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Wearing your Scout badges on your Leader shirt?


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Can (should) an adult leader wear any of the patches that they obtained when they themselves were Scouts, on their scout leader shirt? Obviously rank badges are out. But I'd like to wear the patch from my old scout camp (on the right pocket.) What about my OA pocket flap patch?

 

And would it be permissible to wear my OA sash to the tap-out ceremony at camp?

 

(Here I am, less than 24-hours from my attending camp for the first time as an adult leader, and I just find this great site.)

 

 

 

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Can an aldult leader wear patchs they earned as a youth??

 

As long as as it is not a leadership patch or rank. From what I understand you can where the OA flap patch, as long as your a paying member of the oa lodge.

 

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I'm not OA but I've been told that you can only wear the pockt flap for your current lodge. However, I believe that you can wear your sash. If you don't get a definitive answer here, take it with you and ask at camp.

 

As for other patches. You can wear your square knot for your religious medal (if you earned one). I've never seen a prohibition on wearing of old temporary patches, so go for it.

 

 

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In another thread from quite a while back, I seem to remember that we can wear the actual Eagle medal, God and Country, and similar scout awards but we're encouraged to do this mostly for formal settings like courts of honor, as an example for the boys. The merit badge sash is usually a moot point, what with weight gain and such. I have never seen an adult humble themselves by trying.

Edited part: We do routinely wear the OA sash (new, larger sizes) at official OA functions.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

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Welcome to the forum.

It is a far, far better thing, that you do now....

Going to camp as an adult leader.

I hope you have a great time.

My understanding is that you may wear your Eagle Scout knot and the religious award on the adult uniform.

At our camp there are O.A Reps in camp, they would be willing to take your money and get you signed up back in the Lodge.

However, I don't know how it might work with your Lodge.

Please don't tell anyone, but if it were me.

I would make up my mind that being a part of the Lodge was something that I wanted to do and set this as a goal.

Then I would do everything possible to do it.

With this in mind I would wear my flap and sash.

However, If it was just a "One Time Deal" I would think that is not such a good idea.

As to the Camp Patch. There is something about it being a temp patch, that can be worn for six months.

They sell a neat plastic holder that comes in all sorts of shapes, it hangs from the button.

You could then wear it or not wear it as the mood suits you.

Have the best time at camp, enjoy the time with the Scouts and from "ScoutDad" Your son.

Enjoy.

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"There is something about it being a temp patch, that can be worn for six months."

 

There's nothing in the insignia guide or any other documentation that I have that sets a time limit on temporary patches. I think that it is an old wives' tale because I've heard bother 6 months and 1 year but no one can quote a source.

 

I'd feel rather silly wearing a Cub Scout Pow Wow patch from four years ago but if I had a camp patch from my youth, I'd wear it with pride.

 

 

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Thanks to you all for the feedback. Based on what I read here, plus the private replies I received, it appears that I can...

1) Wear my old camp patch, proudly. (Unfortunately, it is still attached to my old 60's green uniform, in a trunk at my parents. Maybe next year.)

2) Wear my OA sash to the camp Call-Out ceremony. (Already packed for camp.)

3) Wear my OA flap patch, provided that I pay my dues (and assuming that my lodge still exists.)

4) Wear my God & Country medal on formal occasions. (Alas, I never made Eagle, otherwise I could wear that also.)

5) Obtain and wear the adult knot patch representing my religious award.

 

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"I WONDER WHY THEY ARE CALLED TEMPORARY INSIGNIA?

COULD IT BE THAT THEY ARE TEMPORARY?"

 

Wow! I never thought of that but "temporary" doesn't have a time limit on it. I've seen "temporary repairs" that stayed in place for 20 years.

 

There's no maximum amount of time that a temporary patch may be worn. It is temporary because, unlike other patches on your uniform, it may be swapped at will.

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"5) Obtain and wear the adult knot patch representing my religious award. "

 

If you earned the award as a youth (which it seems that you did) you represent it on your uniform with the youth knot (silver knot on purple background). If you earn a relegious award as an adult (much harder to do), you wear a purple knot on a silver background.

 

Don't forget your service stars for your time as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout. Also if you earned the Arrow Of Light (Back in my day they called it the "Webelos patch") there's a knot for that.

 

 

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What most don't know and routinely violate is that the "knots" represent the "medals" so that one should not where the knot when wearing the medal. I know that everyone does (including my boys) but for example, if the religious medal is worn, the purple knot should not.

 

But hey, we are not the military. Nobody is going to "strip you of rank" for wearing your uniform incorrectly. The fact that you are asking what should or should not be worn shows you have an interest in wearing your uniform properly.

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  • 3 weeks later...

While true that one should not wear a medal while also wearing the knot representing it, it is not, of course, practical to remove the knot in order to wear the medal. Consequently, the Insignia Guide permits (if I am not mistaken) the wearer to pin the medal immediately above (and thereby covering) the knot when both are worn together.

 

As a Webelos leader, I proudly wear both my Eagle and my God & Country at our Blue & Gold banquet (and my Eagle only at crossover) as an example, and hopefully as an inspiration, to my boys.

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On my Venturing Uniform I still wear my Region 7 Canoe Base "temporary" patch and my 1973 National Jamboree Patch. All I can say is wear your old patches with pride. OA flap, Pay your dues to the lodge you are currently with and wear it's flap.

 

See you on the Trail

Jim

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