Old Explorer uniform shirts

[sdcc57 10]

About 30 years after having last served on a summer camp staff I have retired from my "real"job,and am returning as a summer camp director in my council.As I'm sure many other councils have done,we use the BSA Venturing uniform for our camp staff.I have a staff member whose medical condition requires him to protect himself from exposure to the sun by wearing long pants,long-sleeved shirts and a hat while outside.That's not a problem with regard to the pants or hat,but as far as I can tell the BSA no longer produces long-sleeved dark green shirts,as it did when Exploring was a uniformed traditional program.

Does anyone happen to know of a reliable sourse for long-sleeved Exploring shirts/blouses for sale? Being new would be ideal,but as long as they're in good condition we could make use of them.We don't need a large number,but I'm hoping there may be some way to locate them other than individually on a service such as E Bay.

I happen to take similar medication,so I'd also be interested for myself.I'd rather not have this person(and myself)be the only people on our staff not in proper uniform.

[scottteng 11]

Ebay is a good source for old uniforms the other option is to wear a long sleeved t shirt underneath the uniform shirt. Looks a little tacky but hey you have a medical reason.

[scoutldr 732]

I was going to suggest the t-shirt option also. Finding enough Explorer shirts in the right size and in good condition would be difficult at best. Are you wearing Venture uniforms because your staff is chartered as a Crew? Since you are the new Camp Director, shake things up and allow the Crew to choose their own uniforms, or shift to the new Centennial uniform. Another option...you may be able to find a work shirt (Dickies?) in a similar color, and make it look like a Venturing shirt with the addition of epaulets and patches.

[Eagle92 110]

At one time, nationla had the 'Ventruning ,BSA" strips available for free. You may find them on EBAY and

place them on the old Exploring uniform. Or do what I reccommend, renmove the Exploring strip, and get them embroidered, that way the you won't have the problem of the shirt being one color, but the Venturing strip being anopther.

[sdcc57 10]

Thank you for the ideas above.When I served on the camp staff as a young man we used the Exploring uniform,and the council has converted to the Venturing uniform.We have a daytime option that includes a staff tee shirt,but require a full uniform in the evening amd check in/out days.

The staff is not a chartered unit.They tried that when Venturing was formed,and I served as council Venturing chairman.For various reasons our SE decided not to continue that.Considering the situation I agreed with him.

I remember the Scout Shop selling Venturing strips to replace the Exploring strips when the programs changed.I just wish I had been smart enough to secure some of them,along with some of their remaining long-sleeved shirts.

[NERScouter 10]

For your staff member who needs protection from the sun a light weight long sleeve tshirt should do the trick. You may want a matching shade of green. If your camp staff is not chartered as a crew then they should not be wearing the Venturing uniform. Of course if they are already a member of a crew they could wear their Venturing shirt. Having camp staff wear the Venturing uniform causes a financial burden for the majority of the staff if they do not receive the uniforms from the camp. The majority of the staff are registered as Boy Scouts and therefore have the tan uniform.