BPwannabe@137

Eamonn,

I actually feel sorry for you. You are not a hat person. (nor is my wife-she would express the same opinions as you but it would have more to do with hair style).

I am the same with neckerchefs. I love them on everyone else, but I feel like a dork wearing one. I am know for wearing my necktie everywhere (yes, even camping-and always with a campaign hat). Just can't bring myself to wear a neckerchef, I even have a collection of about 50 or so.

But like the hat issue, guess what, the world doesm't come to an end because I am not wearing an official cub scout leader neckerchef. Same with hats. Wear what you want, or wear nothing on your head, just keep scouting.

PS-I thought the Brits green beret was really sharp!

Thanks Dan : ) : :

but,

;)0;;0; ouch, :)00:00;

darn it,

\\;0io,

oh heck, i'm so computer stupid.

Great story. (I would follow up with a funny face but I can't figure out how to do that)

The official answer is no. Only the official BSA campaign hat can be officially worn with the BSA uniform. It is no more official then any of the other hats that I see so many people wearing like OA lodge caps, district staff hats, local camp hats, hats with moose ears, hats holding two cans of soda with connecting straws, ect, ect, ect. Personally, a non official campaign hat with the BSA leather and offical pin on the frount looks alot better then any of the above, but that is my opinion. I am not the uniform police nor do I ever act like one. I know what right for me and my scouts. Thats were my authority ends.

Just like I would never tell my district chairman that his lodge cap is not to be worn with his field uniform, nor would he ever take off my Montana Peak to see if it had the supply division stamp on the inside (actually-the hat I wear to everything but camping and hikes is official). We have one old timer who did alot of scouting in Scotland. The unit there gave him a tam with their unit crest on it (special order I guess). He still wears that tam with his BSA field uniform. Again, totally unoffical but I think its very cool. And he always gets the scouts asking about it. Again, very cool.

I still have my green British beret and wear it sometimes to talk about the English scout I worked on staff with years ago and how we are still friends. Is it official, no way! Does it make my uniform look sloppy, stupid, thread-bare, or mock the BSA. No to that question too.

Wear you Canadian hat with pride VentureScoutNY. And spread the universal theme of scouting.

As of now, we are looking at around 200 hats. Sizes are unknown but we will know in a few weeks. As far as I know, the hats are new (some were still packed in their plastic shipping wrapper) and are the USMC style which is a little thicker then the army DI style. When we physically get our hands on them, we will make a count of sizes and other exact details. I am not in it to make a profit, but my partner (non a scout) will take a small cut to off set the shipping of the hats and any out of pocket $$$. He is going to keep the final price low.

He has been supplying me with other items for my scouts and myself (I am currently a cubmaster and will be starting a troop in two years). I have stockpiled tents, sweaters, canteens mess kits, belts, and other OD (but no camo) equipment. I asked him about campaign hats and he said he comes across them frequently. I told him if he can supply my future troop with some, then I will find a way for him to get rid of the rest. Thus the birth of this post.

When I know more, I will repost. Keep on checking.

Hi,

My coworker and I working on a deal with the Dept. Of Defence to get some Marine Corp campaign hats (OD green) from really cheap. Those that know me from my postings know what I do for the Gov. and know that I am totally legit. If this comes to be, we can resell these for around $10.00 (maybe cheaper!!). Anyone out there interested in outfitting their scouts and/or leaders in campaign hats. Let me know so I can decide if it is worth our time conducting this transaction.

My old troop never really banned anything on a camping trip except;

Sheath Knifes.

Camo clothing.

Scouts running around the woods in camo really sends the wrong message.

Campaign hat wearers of the world, unite and be proud.

Just one note. Not everyone likes to wear one. Don't pressure anyone into wearing one. If they want to wear a ball cap, or no hat at all, thats cool too. But never, never, never, feel that you shouldn't wear your "Montana peak" becasue of what others think.

BSA_Bugler,

VentureScoutNY,

and other campaign hat wearers,

all I can say is...

I love you dudes.

I did some research and need to correct my earilier post.

Cub leaders are suppossed to wear the hat associated with their den. However, CM, ASM, CC, ect., there is no guidelines.

Sorry if its not "official"-I wear my campaign hat. Its traditional (I have lots of CM's from the earily days wearing it), its practical, and the kids really thinks its cool.

Now for my 2 cents.

Like all scouters whow were scouts, I think my unit was the cats meow. I go around wearing my full field uniform with everything stiched right and in the right place. I have several uniforms (old style and new) and make sure that they are as correct as possible. I tell the other leaders and scouts that our troop was so great becasue we were 100% uniformed troop.

I then pull out my old scout photos and look. Well, we looked more like a unit out of some bad Vietnam war movie. Scouts wearing acid wash jeans with the shirt (this was the 80's). We all had bolo ties or different colored neckerchiefs. Scout ball caps, campaign hats, auzzy hats, civil war cav hats, red berets, green British berets, piss cutters, and yes, spiked hair.

We all had shirts (be they tan or olive), but on campouts you couldn't see them becuase of the combination of lumberjack coats, sheepskins, and camo army jackets.

(PS-all out scout leaders were in full uniform)

The moral of the story...(what was the moral), oh yes, we did scout stuff, we acted like scouts, and we had a great time. Never send a kid home. Set the example, suggest, and they will come along.

If you build it they will come.

Twice in one day, I am enlightened by Bob White and the use of the scout sign. I will also use the thunder stick at our first meeting.

It's little gems like this why I signed up and read this forum. Thanks to all.

My pet peeve: A scouter who puts up the sign, gains the attention of the scouts, and then stands there talking still holding the sign. Looks really stupid (really stupid with his unofficial trouser up to his nipples and the top button buttoned on a short sleeve shirt and the bolo tie all the way up to the chin.)

Sorry-couldn't help myself.

I want to thank all you posted. I am a firm believer that if you did not learn one new thing each day then you waisted 24 hours.

I was a scout and SPL in a large troop. We always yelled "signs up" when the signs went up. Thus, it became second nature.

Bob White, I am ashamed to admite that the whole purpose of the sign being silent (for stalking) went right over my head. Thank you for enlighting me.

Our first pack meeting I think I will make this note. Tell the boys that it will be a "game" to see how fast they can settle down when the signs go up so I don;t have to bellow, "signs up".

PS-OGE, great story.

"I have 2 sashes one that I use when working and one for official things."

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one with 2 sashes.

OK-something to think about.

I went to the Supply Division website and checked out their info.

1. Nothing on a new webelo uniform.

2. If you read their customer survey form, they ask:

"Next time Supply Division changes the Boy Scout shorts and pants, what would be the most important consideration in your opinion?

Large Cargo Pockets

A generous fit

100% cotton fabric

Blended high-performance fabric

Made outside the USA to lower the price

Be very simple to lower the price

Change the color

Don't Know/No Opinion "

and they also ask:

"If the BSA were to make a change to the uniform shirts, what would be the most important consideration in your opinion?

Don't change anything.

Change all uniform shirts (Cub Scout, Boy Scout, and Venturing) to the same color.

A generous fit

Blended high-performance fabric that is cooler

Made outside the USA to lower the price

Be very simple to lower the price

Add more construction features like pleats, Velcro, vents, and a yolk (shoulder panel)

Don't Know/No Opinion "

Note the first words "When" and "If". It sounds like they are going to change the pants for sure and do something with the shirts, but not go outside the color scheme of tan, blue or green.

Note: About two years ago this survey asked about changing the ball caps and they did : they lowered the crown so they didn't look so dorky (this was one of the options, although they didn;t use the technical term "dorky"). I voted to change to all green but alas, I lost that battle.

Maybe I am spending to much time on this but uniform is image and image is very important.

OK-I am glad this thread is not dead. The original question has been bugging me for weeks. So I ask again:

1. Is there an expected change in the field uniform. Why?

2. If there is; what's the change. I too believe they are going to tan pants. If thats all, no big deal (I'll still wear olive though). If they make the construction better, thats great. But yellow??? Or worse yet-pullovers like the Brits or Aussies.

3. New webeloes uniform? Never heard of that.

I suggest that all us dedicated scouters look into this rumor and gather some intelligence. If they are attempting to make the uniform look "gay" (sorry for the use of the phrase but it works), we need to stop it now. I polled over 60 boys this summer and they all said that yellow is only cool on the womens shirt. End of story.

How about some of you scouters in the great state of Texas look around and gather some intel. Since you are closer to National, maybe you can find out. Big_Dog, do you accept the mission?

This memo will self destruct in 5 seconds....

Thanks for the info. I now have my theme for Septembers pack meeting.

I never earned basket weaving. Man do I feel like an idiot.

Self defence is really cool (along with fencing) but that goes against the BSA policy regarding combat and contact sports. I think it all comes down to insurance. I know that computers was updated as was some of the animal science ones. They also added crime prevention which I though was a great idea.

Hey, is anyone else out there also really ticked off that signaling is no longer a merit badge. I mean-duh-that is a traditional scout skill. If they wanted to combine stuff to make the MB more "modern" then just do away with pioneering and make it part of camping. I am afraid that we will be going back to the 1970's handbook too if we go down that path (remember that disaster).

Just spinning off the rifle shooting forum,

Does anyone else have ideas for "new" merit badges? I suggested air rifle and blackpowder shooting as seperate badges. I can across an old scouter who suggested glass blowing and soap making (I made lye soap once-it wasn't pretty).

Any ideas or suggestions? Anyone thought of one and accually got it picked up by National?

Rife and Shotgun shooting was one of those really hard badges to earn and those that did wore it as a badge of pride. I really sucked at archery but was one of two scouts in my troop who earned rifle and shotgun in about five years of summer camp seasons. It was also the only badge I earned during the first week of camp (my troop spent two weeks a year in summer camp). We also earned the same week our NRA marksman medals which we all proudly wore on our scout uniforms (still have it and sometimes wear it, though I am not too sure if this is "legal", but looks really cool under my knots on the OD uniform.)

I like the idea that they seperated the badges into two seperate ones, although I agree they watered down the requirements. I don;t think it should be so hard to get that almost no one earns it, but it should not be a give away either. No bench rest for sure.

To go a step further, I would like to see a seperate air rifle merit badge and a seperate blackpowder shooting merit badge. I am a blackpowder small arms (and artillery) instructor and could easily see this as merit badge on its own (minus the artillery of course). Air rifles are no joke (they are an Olymipic Sport) and deserve their own merit badge too.

(don't do it...don't do it...)

A grasshopper walks into a bar (the bar is named "The Dog House") and he asks the bartender for a beer.

After the bartender serves him he says to the grasshopper, "Do you know that there is a drink named after you?".

The grasshopper stops drinking and says, "Oh, there is a drink named Bob?"

Sorry, just couldn't contain myself.

Thought I would throw this out to really tick off a few of the other forum members (FOG-are you ready).

When I took over as cubmaster, I found several of the cubs wearing their temporary patches on the back of the uniform shirts!! My head nearly exploded. So I asked the Moms why did they sew them there. They answered that the girl scouts wear them on the back of their vests so they thought the boys could wear them on the back of the shirts. I guess the deer in the headlights look I gave them was enough for them and they took the patches off.

Did anyone else run across this or is this just proof that their is something wrong with the water in our town??? ...---...

I just take the patch down to the tattoo parlor and have them copy it onto my skin. It's perminant, waterproof, and looks really cool when I am at the waterfrount. Besides, since my skin is not part of the uniform, it passes National Standard.

OK-I couldn't resist. Truth is I have my cubs put them on the red vest. Boy Scouts look silly in the red vests, so I recommend a camp blanket or a few on the red jacket. I have to admit that I like the red jacket plain but couldn't resist putting one large and four small patches centered around the back representing the camps I was at as a youth. My personal opinion with the jacket is what ever makes you happy. Sorry National.

In the immortal words of Monty Python,

"Stop that, that's completely silly."

Gave a great day OGE.