(From Byran’s SCOUTING Magazine blog, 17 September 13)
Bryan wrote and asked us: “You’ll notice it right away, of course.
You’ll see Tristan across the room at your pack or troop meeting this week and instantly spot the unit numerals on the wrong sleeve, the rank patch on the wrong pocket or the World Crest way too low on his field uniform shirt.”
All which I’ve answered so many times…and there’s um…17 of those questions in my email box *this morning* (Tuesday, 17 Sep 13).
I average about 25 a day of those kind of questions. There’s a stock answer I provide:
“You know, as long as he’s having a great time in Scouting, I wouldn’t sweat over the small detail like patches not being in the right places, or they are upside down (like with square knots or other items hard to distinguish a “right side up” from), or the fact that his year pin doesn’t have a backing!
However, there is a place for each item and because we’re talking a uniform, there’s also a “right side up” for each item also. That’s why I created the Badge and Uniform Site and provide full-color, most times full sized illustrations of all of the various insignia. And I show *exactly where they should be worn* for best uniforming. Here’s the link to the Badge and Uniform Site – http://www.scoutinsignia.com/ and keep in mind that while I rely on a LOT of people more expert than I with providing the answers — many of them BSA employees/professionals, the site isn’t official. The official word as to where things go is found within the BSA’s Insignia (Control) Guide.
Unfortunately the Guide isn’t in color, and doesn’t show things the way they are SUPPOSED to be worn (editorial problems, and some people not caring that parents and Scouters are actually USING THE GUIDE and therefore they should try to “get it right side up” or “in the right places” or explain more than a couple of words where things go AND WHY) and that should be used.”
Now to answer the bigger question:
“What do you do?”
First acknowledge that Tristan is wearing the insignia on the uniform (you know, we have a LOT of Scouts who don’t even WEAR the uniform, let alone the various insignia pieces to it!) Then ask to speak to Tristan after the meeting or activity’s over and let it drop until then. Whatever YOU or SOMEONE ELSE thinks, they can’t fix it during the meeting or activity and nobody should attempt to try to fix it. This is Tristan’s uniform — let him take it home after the meeting or activity and together with his parents, he fixes it. It is a part of being a Scout!! If someone comes up to you and makes comment about it, politely tell them that you’ve already talked with Tristan and he’ll get it worked out.
Next, during your meeting with Tristan (keeping in mind the BSA’s youth protection guidance), calmly explain and illustrate the error(s). Whatever it is, let him know that it should be corrected before he wears it again. No yelling, no belittling, no teasing. Offer to show him or provide a link to someplace where it is worn correctly (another good reason why as the people who “set the positive example”, WE Scouters should be wearing OUR UNIFORMS as correctly and completely as possible — to avoid the “kettle calling the pot black”). It’s NOT his fault unless he actually sewn or attached the items to his shirt (and yes, I’m firmly in the NO BADGE MAGIC camp, sorry BSA — that stuff is nasty and should be taken off the market!!).
Follow up the conversation with a phone call to Tristan’s parent, explaining what you and he talked about and asking for compliance. Again, no yelling, no belittling and no teasing. You’re talking with a parent of a Scout who “wants to get it right”, NOT to a Soldier or Sailor in the military!!
One of the things I’m doing with the Badge and Uniform Site is providing full color PDFs of youth and adult insignia placement. The BSA has a great black and white uniform inspection sheet, but to be honest, people see things in color, not black and white, and understand better where the “purple thing” goes better than a black and white illustration of that “purple thing.”
I also address this, for the sake of Commissioners and other volunteers and professionals, on the page dealing with “the Uniform Police” (http://www.scoutinsignia.com/police.htm)
Finally, when you see Tristan again with the things in place, acknoweldge to him that you’re glad that he took your advice and had the items placed in the right places (or upside right or whatever).
I always purchase a couple of those plastic “backings” (circles which go on the backside of the year pins) and either hand them to the Scout who “lost” or “misplaced” his or ask to place the year pin in the correct place. The backings don’t break my coffee purchasing; Scouts (and Scouters!) do appreciate having the “other part” of the pin, and everyone looks a little bit better as a result.
Great question. I’ll post a followup when the new PDFs (the ones on there are about 11 years old and I need to update them!) are posted. With my work schedule, it should take about a month.
In the meantime, Bryan, can you please nudge the Editorial folk and remind them that when they show things upside down or in the wrong places, that’s *exactly where a lot of people will wear them*.
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