Who can wear a merit badge sash?

[wagionvigil]

"We have that same rule, no uniform no BOR. I'm willing to send a scout home to get his uniform, or hold a 'make-up BOR' the following Monday night, but a scout who does not show up for his BOR better have a good excuse for not having one."

Not permitted uniforms are not required for anything although I believe they sould be I know the rule

[MisterChris]

excerpt from the New Parent Orientation Guide on the official scouting website:


Uniform—Like most sports teams, Boy Scouts wear a uniform. Like most sports teams, we expect our Scouts to wear the uniform when they are doing Scouting, and to wear it properly. It is a symbol of who we are and what we do.


...I guess 'expect' doesn't necessarily imply 'require'.

Quote from FAQ on Uniforms and Insignia for CubScouts:

At minimum, each boy in Cub Scouting will need a uniform and a handbook. Each year, the handbook changes, as does the cap and neckerchief, but other uniform parts remain the same for at least the first three years. When a boy enters a Webelos den, he may need to obtain a new uniform if the parents in the den opt for the khaki-and-olive uniform.


AS one might expect, my advancement procedures book is not available to consult, and the link I have for the official BSA BOR training module is no longer valid (?) so I'll just have to take your word WV that if I'm challenged on this I'll have to back down...

WHY would the BSA not require the uniform at a BOR when they 'expect' it at scouting functions. Perhaps I should just communicate that word to the boys too - "I EXPECT you here in full dress Class A uniform for your BOR."

...and we'll EXPECT them to comply.

[wagionvigil]

The Uniform is one of the Methods. No scout is "required" to own or wear a uniform. That being said A scout cannot attend the Jamboree unless they have a full uniform. That is a condition of being accepted to attend or staff. Have I ever had a kid show up with out at least a uniform shirt on? No! Would I turn him down if he did not? No! Many scouts as you said out grow the Uniform bythe time they are 16 or 17 and Mom and Dad refuse to fork out 100.00 for a new shirt and Pant/shorts.There are many troop rules that violate official BSA Policies and they have no place in the organization. Anything that throws a road block in a scouts way to Advancement is just plain wrong.

[MisterChris]

Who's keeping a scout from advancing here!?

Our troop has 201 Eagle Scouts, I was there last night as our 201st finished his Eagle BOR. We have had a 47% Eagle ratio to those joining in the last 10 years, the BSA ratio is around 4%. Out of those 201, 66 of them Eagled since I joined. (6 Eagled in another troop, but all were life before they left)

There are no roadblocks here. We run a quality program that is the best troop in our District, according to the District Advancement Chair.
He's had 27 Eagles in our District this year, and 9 of them were from our Troop.

Expecting a scout to come in his uniform is no more of a roadblock than expecting him to come dressed at all. As I said before, much latitude is given to any scout who cannot afford a uniform, has outgrown it, etc. But if one is provided and he refuses to wear it because he does not believe in it, What does that reflect on his scouting Spirit? Then the roadblock is not our expectation that he wear a uniform, but his un-Scoutlike attitude.

[smtroop168]

On the Uniform question: This was set up this way for those boys who cannot afford a uniform.

The uniform is not required
Even for an Eagle Scout Board of Review, the uniform "should" be worn but is not required to be worn:
“ The Scout should be neat in appearance and his uniform should be as correct as possible... ”
There are two exceptions:
• Scout and adult leader participants attending a National Jamboree are required to be in uniform. (Visitors do not need to be in uniform.)
• The National Honor Patrol Award requires that at least 75 percent of the patrol's membership wear the full uniform correctly.

On Bylaws:

We have an info package we hand out to new parents. They are not going to dig through BSA publications. It covers:
How to join
When we meet
What the fees are
What and where do you get a uniform
How the TC functions
What conduct is expected at troop functions
How we camp
How we are boy run (PLC and Troop POR explanation)
What a SMC and BOR is
How do you get a MB (Blue Card, MB Counselors)
OA
Eagle Leadership Project process

It does not usurp BSA policies.

[kwildman]

you guys are getting off topic.

Pet peeve of mine is seeing kids that do not want to wear the merit badge as a sash but want to fold it over and tuck it into their belts.. I have also seen a scout try to wear the merit badge and OA sash at the same time.

[wagionvigil]

There is a Thread in Troop issues to cover stupid(troop) rules.

[lifescoutforlife]

you guys are getting off topic.

Pet peeve of mine is seeing kids that do not want to wear the merit badge as a sash but want to fold it over and tuck it into their belts.. I have also seen a scout try to wear the merit badge and OA sash at the same time.

This bothers me also, there is a troop in our council that wears their sash on their belt and even their untrained SM tells them it's ok.

[smtroop168]

The answer to the original post is "Any Scout can wear a MB sash" even if they only have one MB.

Let's lock this and move on.