More on the Wearing of the American Flag patch (12 Sep 11)

Great to hear from you again!!!

You wrote and asked me:

“We are an international unit made up of approximately:  1/3 all American families, 1/3 families with one American parent and one “other” parent, and 1/3 with no American parents.  In an interest to promote civic price, we have allowed our scouters to remove the American flag and put their own. Transatlantic Council has let us know this is outside of “proper” practice, however that we would not be punished for doing this.”

That is good for them to decide that…because that was the right solution!!  *grinning*

 “We have a couple of new hard-core red, white and blue families who want to see us revisit the issue.  I have broken it down to a couple of questions, one of which I have seen you address.”

Okay…

“1.  Is the American Flag patch a required part of the scout uniform?  From reading your website, I do not think it is.  If it is not, where can I find an official statement to that affect?”

If you have copies of the older Insignia Control Guide, it is stated there as “American Flag emblem …” and “optional wear, position one, right sleeve” (on the Boy Scout uniform; on the Cub Scout uniform — this was BEFORE we had the modified WEBELOS badge colors — it was “above the “Cub Scout-BSA” or “Boy Scouts of America” strip on the right side of the uniform shirt.)

The current Insignia Guide does not state specifically it is an “optional item”; nor does the current inspection forms.  However, older versions of the Boy Scout and Cub Scout handbooks do mention that the US Flag emblem is an “optional item.”  This is supported by the BSA’s Adminstration Guide in its “uniform and insigina” section.   Unless the BSA changes the policy, the US Flag emblem remains as an optional wear item and those who choose not to display it will not be pentalized or forced to place a Flag emblem onto the uniform shirt.

“2.  If we allow our families to remove the American flag, we then have to decide whether or not to allow them to add their own flag, not an easy question for any unit.”

You can’t place some other nation’s flag in “position 1, right sleeve.”  The ONLY flag emblem which can be worn there is the US Flag emblem.  The program is the Boy Scouts of America’s program and not that of another nation.  Other countries get really ansty when their insignia somehow finds its way onto the BSA’s official uniforms — other than Jamboree emblems and insignia designed for temporary wear.

You CAN, however, suspend a national flag emblem from the right pocket; it will get into the way of the TAC “Round the World” emblem and segments, but that can be avoided by placing the central patch and segments onto the center of a patch vest.  In that way, the “rings” can be as large as the Scout/Scouter can do so and you can still have a place for temporary insignia items.

“The challenge for us is that the program was designed for American children participating in America.  Our kids hardly fill that bill.”

I agree, Ana….I hope this helps out. 

Mike Walton