In the defense of Scouting

                In my 25 years of experience I have found that Scouting is for all kinds of Boys; be they young, old or even handicapped. All boys need something worthwhile to strive for. Boys want to participate in Scouting because they find it fun, not because it has quality leadership. Boys want to get away from it all, to prove them selves, find a sense of belonging, and find a place to be boys. These modest benefits found in Scouting were not even thought of as part of Robert Baden-Powell’s early vision in 1908.

                Many of our boys sit at home watching television and playing video games while the easy life saps their ambition and spirit. Others look for belonging in gangs with rights of passage that break the law, or are contrary to good character.

Scouting offers boys a safe and sane right of passage. There are a minimum of 90 positive experiences just from the ranks of Tenderfoot to Eagle, that a boy can pit himself against and win. Boy Scouts do not have to lose where it matters, if they do their best. In boy scouting, a boy can prove himself in spite of any problems he or society may have.

To recap Scouting has many benefits:

*A feeling of belonging and equality in a gang with direction and supervision, a feeling of self worth by giving him something to shoot for and giving him recognition for doing it.

*It gives him a sense of adventure while he learns to master the elements and therefore himself.

*Scouting gives him a place to act-up with rough jokes, snipe hunts, and snowball fights without adults getting too mad, A place that he can talk about girls while not having to talk to them … while still being supervised.

*Scouting is a parental approved form of escaped, a place that scouts do not have to be athletic to prove themselves, and a place where they can find acceptability because younger boys look up to them and older boys find them tolerable.

Uniform Police

You could say I used be part of the Scout Uniform Police, but not any more. I pick my battles; patches sewn on wrong are not worth the hit to a persons self esteem, nor are some of the nit-picky rules that have come into common practice or Scouting Tradition worth the trouble.

Some of the rules are hold-overs from the military, and have little place in boy Scouting. For instance the “Metal on Metal” rule for how the belt is worn or military creases. Nothing is found in the current uniform inspection sheet about either. It only states that an official belt be worn, leather or woven, not that it needs to be fitted to military standard and that the member be “neatly dressed.”

            The rule that a World Crest Emblem must be worn is also wrong; it may be worn by all members of Scouting to symbolize their membership in the World Scouting movement, but is not required. Those “100 Anniversary” rings are nice, and a good way to get members of the movement to wear the crest, but they often make the uniform cluttered and limit the number of knots that can worn.

Hardly anyone wears Service stars any more. They can be worn by all youth and adult members who have at least one year of tenure with the Boy Scouts of America. Other than the stars are to worn with the appropriate color background there are few rules for their wear. Members can wear them for their separate primary registrations simultaneously. Or, leaders may combine youth and adult tenure into one or two stars with blue backgrounds.

In my option, a true blue Uniform Inspection should be only done once a year, during the Charter renewal and membership inventory, as required by BSA. We did ours during the Blue and Gold Dinner. Once a year, is enough of being singled out and checked for everything present, in place, and worn neatly. At other times we did a simple “Who has the Best Uniform” competition, which do not demean the scout or parent for wrong placement. These would be spontaneous, with every boy getting a small candy bar and the winner getting a big one. This was all that was needed to ensure that all boys can have a complete uniform.

Excess temporary insignia

Excess insignia is not just found on the adults. The main problem with scouts wearing excess insignia is with their temporaries, those pesky cloth peaces that a boy receives by attending events. I don’t know if it is the parent that thinks that everything earned must go on the uniform or if it’s the boy, who is so proud of them, wants to wear all of them. But I have seen them sewn on the shoulder, pocket flap, shirt tail, sleeve, and four or more deep hanging from each pocket button.

BSA’s current Insignia Guide states: “Temporary insignia are issued for such events as summer camp, camporees, and Scouting shows … Only one such patch may be worn at a time. The patch is worn centered on the right pocket and must not exceed the dimension of the seams of the pocket, nor extend higher than the lowest tip of the pocket flap. It may be either sewn or suspended from under the flap attached to the button.”

The list of Temporary insignia includes the funky shaped Totin Chip Patches, which most parents try to sew on the pocket flap. The only exceptions are the Cub Immediate Recognition emblems, which may be worn suspended from the right pocket button by Cubs in addition to sewn-on temporary insignia.

The guide further explains “Previously earned badges and insignia—not representing present status—make a fine display on a BSA red patch vest, a trophy hide or blanket, exhibited in the home of the recipient, or at functions where such a display is invited.” It further explains “Members may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank) on the back of the merit badge sash.”

            Personally, I like to sew them on a Blanket Poncho, which can be used as a coat or blanket at camp. Make or buy a Fleece Throw. Then bind a “T” cut opening that you have cut into the middle of the throw; add ties at the appropriate place to tie shut. Use a “T” opening instead of a round hole so that you do not have a cold spot when used as a blanket, like my oldest son did when I made his. If you wish it to be washable, use only cloth patches.

Scouting's Salad Bars

Recently Scouting magazine had a Facebook spot from their September 1998 issue of the magazine about Proper Placement of Patches on a Uniform. I agree that insignia should be worn properly, but my problem is more with excess insignia. BSA’s current Insignia Guide states:

 “With the exception of the Cub Scout badges of rank and Arrow Points, members wear only the insignia that show their present status in the movement. Members should make every effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered.”

Scouter’s who insist in wearing every knot that they have earned, filling up a salad bar until it over flows, just looks bad, especially if they have included spoofs or backed them with Velcro. It used to be that only 12 knots could be worn at a time; this is no longer the case. Many Scouters now have earned more, and on men’s uniforms they fit, but women’s have the pocket sewn higher or something because they is not room for more than a couple of rows. 

            Are all those knots necessary? I understand wearing a few, it shows that you have experience and gains you respect, but more just over does it. It intimidates a lot of new Scouters that would benefit from your knowledge but are afraid to ask. After you have earn a dozen or more, try wearing only those that were bestowed, like the District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, or a Scoutmaster of Merit, those that someone else put you in for. Those who have tenure in the program know them for what they are, and the newbies are not so intimidated as to be stand offish to you. I know this works, I’ve just tried it and it works.

Scouting's Ladder

When you have a good program, boys seem to come out of the woodwork, but without parent’s help they are unlike to succeed. Leaders can only take up so much slack. There are very few self-starters in this world — but there are a lot of young men that, with a little encouragement from the right persons, are ready to excel. Parents need only pick up and read their son’s handbook to see where their help is needed, it may be transportation to a meeting, an opportunity to learn a new skill, or even a family activity in which badge work has been included.

You could say that scouting is like a ladder into society; the first two years in Cubbing are done in the home, with parents signing off the badge work; the next two years, the Webelos and New Scout Patrol years, are done in the neighborhood with the leaders signing the badges. The next years are done in the community with Merit Badge Councilors, with badge work reviewed by a committee.

This is why Eagle Scouts are so good at striking out on their own. They have been away from home before, they are prepared to deal with a lack of things, and are generally able to cope with the unexpected without help from their parents. They have moved away from having decisions made for them and into making decisions for them selves. They have the skills to “launch from the nest.”

Scouting's apathy

Scouting has a apathy right now; a few do for the many. Parents seldom help, expecting others to do for theirs, leaving the scoutmaster or leader to do what was traditionally done by the committee and by the job title or only doing the minimum of what’s required. There is a reason that weekly meetings work, they are remembered.

I wish that others would become sold on the program of Scouting. In Scouting, it is a win-win situation. One team does not have to lose so the other can win, although there is a place in life for that too. If a Boy, or girl, tries to achieve in Scouting, they can. Scouting's rank achievements do not rely on another scout's activities. If they try, they do achieve, and on their own merit.

In recent years, nearly five-million boys have been involved in scouting. This has caused the biggest rebirth of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) since the Vietnam era when uniforms were hardly in. Scouting instills values in tomorrow's citizens and leaders. Scouting does this with their Boy Scout Oath & Law, and the Cub Scout promise & law. All scouts in the program must understand and pledge to live by these values. In fact that's the program's primary mission, to help install values contained in these pledges in their young people and in other ways prepare them to make informed, ethical choices as adults.

Yet there are not enough younger Leaders to run the program. The current leaders are generally older, and ageing. If younger adults and Parents of the boys do not step to the plate the program will flounder.