazon.com. It has many recipies that are meat-free, and can be prepared by children.

You can also tell the boys that cleanup without animal fat stuck to the cookwear is much easier

I'll never figure out why boys want to go the woods, set up tents, and spend 12 of the 36 hours on a trip preparing, eating, and cleaning up meals. I prefer to spend my time walking in the woods, looking for wildlife, or skipping stones on a pond. Wasting 3 hours preparing a meal that will be eaten in five minutes is for someone else.

Keep on Scoutin ora

Hi Yarrow:

I'm not LDS. Our Commissioner team had a nice presentation by an LDS Scouter about how they use the BSA program. I'm not an expert, but here is the information I remember. I am sure that there are others that have a better understanding.

They use the same books, camps, training materials, etc. They also suplement with materials provided by the LDS Scouting community. They do not add or subtract from the requrements for the badges. The boys do the same requrements as all Scouts.

Most LDS units are small, maybe as few as 10 boys from cubs through Boy Scouts. They consist primarily of the congregation of their Ward. The LDS-BSA program is based on age, rather than grade. It is also in sync with their spiritual development path, which they call the priesthood. Not all LDS boys are required to be in Scouts, but are strongly encouraged to participate.

As Sctldr pointed out, adults get a call saying that they will be the CM, SM, etc. The church leaders try to pick an adult that has a natural tendency to do this, but some times they don't have that option, and a person is told to be the leader. I think that they also only allow women to work with boys up until they reach 11, after that age, men are chosen to be Scout leaders. As in any unit, sometimes they get an enthusiastic leader; sometimes they get a warm body to fill the uniform.

The LDS program does not utilize the Tiger program. Boys join at 8 as Wolves, 9 Bears, 10 Webelos. At 11 they enter a pre-Scouting program that has most of the Boy Scout materials, but they do not camp. from 12 to 14 they are Boy Scouts. From 14-18 they are Varsity Scouts, Venturers, or Explorers. The boys do not chose to move up, the age determines the progression.

LDS Units in large areas with diverse Scout units may not allow non-LDS members in their units. Those in small rural areas or areas where they have the only scout units, they do recruit non-LDS membership. As in any unit sponsored by a church, they do not prostelize(sp?) to the non-LDS youth.

The LDS church is very supportive of the Scouting program. They were instrumental in developing the original Explorer program in the 1920s. They were also the first sponsors of many units in the early days of Scouting.

A personal observation is that I have not seen many boys in LDS units in the Order of the Arrow, but I did drive an OA officer to preside at an election in an LDS unit. I am not that involved in OA myself, so I am not positive if the observation is universal. I beleive that our Council has one week set aside at Summer camp for LDS units. Other units are not barred during that week, and LDS units are not barred from attending any week they chose, it may just be a logistical choice due to the small size of the units.

I notice that a larger percentage of LDS youth (as compared to the scouting community) earn their faith award, and most earn the Eagle Scout award.

Doing recharter for one of my packs last year, I found two boys that were primary members of their LDS unit, and dual-registered members of the pack in the public school they attend. They enjoyed being in the school pack to be with their school mates, and also did the program through their church. I think that the parents attend an evening service on Wednesday, and the boys are put in Scouts while the parents attend services.

If you are really interested in learning more, try "LDS Scouting" at http://www.google.com search. I got over 8000 matching pages.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi scoutldr:

My guess the reason you've never encountered a Unit Commissioner is that you are a very good leader, and your units have never been in need.

Sadly, there just aren't enough commissioners for every unit. If you aren't joking about not knowing what a commissioner is, reply to this post, or send me a private note, and I'll provide what information I have.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi All:

Mr. Lambert was awarded the Eagle Rank distinction. Whether he earned it or not is mute now. Once bestowed, it cannot be rescinded. He is now, and will always hold the distinction of Eagle Scout.

A handful of Eagles have retuned their medallions to national accompanied by letters of protest, but I have never seen any documentation from the National Council revoking the award.

If anyone has verifiable evidence, can they post such proof here, please?

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi ctablock:

You are correct in your first statement. You may design anything you want, but it is not part of the official BSA uniform. You may have the boys put the patches on a vest, sash, windbreaker, blanket, umbrella, stuffed animal, family car, or whatever.

What you can't do, is require all the boys to get the 'vest' (or any uniform item, for that matter). You can make them available, but you can't require them to wear them.

The only 'legal' (sic) or approved display is to put a temporary patch on the left front shirt pocket under the "Boy Scouts of America" strip.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi KoreaScouter:

I am sure you are aware that you have an option to file an extension on behalf of your Eagle candidate, if the boy's original unit/district is slow to respond to your request for his records. I believe you have to show that the circumstances are beyond the candidate's control.

On a side note, just for my curiosity, what are the projects your Eagle Scout candidates perform in your community overseas? I started Scouting on Okinawa, and I don't remember any of the boys in my troop achieving the Eagle Scout distinction, so I don't know what type of projects they would do.

Keep on Scoutin' ora

Hi insanescouter:

I would encourage you to become a Unit Commissioner. As a UC, I learned more hints and techniques from visiting units than I did from attending any training.

The Commissioner team is there to help the unit bring the program to the youth. The sad thing is that 90% of units don't know what a Commissioner is or does for their unit. They most often see them at recharter time, if at all. The reason is that there are so few Commissioners. Read the book, attend training, and go meet your units. If you are lucky, you can get assigned to a strong unit, and learn from them. Then you can go assist units that have areas to develop. Helping units succeed at delivering the program is very rewarding.

The most effective method I've found is to:

Visit the unit and ask if there is anything you can do to help.

Never offer any advice unless you are asked.

If asked a question and you don't have an answer, say "I don't know, but I do know who to ask. I'll get you an answer in ... days," research the issue and get back with them, even if it is to say "I couldn't find out, but I'm still working on it."

There is a Yahoo! group for commissioners at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scouts_commissioners/. you have to get a Yahoo! ID, if you want to join, but there are previous posts you can read if it is of any assistance.

You can also search the 'net for Scout Commissioner for other resources.

Keep on Scoutin' ora