Uniform and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America
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</div>The Uniform and insignia of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) gives a Scout visibility and creates a level of identity within both the unit and the community. The uniform is used to promote equality while showing individual achievement. While all uniforms are similar in basic design, they do vary in color and detail to identify the different divisions of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers.
While original uniforms were very similar to military uniforms of the time, they slowly began to evolve into a more civilian attire. In 1980, the current uniforms were introduced, with much of the design by Oscar de la Renta, who donated his time for two years.<ref>Peterson, Robert (2002). From Doughboy Duds to Oscar de la Renta. Scouting Magazine. Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved on 12 January, 2006.</ref>
The uniform and insignia are variously protected by copyright, trademark, and congressional charter.<ref>: Exclusive right to emblems, badges, marks, and words</ref> The BSA does allow usage for movies and other events, but this is done on a case by case basis. BSA has rebuked instances where it was felt that the uniform was used inappropriately and without permission.<ref>Walton, Mike (2000). Celebrity Costumes- or Uniforming?. The Badge and Uniform Site. Walton, Mike. Retrieved on 12 January, 2006.</ref> BSA rules and regulations also forbid the use of Scouting emblems for commercial or political purposes. The wear of camouflage or military style apparel as part at the uniform is also prohibited.<ref>Walton, Mike (2001). Camouflage/Military Uniforms and Scouting. The Badge and Uniform Site. Walton, Mike. Retrieved on 7 February, 2006.</ref><ref>No 'camouflage' uniforms. Scouting Magazine. Boy Scouts of America (October 2005). Retrieved on 7 February, 2006.</ref> Wear of the uniform and insignia is described in the various handbooks and the Insignia Guide.<ref> (2004) Insignia Guide 2005. Boy Scouts of America.</ref>
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[edit] Boy Scout field uniform
Image:Tom Salute.jpg The Boy Scout field uniform is the default uniform of the BSA and is worn by Cub Scout adult men (and as an option for women), Webelos Scouts (as an option), Boy Scout youth and adults, Varsity Scout youth and adults and professionals. It consists of a khaki short- or long-sleeve button-up shirt or blouse with a pointed collar, two front button-flap pockets, and shoulder epaulets with shoulder loops. Males wear green pants or shorts. Female leaders may wear green pants, shorts, culottes or a skirt. The shirt comes with a US flag attached to the right shoulder and a Boy Scouts of America strip above the right pocket. The shirttail is tucked in. All buttons, with the possible exception of the one on the collar, are fastened. If the shirt has long sleeves, the cuffs are buttoned. Also, an olive green Merit Badge sash, used to display the person's merit badges, may be worn.
[edit] Cub Scout uniform
The blue uniform is worn by youths in the Cub Scout program. The basic Cub Scout uniform consists of a navy blue short- or long-sleeve button-up shirt with a pointed collar and two front button-flap pockets, navy-blue trousers or shorts, navy-blue socks with gold tops, a navy-blue web belt with brass buckle with Cub Scout logo, a neckerchief with slide and a navy-blue cap with a colored panel. The cap, neckerchief, neckerchief slide and belt buckle vary by program section : Tiger Cubs, Wolf Cubs, Bear Cubs and Webelos Scouts. The shirt comes with a US flag attached to the right shoulder and a Boy Scouts of America strip above the right pocket. As with the Boy Scout field uniform, the shirttail is tucked in.
[edit] Female Cub Scouter uniform
Female leaders in the Cub Scout program have the option of the classic yellow blouse with navy-blue shorts, skirt or culottes. The blouse comes with a US flag attached to the right shoulder and a Boy Scouts of America strip above the right pocket.
[edit] Venturing uniform
Currently, there is no official uniform for Venturing crews. Crews decide for themselves whether to have a uniform, and if so, what uniform elements are to be worn for dress and activity situations. This has resulted in a variety of uniforms for both formal and activity situations.
Formerly, Venturers were allowed to develop their own Distinctive Dress Identity (DDI), thus designing their own uniforms. The term is no longer used in the Venturing program. The official Venturing field uniform consisted of a spruce green short-sleeve button-up shirt or blouse with a pointed collar, two front button-flap pockets, shoulder epaulets with shoulder loops, charcoal gray trousers or shorts, gray socks and a gray web belt with brass buckle. The gray cap and the gray brimmed hat with Venturing logo are also available for use by Venturing crews. The shirt comes with a US flag attached to the right shoulder and a Venturing – BSA strip above the right pocket.The BSA Supply Division offers the spruce green shirt and charcoal grey pants and shorts that crews can use as part of their uniform. In some crews, the Boy Scout field uniform is modified to become a Venturing field uniform, though this practice is officially discouraged. According to the Insignia Guide, Venturing insignia, such as the green shoulder loops, Venturing emblem and badges of office should not be worn on the khaki Boy Scout uniform shirt. At the same time, the Venturing Division's official policy is that the choice of uniform, if any, is strictly up to the crew members, creating somewhat of a uniform policy paradox. Crews deciding to wear the official spruce green shirt as part of their uniform are expected to wear the correct insignia, as outlined in the Insignia Guide publication.
[edit] Sea Scouts uniform
Sea Scouts use traditional naval style uniforms sourced directly from the US Navy with buttons and other insignia from BSA Supply. The Sea Scout white cap with logo and the activity shirt are now available for wear.
[edit] Scouter dress uniform
The Scouter dress uniform is appropriate for professional Scouters and all Scouting leaders on formal occasions. The current version consists of a dark-blue, two-button blazer with white shirt or blouse and heather gray trousers, slacks or a skirt. The blazer's gold-plated buttons bear the universal emblem and an embroidered Boy Scout (or specific program) emblem is worn on the left pocket or lapel. A black leather belt with gold buckle is to be worn with trousers or slacks. Silk neckties with red, gold, and navy stripes are available for men and women. Black dress shoes and black socks or stockings are worn with the dress uniform.
[edit] Insignia
Various insignia are worn by Scouts and Scouters for various activities, honors, or training completed.
[edit] Shoulder loops
Colored shoulder loops worn on the epaulets identify the program and level. Cub Scout pack leaders wear blue shoulder loops, as do Webelos Scouts who elect to wear the Boy Scout field uniform. Boy Scouts and adult troop leaders wear red shoulder loops. Varsity Scouts and adult team leaders are identified by blaze (orange) shoulder loops. Venturers and adult crew leaders wear green shoulder loops. Scouters and youth with district or council positions wear silver loops. Area, regional or national positions wear gold loops.
[edit] Left sleeve
The Council Shoulder Patch (CSP) is a semi-circular patch worn at the top of the sleeve that identifies the local council. Some units may elect to wear the older community strip, a red arched patch with the name of the community and a rectangular patch with the state or territory. Below this, Scouts at the unit level wear a unit number and units with veteran status may wear a veteran unit bar above the numbers. Lone Cub Scouts and lone Scouts wear the Lone Scout emblem in place of the unit numeral.
Below this is worn any leadership emblem that represents a position of responsibility. The Trained patch may be worn below the leadership emblem as earned. The Trained patch is only to be worn in conjunction with the current position the person holds. It is never worn by itself. The Commissioner Arrowhead Honor may be worn below that, if the person is a Commissioner.
Boy Scouts who are serving as a Den Chief may wear a Den Chief Cord around the left shoulder instead of the emblem. Den Chiefs who earn the Den Chief Service Award or Webelos Den Chief Service Award may wear the service award cord in addition to the Den Chief Cord, and may continue to wear it for as long they are a Boy Scout.
[edit] Right sleeve
At the top of the sleeve is a US flag patch, usually attached to the uniform. Wear of the flag is optional: Scouts whose religion, tradition, or personal beliefs prevent them from displaying the flag are not required to do so. Below the flag, Cub Scouts (including Webelos) may wear a den number and Boy Scouts and Webelos Scouts (as an option) may wear a patrol patch. Below this may be worn one Quality Unit patch if awarded to the unit. Venturers may wear the official Venturing Emblem on the right sleeve below the US flag. Scouts and Scouters at the Area/Regional/National level are entitled to wear a Region Patch from their respective region (either Northeast, Southern, Central or Western) below the American Flag.
[edit] Left pocket
Immediately above the pocket may be worn rectangular square knot patches. These indicate awards earned, and are worn mostly by adult leaders, though a square knot representing religious emblems may be worn by Scouts. There are other square knots available to youth.
Above any square knots may be worn service stars: pins that indicate tenure in each program. A numeral on the pin indicates the number of years in a Scouting division and a colored backing indicates the division. Gold is used for Cub Scouts, green is for Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts are brown, red is used for Venturers and blue indicates adult service. Scouts and leaders with tenure as Tiger Cubs prior to 2000 may wear a service star with an orange backing<ref>The Tiger Cub service stars were eliminated when Tiger Cubs were integrated into the Cub Scouting program in 2000.</ref> Those who served in the Exploring program prior to 1998 may wear a service star with red backing.
Halfway between the top of the pocket and the shoulder is the round World Crest patch, which is found on the uniform of most other Scouting organizations, and represents unity with other Scouts around the world.
On the pocket itself is an oval patch worn by Scouts to indicate rank. Below the pocket Scouts may wear the rectangular Arrow of Light patch, if earned.
On the flap of the pocket may be worn the Emergency Service BSA pin, if earned, or the Sea Badge. These are not official patches, but are very common. Occasionally, youth might wear a patch for a Totin' Chip or Firem'n Chit, which indicate that the Scout has been trained, respectively, to use sharp-edged woods tools (knife, hatchet, axe) safely; or to build, use, and extinguish campfires safely. The Totin' Chip and Firem'n Chit should be worn on the right pocket.
[edit] Right pocket
Above the identification strip may be one or more interpreter strips, indicating any foreign languages the Scout speaks. Above the interpreter strips may be an optional name tag. If the Scout or Scouter was a participant or staff member at a National or World Jamboree, that patch may be worn above any name tag. Visitors to such events may not wear the patch.
On the pocket itself may be any temporary insignia from a summer camp or other activity. Females may elect to wear temporary insignia above the pocket.
On the flap of the pocket may be an elongated pentagonal patch indicating membership in an Order of the Arrow lodge. A name plate may be worn on the flap, or above it if an OA flap is worn.
[edit] Spoof insignia
Non-official patches, badges, emblems, shoulder loops and other insignia— known as spoofs — are readily available from third-party suppliers. Spoofs are often a parody of an existing emblem, and are usually presented in jest. Examples of such spoof insignia includes:
- "Trained" emblem: "Over Trained," "Potty Trained," "Untrainable," etc.
- Interpreter strips: "Klingon," "Brooklyneese," "Southern Drawl," etc.
[edit] Other Terminology
Officially, the uniform described above is known as the "Field Uniform." The "Activity Uniform" is also defined as the official pants or shorts, socks, and belt with a Scouting related T-Shirt, polo shirt or other shirt. Often, units refer to these two classifications as "Class A" and "Class B," respectively. Some units further distinguish a "Full Class A" or similar classification, that may involve wearing the merit badge sash, special medals, etc. Officially, this terminology is not used in any BSA publications, and its use is discouraged by units and councils. The reasoning behind this use of terminology is so that the Boy Scouts are not confused with a military or para-military organization, that would use terms such as "Class A" or "Class B" in describing their official uniform.
[edit] Footnotes
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