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US Congressional Award


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Receiving the award was an example of the most obvious case where the uniform and medal compliment each other. Given that one case, others may apply: courts of honor, formal dinners, community ceremonies, etc ...

When we get into the realm of medals, there is a little room for personal judgement.

Again...I was not addressing the wearing of the uniform. ;)

 

I suspect since BSA is now aligned with this medal we will see the uniform and insignia guide updated to show how the medal is worn.

 

@@TAHAWK, thanks for the post. You jogged my memory, another "medal" and patch approved for wear by BSA but not supplied through them are the Historic Trail badges. There's tons on the east coast, not so many in my neck of the woods.

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I'd ask national. Scouts can wear historic trail awards so this might be in that category.   Frankly, there are so many uniform violations that BSA would be hard pressed to enforce anything. I say

The one I find is Not a BSA Specific Program So I would say No...

It's the "Congressional Award Program."   http://congressionalaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ProgramRequirements.pdf       "BSA and Congressional Award program aim to expand participation B

Again...I was not addressing the wearing of the uniform. ;)

 

I suspect since BSA is now aligned with this medal we will see the uniform and insignia guide updated to show how the medal is worn.

 

@@TAHAWK, thanks for the post. You jogged my memory, another "medal" and patch approved for wear by BSA but not supplied through them are the Historic Trail badges. There's tons on the east coast, not so many in my neck of the woods.

Am I missing something? The award is a ribbon with a pendant. Pretty self-explanatory how it's worn.

 

How are similar awards described in the Insignia Guide? "... ribbon with pendant ...". No pictures of anyone wearing them.

 

I've always thought that the awards in the guide were an exemplary, not exhaustive, list. In any case, the congressional award has been around for as long as I've been an advisor. I learned about it at a University of Scouting course.

I don't know how long an award has to be around to make it in the guide ... but I agree that it would be nice to see this one in it ... if only to encourage some young scouters to consider earning it.

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BSA says that the general rule is that non-BSA awards are not worn with the uniform.  It lists exceptions to the general rule.  I can't find the Congressional Award Program medals listed as an exception.  So I have asked.  I'm for it and I hope for a favorable reply.  Heck, I'd be somewhat pleased with any reply.

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Are any of the Religious Awards..able to earned by NON-Boy Scout of America . Can a Girl Scout Earn the BSA recognized Award and wear it on her Uniform. Can Johnny FHA Member earn it?

 

Will there be a BSA Knot for it..For Adults? Will BSA make it a Youth and Adult Award since it can be earned past the 23rd Birthday...Which Surpasses the 18th  Scout and 21st Venture Crew Birthdays ?

 

Why Doesn't the BSA not already have their own Award for recognizing the Youths for their Service Hours..A Council earns an Award based on their Total Number of Hours?..An OA Lodge earns an Award correct?  Even Units are Recognized for the Hours their members earn. But No Award for an Individual from BSA 

 

Again I say that since the Award is not a BSA Specific Award I would say not to wear it. I have earned several Awards for my Service to BSA throughout my Years but None are recognized as BSA ONLY AWARDS...I don't wear them.  

 

Here is another Award that should be promoted and Adopted by the BSA... http://www.youthpatriotism.org/.. I actually had my Cub Scout Dens working on these awards and They were almost finished before I left the Unit. I was told since It was not BSA Specific I would have to pay out of Pocket for all Awards and I could not present them to my Den Members at a Pack Meeting Since not all Dens were Working on them.

It compliments BSA goals and Mission 

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Kinda Wish they Would back Date the Awards..Since I was Active in Scouts in 1979 through 1986 ..Except back then BSA around here was not promoting anything NonLocal except Philmont...And Of Course there was no Internet for people to Discover things on their Own..In all My Years I never Heard of KISC...until 2012...Lord Forbid that A Local Council would dare to Tell Scouts that there was an International Scout Camp they Could Visit....Nope Only Rich Kids to Lambo and NOAC around here..

 

Combine my Service in Scouts..and My 4 Years in JROTC I could have easily Earned Gold and Would have If I had Known about the Award..I tried to Earn everything I could..I got Paul Bunyon, I got Multiple 50 Milers, I got Mile Swim, I earn BSA Life Guard, I got Historical Trail Award..but Never heard of Any National Awards I could Win...My Troop Even Had a Honor Scout Award..Which I earned multiple times..It was a year long program based on Attendance, Uniform wear and Inspections, Participation in Events including Troop and Council events such as First Aide Meets, Camporees, Attending Church, Advancements and Merit Badges and Service Hours. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place got a BSA Medal ( generic Buy off the Shelf)...4th Place got Half of Summer Camp paid for..3rd Place Got Summer Camp Paid for...2nd Place got Summer Camp paid for and Half of Philmont paid for..1st Place got Summer camp  and Philmont paid for..

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Are any of the Religious Awards..able to earned by NON-Boy Scout of America . Can a Girl Scout Earn the BSA recognized Award and wear it on her Uniform. Can Johnny FHA Member earn it?

 

Yes. They can and are earned by anyone.

 

Will there be a BSA Knot for it..For Adults? Will BSA make it a Youth and Adult Award since it can be earned past the 23rd Birthday...Which Surpasses the 18th  Scout and 21st Venture Crew Birthdays ?

 

Why would they do that? They haven't done it with the Medals of Honor.

 

Why Doesn't the BSA not already have their own Award for recognizing the Youths for their Service Hours..

 

I guess because a youth should do a good turn daily without expecting anything in return.

There are societies that are all about tallying youth service hours and awarding them for it. Many scouters (I count myself among them) don't want BSA to be one of them. Also, competing with Congress is really bad form.

 

Again I say that since the Award is not a BSA Specific Award I would say not to wear it. I have earned several Awards for my Service to BSA throughout my Years but None are recognized as BSA ONLY AWARDS...I don't wear them.  

 

When receiving your other service awards. Would you wear your Eagle?

 

Here is another Award that should be promoted and Adopted by the BSA... http://www.youthpatriotism.org/.. I actually had my Cub Scout Dens working on these awards and They were almost finished before I left the Unit. I was told since It was not BSA Specific I would have to pay out of Pocket for all Awards and I could not present them to my Den Members at a Pack Meeting Since not all Dens were Working on them.

It compliments BSA goals and Mission 

A little more details on "when I was told" matter in this case. Was it a scout executive?

Cost is one of the dirty little secrets about medals. If you haven't budgeted for them, expect difficulties.

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Are any of the Religious Awards..able to earned by NON-Boy Scout of America . Can a Girl Scout Earn the BSA recognized Award and wear it on her Uniform. Can Johnny FHA Member earn it?

 

 

Yes.  The P.R.A.Y series can be earned by anyone.  Catholic BSA awards are available to Venturing females.  Can't speak on the others, as I've no personal experience with them.

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BSA says that the general rule is that non-BSA awards are not worn with the uniform.  It lists exceptions to the general rule.  I can't find the Congressional Award Program medals listed as an exception.  So I have asked.  I'm for it and I hope for a favorable reply.  Heck, I'd be somewhat pleased with any reply.

@@qwazse, this is why I was noting the award and insignia guide. Typically they say what can/can't be worn and *if* i can be worn, where it is worn. Sometimes medals may not be worn but their corresponding patches can be (in the temporary patch location).

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It appears that since 1948, BSA has had an agreement with NRA regarding operating shooting sports programs, inclusive of awards.  The current BSA  National Shooting Sports Manual  was written by the NRA.   http://www.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor%20Program/pdf/30931_WB.pdf

 

The program includes the awards for various levels of proficiency earned through he Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program.

 

These awards, starting with the Pro-Marksman patch, have been worn on the uniform as long as I have been in Scouting, including my me.   I can find no specific reference to wearing of the patch or medals from BSA, however councils are authorized to authorize the wearing of such awards and councils sponsor the award program at their summer camps, including the council camp where I volunteer and the camp where my troop is going in July.

 

The program seems to be open to anyone ("Qualification courses of fire are open to everyone–men and women, adults and youth. "youth organizations,")  including "Boy Scout troops, Royal Ranger outposts, American Legion posts, JROTC units, 4-H clubs, FFA chapters, commercial summer camps and U.S. Jaycee chapters."  

 

The awards are obtained from NRA.

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@@qwazse, this is why I was noting the award and insignia guide. Typically they say what can/can't be worn and *if* i can be worn, where it is worn. Sometimes medals may not be worn but their corresponding patches can be (in the temporary patch location).

The expectation that the IG would be an exhaustive list is unreasonable.

 

...

These awards, starting with the Pro-Marksman patch, have been worn on the uniform as long as I have been in Scouting, including my me.   I can find no specific reference to wearing of the patch or medals from BSA, however councils are authorized to authorize the wearing of such awards and councils sponsor the award program at their summer camps, including the council camp where I volunteer and the camp where my troop is going in July.

...

Yet another of many awards that we can't expect to see in the IG any time soon.

 

Although it is a "control" document, the IG also serves a promotional purpose ... it sells BSA awards (note the catalogue numbers). There is little vested interest in recognizing awards that are not part of its revenue stream. For example, past (expired) awards are not listed.

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The expectation that the IG would be an exhaustive list is unreasonable.

 

 

Agreed. But since this is a significant national award this one should likely be on such a list, no?

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Agreed. But since this is a significant national award this one should likely be on such a list, no?

Hmmm. Can anyone think of a rea$on - beyond control - that $ignificant national award$ related to but not under B$A's mi$$ion aren't li$ted in the IG? ;)

 

IHMO, this is a situation where no authority will write an explicit prohibition, but they also aren't going to publish all of the "potential distriactions" from the BSA award tracks.

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@@qwazse my original question, indeed the OP, asked if and how to wear it. Prior to the post noting that BSA was working with the gov on this program there was no clear answer as to if, where and how to wear it. Now that BSA is involved the if seems answered. The how may be a simple as modeling after any other neck medallion.

 

I wasn't suggesting that BSA need list all patches, pins and medals. However, much like the military, there could be a brief statement on how (or indeed if) to wear non-BSA items.

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No - you can't wear a Congressional Award on your uniform - and not because of some kind of rule or regulations.  You can't wear them on your uniform because they are not pinned medals like the Eagle Scout medal but are medals that hang from a ribbon worn around the neck. 

 

Now if the question is can you wear it with your uniform, I would say probably not officially, but if you earned it by using your service hours from Boy Scouts, then wear it at formal events and if some adult comes up to you to complain, point him in the direction of a wall and politely suggest he take up his complaints with the wall.

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No - you can't wear a Congressional Award on your uniform - and not because of some kind of rule or regulations.  You can't wear them on your uniform because they are not pinned medals like the Eagle Scout medal but are medals that hang from a ribbon worn around the neck. 

 

Now if the question is can you wear it with your uniform, I would say probably not officially, but if you earned it by using your service hours from Boy Scouts, then wear it at formal events and if some adult comes up to you to complain, point him in the direction of a wall and politely suggest he take up his complaints with the wall.

 

They are BOTH medallions and pins.

 

We are all assuming you'd wear the medallion like Silver Beaver is worn. No one has weighed in yet on how the pins would be worn.

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