Knots, to wear or not to wear?

[VigilEagle04]

Cleam,

 

In my troop, we wore it throughout our tenure as Boy Scouts, and I continue to wear the knot. While the AoL may not be as prestigious as the Eagle, or the Silver to many, it is the be all/end all of Cub Scouting. I am personally proud to show that I went through Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and achieved the highest rank possible in both, but that's me.

[BartHumphries]

If a person has actually earned 21 knots... wow. That's at least a couple decades of active Scouting leadership, right?

[Scoutfish]

Not a member of the UP, but I do wonder...

 

Can you even fit more than nine knots on a shirt without them overlaping or covering the world crest?

[Eagle92]

'Fish,

 

A few things

 

1) the WC is an optional insignia, and in fact Sea Scouts are not suppose to wear one at all. (grumpy old man voice on) Grant you I'm still not happy about letting everyone wear one after I earned mine when I was a scout (grumpy old man voice off )

 

2) The IG and uniform inspection sheet both state that the WC is

 

centered horizontally over left pocket and vertically between left shoulder seam and top of pocket.

 

So if you wear it in the proper location, there is room for several rows of knots. When I measured the space on my CU shirt, there is room for 4 rows of knots without having to move the WC and CR up. Without the CR, a fifth row May make it.

 

Problem is that IF you wear the WC in the proper location, the collar covers up the WC, that is if you don't wear a necker or wear it under the collar ( which J.E. West sais was the incorrect way I might add). That's why you really never see it worn correctly in any BSA literature.

[VigilEagle04]

Eagle92,

 

I hadn't even thought about it, but you're dead on with the WC being optional. The member of the Venturing Committee I mentioned earlier, I just looked at the picture I looked at before and noticed he is not wearing a WC. Something I had never thought about.

[Beavah]

Actually, da World Crest used to be optional.

 

That was odd, because in all other WOSM organizations it isn't optional and is worn with pride. Indeed, if yeh travel internationally without the World Crest on your uniform your hosts will often comment on why you aren't wearin' it.

 

The current instruction for the World Crest in the BSA Insignia Guide for Boy Scouting is "Wear on all uniforms." But like most things in da guidebooks, it's a bit muddled in terms of the editing. You'll also still see "may" wear in some places.

 

The old routine for adding the World Crest only after participatin' in an international activity I don't think was ever official, but it was a widespread tradition. That has been replaced by the International Activity Patch (which is worn as a temporary patch on da right pocket, not in place of the world crest as yeh occasionally see ).

 

B

 

[Eagle92]

Beav,

 

Up to July 31, 1989 the BSA actually had requirements for the World Crest that had to be met before being worn. I don't remember the exact requirements, hey I earned mine in 1987, and would have earned it a second time in...August 1989, so it's been a while. But I want to say the requirements are the same as the International Youth Exchange Award today which has replaced it (when the IYE award came out, I don't know. But it was between 1990 and 1994, as there was no such thing in 1989).

 

http://usscouts.org/advance/IntYouthExch.asp

 

As for the International Activity Temp Patch and jacket patch ( do they still make the IA neckers and slide? I know they no longer make the IA jackets), each council creates their own requirements. I've seen some councils use the IYE requriements to get the pachtes ( as well as the other items mentioned above), and I've seen one where they are on the shelves for anyone to buy.

[Eagle92]

Forgot to add,

 

Sea Scouts and their leaders still do not wear the WC on any of their uniforms. Haven't seen the new SS manual, but the old one states the WC isn't worn, and if you look at the inspection sheets, it is not included on the form.

 

Hopefully that will change, as well unit numbers, bugs, CSPs and a few other things.

[Beavah]

Yah, well. We all know that da thousand or two Sea Scouts out there are a different bunch

 

Beavah

 

[sailingpj]

And we like it that way Beavah.

[eaglescout1996]

I'd have to go back and look at the card I recieved when I "earned" the world crest in July '89, but it said something to the effect of "you are now entitled to wear the world crest, a symbol of the brotherhood of world scouting".

 

I'm a member of my council's International Committee and we have established four requirements for the IA badge, you must complete one of the four:

 

Participate as a member of a contingent in a Scouting activity outside the United States

 

Participate as a member of a unit (or as an individual) that hosts one or more Scouts or Scouters from another country during their visit to the United States

 

Participate in a camporee or other scheduled event in the United States in which Scouts or Scouters of another nation are involved

 

Serve as a counselor in the European Camp Staff program.

[Eagle92]

Serve as a counselor in the European Camp Staff program.

 

One of the BEST and little known programs around.

 

 

'96

 

You lucked out. We found out about the requirements being removed for the WC during a very long layover in the airplane on our trip to Canada. Lots of upset scouts on that one as one of the promos for the trip was earnign your WC.

 

But the leaders did make it up to us as best they could: instead of issuing the BSA's WC, we got the Scouts Canada version. same design, just different background material (velvet).

[VigilEagle04]

"But the leaders did make it up to us as best they could: instead of issuing the BSA's WC, we got the Scouts Canada version. same design, just different background material (velvet)."

 

I have a couple of those lying about. Good times up there in Canada, eh.

[UCEagle72]

I did check my new copy of the Sea Scout handbook and it mute on the WOSM emblem ... however, I know that our Council Commodore wears a International Sea Scout emblem on a white background in that location on his whites.

 

Nice to see the six knot limit still in place -- and adults cannot wear the youth Arrow of Light knot either! (Eagle & Youth Religious Award are ok.)

 

 

[Eagle92]

No AOL Knot? then somebody better tell Ship's Stores, because they sell both the blue and white versions.

 

Now I admit I've been out of Sea scouts for a while, but some of the uniform changes don't make sense, i.e. no unit numbers, no Sea Scout Emblems, aka "bugs" on the dixie cups, soft boards for leaders, etc. No AOL knot is another one I gonna have to add to the list. But I've been told that the Sea Scouts want these changes.