John-in-KC 311 Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 Dropped the Eagle off at Scout Camp today. He needs to earn BSA Lifeguard before he reports to his own Scout Camp as a staffer! Gotta love the staff uniform: Hiking boots or field shoes Scout Socks Green Scout Shorts Custom leather belt with custom camp staff big brass buckle Venturing Shirt ... staff patch on a plastic hanger to the left pocket. Council patch and Council honor society patches Silver epaulets with embroidered STAFF on them. Neckerchief and 1/8" kernmantle rope woggle. The Council President, SE, and Council Commissioner all approve of the uniform; they were doing "glad handing" to kids, Scouters and parents alike in the parking lot ... in the staff uniform!(This message has been edited by John-in-KC) Link to post Share on other sites
gwd-scouter 11 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 John-in-KC - yikes! I posted a thread a while back about our council's camp staff. They wear (or wore I should say - changed this year) Venturing shirt with council strip and Crew #1 numeral, world crest, and whatever rank patch (optional) and OA flap (optional) they have if registered with a Boy Scout troop. OK so far, but they also wore Boy Scout shorts, socks and belt. I never thought anything of it until becoming a member of this forum and learning more about Venturing. I came to expect the camp staff to actually be in correct uniforms, but I wasn't going to be the gal to tell them they were wearing the uniform improperly. I have an entire 5-drawer chest full of Boy Scout shorts, socks, T-shirts, and other Scout clothing since older son went to JAMBO in 2001 and has worked staff at council camp for four years. Younger son is working his first time this year and I was figuring I wouldn't have to buy him anything at all. Guess what? This year our camp has decided to wear the full venturing uniform and I've got to buy a whole bunch of venturing shorts and socks for him! Ah, just more stuff to add to the donation box once our family retires from Scouting some day. Edit to add: PS - what did you mean by "glad handing" to the kids? (This message has been edited by gwd-scouter)(This message has been edited by gwd-scouter) Link to post Share on other sites
TheScout 10 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 You have to buy shorts and socks for him! When I was on staff a few years ago my parents made me by my own . . . We just wore our normal uniforms that we wore with our troops. A lot nicer. You could tell a lot more about the individuals scouting experience that way. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 I dont know if there is a full moon or what, but you guys know it is against BSA policy to wear the Venturing shirt with Boy Scout pants. Yes I know it's standard for most Camps to do so, so why do we have uniforms anyway? Link to post Share on other sites
John-in-KC 311 Posted June 11, 2007 Author Share Posted June 11, 2007 gwd... Old fashioned Scout handshake for Scouts and Scouters in uniform, conventional RH handshake for parents doing the driving gig: Shake your hand "Hi, glad to see you, welcome to Scout Camp. We hope you (your child/your troops Scouts) have a GRRREAT week." OGE: I don't see anyone from the National or Regional offices revoking Council charters... remember, Camp Inspections are coming in a few days. Regional folk will see these staff uniforms, and frankly, I think it'll be below the "so what/who cares" line. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Oh, I realize that the mixing of the boy scout field uniform shirt and boy scout pants won't cause any camp to fail it's inspection and I dont think it should. I do wonder though why if uniforming is so loosely regarded, why it's one of the methods? If camps get to be creative with uniforms, then why cant troops? Why have uniform standards at all? Just rhetorical questions, I have retired from the uniform police and moved on to the Observation of Ironies Link to post Share on other sites
mrclark 10 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 OldGreyEagle wrote (rhetorically): I do wonder though why if uniforming is so loosely regarded, why it's one of the methods? If camps get to be creative with uniforms, then why cant troops? Well, Venturing crews are allowed to be creative with their uniforms. Some camps incorporate all their staff into Venturing Crews for administrative purposes... Despite the claims of it, I've never been convinced that uniforming is loosely regarded. It seems like uniforming is loosely regarded in some units from the perspective of outsiders. It does seem that uniforming is emphasized differently among different units. I don't think this is a bad thing - every troop has different strengths and weaknesses. After all, the best and most successful people and organizations in the world work by playing to their strengths, not focusing on their weaknesses. I do find it odd (not to mention discourteous and unfriendly) when an outside adult feels the need to criticize another troop about their uniforms. Uniforming is a method, not an aim! Link to post Share on other sites
FScouter 24 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Welcome to the forums Mrclark. A real Venturing crew may design it's own uniform, but Boy Scout uniform components may not be part of a Venturing uniform, which is the case to which OGE is referring. A camp staff is no more a Venturing crew than the virtual patrols some troops assemble for a camporee. Personally, I don't think camp staffs should be wearing the Venturing uniform at all. I find it odd too, that every time there is discussion about the uniform, there is at least one person who takes offense if there is any mention about the correct way to wear it. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Crews CAN design their own uniform, but they can't borrow from the other BSA programs in doing so. Although I imagine a group of EMO Venturers would look cute in cub scout attire. Why not have the Camp Crew wear grew shorts, they dont have to be the uniform shorts, but just grey ones, or black ones, anything but Boy Scout uniforms. I understand that making comments on uniforming is the quickest way to be accused of being part of the Uniform Police, but as I have said, I am retired from the uniform police and am just Observing Ironies. I observe that if some one comments on uniforms, then one is castigated as all get out about being various things and none complimentary. Make a comment about the way a troop is uniformed and good heavens, the consternation that occurs that you have no business putting your nose in where it doesnt belong, and those leaders know best about their troop, etc. But, there seems to be no lack of comments on "Eagle Mills" and "merit badge mills" and troops that use the dreaded "Troop Method" and those leaders are pretty much decried as needing training or some other unpleasant activity to see the error of their ways. So, commenting on another troop's uniform is bad, but you can comment on the Troops committment to the patrol method, advancement, adult association, et al. Why is uniforming regared so? Is it time to ditch uniforming altogether? Link to post Share on other sites
scoutldr 739 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Our camp is another which registers all "youth" staff members as a Venturing Crew. The crew number is the Council number. Keeps the membership numbers up dont'cha know (although most are already registered in other units). They do wear the complete venturing uniform down to the overpriced shorts and socks, with silver tabs. Class "A" for flags and dinner, class "B" all other times. Link to post Share on other sites
kraut-60 10 Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 My son will be a CIT for 2 sessions this month and up to the 3rd of July at Camp Indian Trails, Glaciers Edge council. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that youth staff can purchase uniforms at a discount during the summer they are so employed in our council. The program director indicated that my son should wear the uniform (complete) from the troop he presently is a member of, not a venturing uniform as we have seen used by camp staff at other camps we have attended out-of-council. I am glad we have had my sons' uniforms complete since he joined Boy Scouts, since having to purchase 2 complete sets at once would put a serious dent in the Shelby GT Mustang savings fund! Link to post Share on other sites
SR540Beaver 116 Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 kraut, You should get the "Dad of the Year Award" for buying your son a Shelby GT Mustang when he earns his Eagle. What a guy!!! Link to post Share on other sites
epalmer84 10 Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 A spruce green shirt with olive green shorts. What a fashion faux pas! Ed Link to post Share on other sites
emb021 16 Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 "A spruce green shirt with olive green shorts. What a fashion faux pas! " Well, today it is. Under Explorers/Exploring they never made spruce green shorts, so you had to wear the boy scout shorts of the time. Link to post Share on other sites
Stosh 3452 Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 We were informed a Venture uniform can be anything we wish it to be in a crew. Therefore our crew's uniform has nothing related to BSA, but they are all the same. If one is going to implement parts of BSA official uniforms, it should be all or nothing. Stosh Link to post Share on other sites
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