Toten' Chip Badge

[emb021 16]

"Is there any reason the toten' chip badge could not be placed on the left pocket flap?"

 

Because it doesn't belong there? Very few items go on the left flap: Ranger Bar and the Emergency Preparedness, BSA pin are the only ones I know of.

 

"Our council TCB is a flap patch. Our troop has it on the left pocket flap, which leaves the right for the OA patch and is a nice balance."

 

The fact that your council created a flap is up to them. Your troop, however, should follow insignia policies. 'balance' isn't a good justification for wearing it where it doesn't below.

 

I suggest you get a copy of the Insignia Guide.

 

"Temporary Patch, Council Special patch? Why dosn't BSA just standardize it and give us a definate answer?"

 

Because BSA National didn't make it? What difference does it make if its a 'temporary patch' or a 'council special patch'. They all go in the same location: the right pocket. It's up to the scout/leader which patch they put there.

 

Else, put it on a patch vest, jacket, or blanket.

 

 

[BMaxwell 10]

My CM has us put it on the left flap. Says he has done it for years and that is that. I had my son's on the right side stating it is a temporary patch but to keep peace in the troop moved it to the left flap. Is there anyone else that uses the left flap?

 

 

[FScouter 24]

" ... he has done it for years ..."

 

Sad to say, but if that is the best reason we can come up with for what we do, we're finished.

[skeptic 992]

While the misplacement of said patch still annoys me, I gave up being uniform police outside my unit. Years ago I jokingly challenged a Star Scout as to what number OA lodge was the tote-n-chip lodge. That evening at dinner and flags, his leader ripped me a new one, basically telling me I had no place to suggest the patch was worn erroneously. I tried to mollify him, but he was so indignent that he was turning red.

 

After that, I just generally take a deep breath and wonder why so simple a thing as reading a guide for placement can me so hard, and why people think that, even if they have read the proper way, that they can change it for them own desires.

[GMitch 10]

BMaxwell posted:

"My CM has us put it on the left flap. Says he has done it for years and that is that."

 

If my kid were in that Pack, his would be the only Toten'Chip patch on the bottom of the right pocket then. He would also be the only one that would be wearing it correctly, and "that would be that".

 

Reminds me of that Webelos Pack I saw where all of the leaders were wearing their position patches on their left pocket (as if it were a rank!). Undoubtedly, this too occurred because "someone had been doing it that way for years", and everyone else was either too lazy to read an insignia guide, or too weak to go against the grain of the one who had been doing it that way for years.

[SSScout 1615]

Reviewing the above , I see not only a difference of opinion as to where and when to wear a patch, but a confusion as to WHAT patch we're talking about.

 

Whitlin' Chip is earned by Cub Scouts, usually Bears and Webelos, and confers on the earner the privilege of carrying and utilizing a POCKET KNIFE on Cub Scout activities.

 

Totin' Chip is earned by Boy Scouts and confers on the earner the privilege of utilizing a pocket knife, an ax or hand axe, or saw.

 

Poor, unsafe useage can result in the privilege being revoked. See previous threads

 

Both are termed "temporary" patches in "official" Scout guides, and therefore can be worn for a while on the right pocket. BUT, it is always argued, why make them in the shape of a pocket flap if they are not intended to be worn on a pocket flap? Traditionally, I have seen the two worn on the right pocket flap. So: Cubs wear it on the flap, until they get the "Summer Activities" patch. And THAT is a "tempo" patch ,too.

Boy Scouts have a choice: Totin' Chip, or Fireman Chit or OA Lodge .

Then we have the over achievers that wear all three on the pocket flap.

 

"Will Work for Colorful Scraps of Cloth" (new bumper sticker)

[Bob White 20]

Not all patches are made to be worn on the official uniform shirt, regardless of their shape.

 

Even though the Totin' chip patch is similar in shape to the OA lodge flap it is not meant to be worn in the same place or on the same apparel.

 

All temporary patches are worn on the right pocket front 9not the pocket flap) they may also be worn on the back of the merit badge sash, or on a non-offical item such as a patch blanket, non-official jacket, backpack, or brag vest.

 

 

[BMaxwell 10]

Back of the merit badge sash? That is a new one for me. Are there many that have used this method.

 

My boys both have Quilo patch blankets and a pile of patches waiting to be sewn on. They love when I let them use my machine to put on patches. I just hate to free it up.

[GMitch 10]

SSSCout posted:

"Boy Scouts have a choice: Totin' Chip, or Fireman Chit or OA Lodge .

Then we have the over achievers that wear all three on the pocket flap."

 

NOT TRUE!!!

 

Nothing belongs on that right pocket flap except an OA Lodge patch. The Toten Chip is close to the same shape as a pocket flap patch, but if you will notice the BOTTOM edge of the pocket is the same shape, and that is where a Toten Chip patch belongs. It is not a choice of where to wear it, there is only one place that patch belongs. There is a choice of wearing the Firem N Chit, or Toten Chip as a temporary on the lower right pocket.

See Link:

http://usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/totinchip.asp

 

Persoanlly I think having Toten Chip or Firem N Chit as a patch instead of the card is silly, as you mentioned it is revokable. What is the SM going to do, strip the patch off in the middle of an outing?(This message has been edited by GMitch)

[rjscout 11]

To quote usscouts.org:

http://usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/Outdoor-Activity.asp

 

"Tiger Cubs, Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts have the opportunity to earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award. Boys may earn the award in each of the program years as long as the requirements are completed each year. The first time the award is earned, the boy will receive the pocket flap award (shown above), which is to be worn on the right pocket flap of the uniform shirt."

 

It is a cool award patch for Cub Scouts.

 

 

 

 

[Gold Winger 9]

" 'Temporary Patch, Council Special patch? Why dosn't BSA just standardize it and give us a definate answer?'

 

Because BSA National didn't make it?"

 

Not quite right on either count.

 

Look at http://www.scoutstuff.org/BSASupply/ItemDetail.aspx?cat=01RTL&ctgy=PRODUCTS&c2=UNIFORMS&c3=SEMBLEMS&c4=&lv=3&item=08597

 

Says "not for uniform wear" That means not even as a temporary patch which means that USScouts.org isn't right either.

 

The Tot'n Chip patch is just another symptom of "we need a patch/trophy/award for everything to make the boys feel good." Goes along with every player gets a trophy and other meaningless crud that we pass out today.

 

That said, I used to wear mine. My district used to hand out a special Tot't Chip patch to adults in SMF after they passed the knife and ax part of the course. Adults who weren't in OA wore it to show that they had gone through the course. Mine is gone now.