Does your troop wear neckerchiefs?

[funscout]

My son's troop does not wear neckerchiefs. When I asked why the boys do not wear them, the leaders told me the boys had decided against neckerchiefs. The troop has been in existence for at least 50 years, but I do not know when the wearing of neckerchiefs was discontinued.

 

My son was glad to not have to wear one and I don't really care whether they do or do not wear them, but I was curious how many other troops have decided not to wear neckerchiefs. Also, since it's the boys' decision, the adults can't change that policy.

[Beavah]

Ours don't.

 

Dat's been true for as far back as the memory of our oldest scouter. Guess it's not "traditional" in a scouting sense, but da modern neckerchief ain't nuttin' more than a foo-foo fashion accessory anyway.

 

 

[BSAChaplain]

Our troop wears a troop design neckerchief. Most of the units in our area wear them as well.

[ozemu]

Isn't that interesting?

 

We see the uniform as being first and foremost the scarf. If we go for a non-uniform event we still wear the scarf as our identifier.

 

It is the tradition over here. Used to be hat and scarf but uniform changes about 15 years ago made the hat optional. (Can you believe that - in the land of skin cancer?).

[Kaji]

I've never heard of a unit not wearing them, personally. As others have stated, they've always been a signature part of the uniform, and in the eyes of many are about as essential as the shirt. I know that in my old district growing up (Prince William in NCAC, now Occoquan district) about every unit had a custom-designed neckerchief that they used. My unit presented its neckerchief at Tenderfoot as a way to get the boys motivated (they were naturally allowed to wear the standard red/gold one until then, so it hardly constitutes hazing the way, say, withholding epaulets might).

[CaveEagle]

In our old troop in NY, the neckerchief was mandatory as part of the field uniform. Our new troop in central FL has it optional. A few scouts wear the Red/Gold BSA item and a few of them will wear 'special' neckerciefs they've picked up at placed like Sea Base. Most don't wear any with the exception of COHs and BORs.

 

I think this works out pretty well. It is hard enough to get my 14 yr old to wear his uniform out in public. The Neckerchief seems to only aggrivate the problem for many boys. And has little practical application.

 

I had no problem wearing mine as a scout, but I do not wear one anymore. I am a pretty big guy, and the normal 'stock' size item looks pretty rediculous on me. We will be going to Kandersteg (Switzerland) this July, and I am told that everone must wear their 'necker' around all the time to identify your group. I am not sure how this is going to play out. I may make my own custom unit a little larger than the stock size.

 

The BSA used to make them larger. Anyone know why they are all 'cub' sized now?

 

CE

[FScouter]

From the Insignia Guide:

"Boy Scout neckerchiefs are optional. The troop decides by vote, and all members abide by the decision."

[Oak Tree]

Very few of the troops in our area wear them. At summer camp there will alway be a couple troops that have them, and they stand out as being different.

 

Oak Tree

[eagle90]

We give our new scouts a customized Troop neckerchiefwhen they join, but very few of them are worn to meetings. We do wear them to COH's, uniform inspections, and Summer Camp/High Adventure.

[msnowman]

Nephew's Troop wears a custom designed scarf that they don't give to the boys until after they have been w/ the Troop for 6 months or have earned Tenderfoot. Apparently they want the boy to show some sort of commitment to being part of the Troop. Nephew prefers to wear his BS Bolo more often than his Troop scarf.

 

In Troops that "traditionally" choose not to have a scarf - is there any reason why the subject couldn't be brought up for a vote again? You know, let the current group have some say in the policy? Perhaps creating a new tradition?

 

Just wondering

YiS

Michelle(This message has been edited by msnowman)

[EagleInKY]

We wear ours to troop meetings, courts of honor, color guards, etc. We do not wear them on campouts or other outdoor outings. At Summer Camp we'll only wear them to the opening/closing campfires (if the temp is reasonable) and when we're the camp color guard.

[resqman]

In Cub scouting, a big part of the identity of rank is displayed in the hat and neckerchief color. Our Pack encourages all boys to wear both their hats and neckerchiefs.

 

My son seems to always be hot. He complains that the neckerchief is too hot. I decided to make wearing the neckerchief more of an event for him. I started carving neckerchief slides. The first one was an eagle head profile from the scout shop. I chose it because I am an eagle. I encouraged him to wear it.

 

When my son became a Bear scout, I carved a bear head of my own design using the "earth" slide from the scout shop as a source of wood. Stained it brown and painted the eyes and nose. He wore it with pride. He got lots of comments from other scouts and adults.

 

As a den leader I felt it necessary to lead by example so purchased a Den Leader neckerchief. I started carving neckercheif slides. I carved about half a dozen of the standard scout shop slides. I purchased some model paints and a very fine brush and painted them all. Then I surfed the web for alternate selections. Pauls slides has over 35 different slides to carve. http://www.paulsslides.com/ There are a few other sites that fed me ideas and I have gone on to design and carve my own.

 

Now my son has a choice. Although he still is not thrilled to wear the neckerchief, the question is not IF he will wear the neckerchief but which slide will he choose.

 

Part of the Webelos program is learning what constitutes a Webelos uniform. The Hat, the Shirt, and the Neckerchief. Our Pack purchases neckerchiefs for each boy and presents them at each graduation ceremony. I presented every boy in my den with a leather slide stamped with the Webelos logo, their name, pack #, den # and year. I believe their is no excuse for them not to wear a neckerchief.

 

I would say if your Pack or Troop is not wearing neckerchiefs or has low numbers and want to encourage the wearing of neckerchiefs, have a slide making session. You can make crafty slides, themed slides, carved slides, all kinds of slides. If the boys have a say in designing their own uniform, they are more likely to wear them.

 

We purchased a small plastic dinosaur from the craft store. I drilled two small holes and bent a piece of coat hanger into a U shape and inserted into the holes. Instant slide in under 5 minutes. My son wears the plastic toy dino he picked from the craft store and I wear the carved dino egg I made. We have a theme just amoungst ourselves.

 

Sometimes he will wear the tomahawk and I the handaxe I carved. Sometimes we will wear the two different indian heads I carved. For December I carved a christmas tree and a snowman. Next month at the Pinewood derby we will wear the pair of cars I carved.

 

There are several websites with ideas for making crafty slides. There are a few with carving kits. Make the slides and wear the neckerchiefs with pride.

[SR540Beaver]

Our troop has a custom necker. The boys are free to wear them at any time. The only time it is expected for them to wear them are for SM conferences, BOR and COH. We have some who wear them to meetings and campouts.

 

As for me personally, I was never happier than when my company went casual and I got to take that @#^&!(%$@^ tie off!!! I feel the same way about neckers. They serve absolutely no practical purpose other than getting in the way or getting in your food. Like someone else who posted, I'm a big boy and unless it is a necker that is cut big, it just looks silly on me. Also, I'm hot natured. Wearing a t-shirt, my scout shirt and a necker on top of it in the 120 degree heat index during the Jambo death march just about did me in. My WB course was in the fall of the year, but i was fairly warm and I remember always feeling like my head would explode if I kept my necker on a minute longer than required.

 

I like the traditional look of a necker, but I find them useless for anything other than "looks" during formal occasions.

[Kudu]

I had no problem wearing mine as a scout, but I do not wear one anymore. I am a pretty big guy, and the normal 'stock' size item looks pretty ridiculous on me. We will be going to Kandersteg (Switzerland) this July, and I am told that everyone must wear their 'necker' around all the time to identify your group. I am not sure how this is going to play out. I may make my own custom unit a little larger than the stock size.

 

You might consider asking the PLC to switch to a Traditional Troop Neckerchief in anticipation of your Kandersteg trip. A Traditional Neckerchief is 32" square rather than the BSA ("half-necker") triangular size, and is usually a single color (maybe red in your case). These are the neckerchiefs worn over the collar that you see pictured in Norman Rockwell's paintings of Boy Scouts.

 

The BSA used to make them larger. Anyone know why they are all 'cub' sized now?

 

To save money, of course. But if you persuade a local fabric outlet to sell you a 25 yard bolt of material at their cost, you should be able to make 27 Neckerchiefs for about $2 each. Usually one of the Scouts' mothers or a neighbor will volunteer to hem the sides.

 

For information on how to make your own Traditional Neckerchiefs, see The Inquiry Net:

 

http://www.inquiry.net/uniforms/neckerchief/how_to.htm

 

If you remember the Indian Jones movie in which River Phoenix played young Indiana Jones as a Life Scout, you will see that it was common for Neckerchiefs at that time to be a single plain color without any identifying decorations. However, you can order upside-down triangular patches to sew on the back of the Neckerchief that look really nice. Some Troops special order these to commemorate special trips. A Kandersteg catalog that includes patches (I didn't see any triangular ones) can be found at:

 

http://www.kisc.ch/static/handout/Souvenirs.pdf

 

Guess it's not "traditional" in a scouting sense, but da modern neckerchief ain't nuttin' more than a foo-foo fashion accessory anyway.

 

That has been true for the entire BSA Uniform ever since they decided to hire a dress designer to transform the American Scout Uniform from an outdoor icon into an indoor parlor-Scouting fashion statement. This is especially true for the Neckerchief, which the dress designer moved from its traditional over the collar position, to what he considered to be a more fashionable placement under the collar where it serves as a mere fashion accessory with no practical purpose. Baden-Powell once said the the main function of the Neckerchief was to keep the back of the neck from getting sunburned. Some southern Scouters tell me that it also acts as a wick and keeps you cooler in hot weather, but I prefer the open air myself.

 

A list of 56 uses for the Traditional Neckerchief can be found at:

 

http://www.inquiry.net/uniforms/neckerchief/matching.htm

 

In Troops that "traditionally" choose not to have a scarf - is there any reason why the subject couldn't be brought up for a vote again? You know, let the current group have some say in the policy? Perhaps creating a new tradition?

 

These things go in cycles and depends on peer-pressure. Resqman's idea of making Neckerchief slides might help create a demand for Neckerchiefs.

 

Kudu

 

 

[Owl62]

Our troop has adopted a neckerchief. It is one of the BSA standard ones. The only times the neckerchief is required to be worn is at COH, ceremonies and other special occasions. It can be worn other times if the Scout or Scouter just wants to when wearing the field uniform. They can also have their choice of slide or just tie it in a knot. Most only wear it for ceremonies.

 

Most of the Scouters in the troop are older and we are trying to gently guide the troop back to traditional ways. The neckerchief is one such example. Not that we want to live in the past, just stay in touch with it.

 

I have been in troops that have worn neckerchiefs and others that did not. Personally, I like them. We are also considering a custom neckerchief.