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Adults wearing uniforms to boost ego?


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"Also is it just me, but do the bellows pockets and smokes pocket add to the cluttered look? I look my centennial uniform and it looks cluttered and messy, but when I look at my ODL, which has all the same stuff except unit numbers, it looks very neat."

 

I have the pockets sewn down. I also split and resew the tabs so they fit exactly and are fixed at the outermost position. The flap is sewn through the shirt so that it hugs the curvature of the chest and does not curl up. The position patch and the trained tab is sewn through the shirt.

 

Downside? No pockets. But I do not use them anyways.

 

Upside? It looks a lot neater and is much easier to have pressed. (Well, I just use a steamer.)

 

If they sold the shirt with regular flat pockets and without the "technology" pocket, so that the various patches could be sewn on like they used to, I would be very happy.

 

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7195/uniform.jpg

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""I don't question your dedication to the program. But also, don't question mine, based on my adornment of the uniform. If you came across me at a campfire, would you size up my dedication and experience based on how much bling I have? Or would you treat me like any other scouter? ""

 

Looking at someone who wears AOL or Eagle then you can tell as an adult the level of experience they have with being involved in the program. Being a new person and seeing someone with the knots for say the cub scout program you can get a sense that this person has been down the road we are also traveling and might hold a certain amount of experience or insight that as a new scouter I might find useful. I think the knots for the most part (not all) promote this. What I see when I see these knots are a scouter who has put in years of experience for the boys, not that they put in years of work to get a little piece of embroidery.

 

If you call it bling you might as well call what are sons are wearing bling. I can think of no way in which the wearing of such thing does any harm to the boys or the program. If it makes for a better program I don't care if people are wearing pink tutus.

 

 

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A long-time scouter in our district once told me that he used to skip wearing the knots that he had earned because he didn't want to be thought of as showing off. He said he changed his mind and began wearing all of them when he spoke with an armed services member who said that you should wear the awards and recognitions you have earned to honor and respect those who have presented them to you. Made sense to me.

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for uniform "bling" I may not have a lot to wear but I do look at what I do wear.

 

I anly have one uniform top at this time. On it is my standard patches, TRAINED strip, and a temporary patch from Camp Bonner (Eagle, yes I do have several others that are not getting sewn on)

I also wear my Tiger DL award. That is the only knot that I have so far.

 

My CSP is the new one that we have had designed for the 100th anniversary. Yes I did have to move my numbers.

 

The only OA thing that I wear on my uniform right now is the dangle with the arrow on it. I think that it is small enough not to scream out, but those in the OA recignize it and a couple of scouts have asked about it.

 

Now as I get some money for additional uniforms, I will get a uniform that has all of the earned 'bling' incuding the service starts and stuff.

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I don't wear a lot of patches but I don't look down on those who wear more. For the most part they have accomplished more than I have so who am I to criticize.

 

I wear the CSP, Troop number with veteran bar, my POR (ASM) and trained patch. I wear the world scouting patch. I could wear an AOL knot but I don't. If I had earned Eagle I would wear that knot but I didn't. I encourage all our young scouters who earned Eagle to get the knot and wear it proudly. Our SM is probably entitled to more knots but just wears the Eagle.

 

I wear a temporary patch from Wilderness First Aid because I am proud of it and because I think that trained first aid-ers should be identified. When wearing my other shirt I sometimes will wear a dangler but usually not. I wear an interpreter strip because it identifies a useful skill and on occasion it has served to introduce me to other Portuguese speakers.

 

I have worn the quality unit patch but I think that it was cheapened with the addition of the 100% Boys Life. Now it looks like an award for magazine subscriptions (nothing against the magazine, its wonderful but magazine subscriptions do not a quality unit make).

 

Hal

 

 

 

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SO, I earned the Arrow of Light and Eagle and the Ad Altare Dei (Catholic Award) as a youth. SO, I have one row filled with youth knots. I have the Council Venturing Leadership Award because the Crew I serve nominated me. I have the District Award of merit because a person I didnt know that well thought I should be recognized, I have the Silver Beaver because 2 people thought I deserved it. I have an Adult religious award as an adult because I was nominated by someone who thought I deserved it.

 

Which knots shouldn't I wear?

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I am a new cub DL. I purchased my uniform and the only knot I have earned is the AOL. I also placed a 3 yr, yellow backed, service pin and a 4 yr., green backed. scout service pin.

 

At a pack campout the following week, our CM teased me about the knot and pins in front of other parents. As if I was being egotistical for having even one knot.

 

Then I attended some meetings and saw many leaders with their knots and service pins. One gentleman had a 50 yr service pin !!

 

I realized that this CM was a jackass, and probably jeleous that he had not dedicated himself to a level to be recognized. My feeling is that the knots are a recognition of past dedication. And if it "motivates" someone to work a little harder, or to do something a little extra to earn it... then so be it.

 

I agree that if someone is willing to spend money and time for a uniform.... even if a "mere" committee member, then it probably shows their dedication to the boys they serve.

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lol West I was thinking what a Jackass as I was reading your post and then you said that.

 

A reason for a committee member to wear the uniform. A good portion of the training I have attended so far have required the wearing of uniforms. The committee member today might be tomorrows adult leader.

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Gern,

Looking back over this thread, I find it somewhat interesting and amusing that you are worried about how I would judge you if we met at a campfire, looking at your uniform, without any knots or awards. Yet you have already stated how you would judge me - an egotist. I guess I'm supposed to have an open mind, but you're not? For some reason, that just doesn't seem like a reasonable request to me.

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