The Black Eagle

Other than some self-appointed individuals, there are no "uniform police" in Scouting.

 

I will admit that I kept my eagle badge on some of my my uniforms until I was no longer serving a Summer Camp Staff, at about 23.  While I am sure my attitude was I earned it, I should be able to display it, I also justified it as helping to inspire the Scouts I was teaching at Camp.  At the same time, I was in a co-ed explorer post, and on that uniform I never put on the eagle badge and instead went to the knot when I was 18, because I did not consider it fair to be so in their face to the women in the unit who were at least as skilled as I was, but could not earn the eagle.

 

When I came back to a leadership role as a Scouter/Parent, I removed the badges that were still on some old uniforms and replaced with with the knots.  One of our other Den leaders still had his eagle badge on his uniform, and even as a cub master, I felt that was his decision to make.  Again, I justified my not joining the uniform police force as that the parents and boys in his den would much more readily identify with the badge than a knot, and it provided a sense of he knows what he is doing.

 

Now, all that said ...

 

@The Black Eagle, I am concerned that the way you have expressed your distaste with the "silly rules" and all.  You are right that it does not rise to the magnitude of a speeding ticket, or anything else with the risk of life or injury to self or others.  But is an award bestowed by the BSA, and it is their right to dictate the proper way to wear it, or not, as the case may be.  Think about the intent of the rule before you dismiss it entirely.  Advocate for a policy change if you think that is appropriate.  To simply disregard the rule because you think it is silly or don't like that it diminishes your ability to tout your achievement goes against much of what that award represents.

Concerned by the way I expressed my distate for the silly rules? WHATTTTTT???? Dismiss it entirely????? WHATTTTT????? Disregard the rule???? WHATTTT???? You need to look up those words in the dictionary! First, there is zero disregarding! That would suggest that I am ignoring the rule and wearing my Eagle Scout patch and I am 45 years old and not active in a troop etc. So there is zero disregarding of rules! Second, advocate for a policy change is NOT up to me, nor do I care to involve myself in such matters. Dismiss? Again, look up the word in the dictionary! To dismiss the rule would mean that I am ignoring policy and are committing the terrible act of wearing an Eagle Rank patch past 18 years of age! I would never think about committing such a terrible crime, which is up there with treason and breaking speed limit rules! Finally, silly rules? It is not silly rules, it is a rule I disagree with and that's my opinion and I stated it! The problem with snow flakes is that when anyone disagrees with them, they act like the other person is dismissing and disregarding and doing hate speech! In closing, the Boy Scouts have rules such as no adults wearing rank badges and yet let homosexuals in the BSA! So much for "Morally straight!"

Ranks are for youth, not adults. So once you are an adult you don't wear ranks...just like you don't wear MB sashes. As an adult you are essentially a "retired" Scout and are now a Scouter (unless you are in Venturing, then you can wear your Eagle until 21).

 

To carry your analogy further, retired generals don't wear their stars, or even their uniform, after they retire. When you turned 18 you "retired" from Scouts so you wear the knot, not the rank.

That is wrong! Retired generals DO wear their uniforms to ceremonies, etc. I see it all the time! I know what the rules are but many of us Eagle Scouts are talking about what we would LIKE to see changed! Are you an Eagle Scout? I ask because many here with opinions have never even achieved Eagle Scout!

After reading many of the posts about wearing Eagle Cloth rank, I feel inclined to throw my two cents into the pot. I reached the rank of Eagle back in 1990, just before my 18th birthday. Like many eagle scouts who achieved the rank of Eagle, most achieve it closer to 18. The average is 17. So many Eagles don't get to wear their patch rank at all or not very long. It is a RANK!I feel that if one is still in scouting and wearing the uniform, they ought to be able to display their highest rank achieved.

I find it silly that people were suggesting and comparing this desire to breaking a speed law! That is a poor analogy because the person breaking a speeding law is committing an actual crime and wanting to wear a rank that one actually achieved is completely different! Could you imagine a retired general being told that he cannot wear his 4 stars because he no longer is in active service or because he is an adult? Following rules is fine when they are actually sound rules.

Questioning silly rules is not a crime because that is how you get silly rules changed! Keep in mind there are rules STILL ON THE BOOKS in towns of America that say things like: "Citizens are forbidden to wear hats on Thursdays from 8am to 7pm!" So you mean to tell me that I am some criminal if I choose to question that law or dare i say, disobey it! It was a valid point of the gentleman who stated that he finds it funny that one is allowed to wear all sorts of approved do-dads on the uniform but one is not allowed to wear his RANK just because they turned 18! And no offense but many of these rules were added later! It use to be that adults could earn Eagle and through the years the BSA changes and adds things. However, think of some 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 year old Eagle Scouts that are still alive and active and being told they can't wear cloth ranks when they were allowed to when they were younger! They never agreed to these changes and why should they have to change for some rule put into place after! In addition, who is to say that the BSA will not decide 10 years from now that Adult Eagle Scouts are forbidden to wear their medals! Would the uniform police be okay with that rule? I for one would NOT be okay with that! And where do you draw the line! The BSA has now allowed gay scout masters and gay scouts and transgenders and I am completely AGAINST all that! Remember the MORALLY STRAIGHT! So before the uniform police want to act like the rest of us should just comply with all their rule changes, doesn't mean we should be so willing to do so!