Hi Paul!
You wrote and asked me a great question about Commissioner uniforming:
“What I’m looking for is information on what is the proper uniform for both service and administrative commissioners.”
To catch everyone else up: “Service” or “Field” Commissioners are those who interact DIRECTLY with key unit members (the leaders of the units, their adult mentors (Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Varsity Team Coaches, Venturing Advisors and Sea Scout Skippers) , their unit’s committee and the chartered organizational partners.
Example of this role would be the “Unit”, “Pack” or “Troop” Commissioners and Assistant District Commissioners with direct unit responsibilities. In some local Councils, the Roundtable or Huddle Commissioners and their staffs may also be considered as “Field” or “Service” Commissioners.
“Administrative” Commissioners are all other Commissioners. These Commissioner provide leadership, support, and oversight to the field operations of the local Council and may also be involved in volunteer training, coaching and mentorship; they also may be involved in providing additional unit or community support to “field” or “service” Commissioners.
Examples here include the District and Council Commissioners and their principle assistants/associates; Assistant District Commissioners, Regional and of course the National Commissioner and their staffs.
Since the introduction of the “Centennial” uniform of the Boy Scouts of America, there has been confusion on which insignia should be placed onto the uniform shirt. The BSA’s Insignia and Uniforming Subcommittee of the Supply Group Committee (which used be called the “national Uniform and Insignia Committee”) has sent information to local Councils for further distribution to the field in Feburary of 2009.
In summary, insignia on the “Centennial” uniform should be the forest green bordered and lettered insignia — unit numbers, “Trained” strips, and other insignia. The BSA knows that much of the older red and white insignia is still out there…and has allowed for either sets to be worn by unit members and volunteers.
However, we’re talking COMMISSIONERS — the “quality control arms” of the BSA nationally, regionally, and locally. They should be wearing the COMPLETE PROPER UNIFORM (the current uniform is the *standard*) representing their current role in the Movement in the following manner…
Uniform:
The *proper uniform* for ALL Commissioners is the uniform in which they are primarily registered within. If they are registered as a Unit or other “field” or “service” Commissioner, the uniform they should be wearing is the “Centennial” or current field uniform. If they are registered as an “Administrative” Commissioner, they should ALSO wear the “Centennial” or current field uniform.
If a Commissioner is also registered with a Venturing Crew or Sea Scout Ship, he or she may opt to wear the appropriate Venturing or Sea Scouting field uniform with Commissioner insignia as stated below instead of the “Centennial” or current field uniform. If a “field” or “service” Commissioner works DIRECTLY WITH Venturing or Sea Scouting units, he or she MAY WEAR the appropriate field uniform corresponding to their service role. For instance, a Unit Commissioner with responsibilities for Venturing units may wear the green field uniform shirt; an Assistant District Commissioner with responsibilities for Sea Scouting units may wear the blue or white field uniform shirt.
Those Commissioners may also wear what I call the “legacy” field uniform (the khaki-tan field uniform shirt previously used by all adults) or other older COMPLETE uniforms. If worn, the RED BORDERED AND LETTERED “Trained” strip/patch is worn DIRECTLY BELOW the position emblem on the left shoulder. However, Commissioner are encouraged to obtain and wear the “Centennial” uniform, since it is the current official uniform of the BSA.
If they are trained as a Commissioner, they should wear the SMALL version of the “Trained” strip/patch BETWEEN the Council Shoulder Patch (“CSP”) and the position emblem. The GREEN BORDERED AND LETTERED “Trained” strip/patch is worn ONLY on the flap of the “cellphone” or “electronics” pocket on the left shoulder of the “Centennial” or current field uniform.
Shoulder loops:
All District and Council-level Commissioners wear grey/silver shoulder loops; all Regional Area, Regional and the National Commissioner and his or her staff wears yellow/gold shoulder loops with uniform options which has shoulder loops. The only exception is that those Commissioners who participated in the Centennial National Scout Jamboree (not visiting, participating!) may wear the special Jamboree shoulder loops until Feburary 4, 2011 (six months after the Jamboree has concluded). At that time, they should wear the appropriate colored shoulder loops with either uniform.
Which “Trained” strip?
Commissioners should be wearing the “Centennial” uniform shirt and therefore if trained in the role as a Commissioner, they should be wearing the GREEN BORDERED AND LETTERED strip/patch on the shoulder pocket flap of the uniform shirt. The “green bordered and lettered” version is ONLY worn with the current “Centennial” field uniform shirt — NOT with the Venturing or Sea Scouting uniform shirts!
Commissioners wearing the “legacy” or earlier versions of the field shirt as well as the Venturing or Sea Scouting uniform shirts should wear the RED BORDERED AND LETTERED strip — NOT the green bordered and lettered version.
Whether the small or large version of the “Trained” strip is worn is up to the Commissioner or other volunteer. The BSA is discontinuing the larger red strips/patches in favor of the smaller version.
Hope that this untangles which colored strip/patch is to be worn; more importantly re-emphasizes the fact that Commissioners should be the folks best serving as positive examples of proper BSA uniforming and insignia placement. Other volunteers look to our Commissioners for advice and information!
Settummanque!
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Settummanque is writer, military officer, dad, friend, traveler,
public speaker, webmaster, Eagle Scout, and/or “sweetie”
(LTC) Mike Walton. South Lake Minnetonka area, Minnesota.
http://www.settummanque.com
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