Boy Scout kilts

[Kilt-alope]

I wore my Maclauren kilt to my district round table, monthly adult leader meeting, last week. I intentionaly wore a nice scout related shirt that matched everything else but was not a Scout uniform, it was a gray wood badge polo shirt. I stood out without being out of place but was not in uniform any more than a man wearing his troop t-shirt and blue jeans. I only wear my kilt with a Scout uniform shirt when it is appropriate to the event theme, a highland games camporee or camp golf tournament for example, it is not uniform but it fits the program and spirit at the time. On that same note, to fit the theme I may wear a loud but funny hat with my uniform, there is a time and a place, not necessarily every day.

[kiltedfarmer]

This photo was taken last Monday 4/11/2011 on the last day of our most recent WoodBadge course. The piper, a scout, marched the class from the site. He did a great job too. There were many District and Council big-whigs present, and it seemed that they had zero problems with this. As a matter of fact they sanctioned it.

[Kilt-alope]

that looks great, do you have any other photos?

[kiltedfarmer]

that looks great, do you have any other photos?

Here are a few

[EagleJCS]

This photo was taken last Monday 4/11/2011 on the last day of our most recent WoodBadge course. The piper, a scout, marched the class from the site. He did a great job too. There were many District and Council big-whigs present, and it seemed that they had zero problems with this. As a matter of fact they sanctioned it.

That young piper looks just fine. He didn't need his top button buttoned since he wasn't wearing a necker, tie or bolo, and his sporran's a little low, but those are the only things I see that could use adjusting. I have no issues at all with his wearing a kilt and Scottish headgear while piping.

The big-wigs in my council have had no problem with me wearing my kilt and Balmoral, either, as long as I was piping, because there's a contextual reason for wearing the kilt. In fact, just last month I piped for our spring Wood Badge course's (SR-1137) opening campfire and closing ceremony. The council exec wasn't there (out of the country at the time), but there were a couple of DE's, that I know of.

As I've said before, I was told long ago that piping would be the only time I could wear the kilt with the khaki-tan Boy Scout uniform shirt (with the Boy Scout troop leader recognition devices: red - now dark olive/green - epaulette tabs, troop leader position patch, etc.).

I have no issue with Venturers choosing the kilt as their uniform - they're free to choose whatever uniform they desire (or none, if that's their choice). (In fact, if more did, there may be more impetus to changing the Insignia Guide and BSA policy.)

It's the registered Boy Scout troop leaders wearing the kilt with their uniform shirt as if it were a regular/sanctioned part of the uniform that's problematic, from a program standpoint. As has been said on this forum and elsewhere, one of the methods of Scouting is the uniform, and leaders should make every effort to be consistent with that message and wear the uniform as described in the Insignia Guide and illustrated in other BSA literature. If a Boy Scout troop leader were to choose not to do that, it's not my place to say anything to them, here or elsewhere, about it - that's their district/council executives' department.

[Father Bill]

I'm amazed at how strictly people demand the rules be followed in BSA. I'm a former Commissioner with BSC, and we're much more relaxed. So long as the boys turn out looking good for formal occasions we don't worry much about camp or many other situations either.

Interesting!

[EagleJCS]

Fr. Bill, I'm with you in that I'm not concerned with what the Scouts are wearing in camp, or even to a regular meeting when they're coming directly from sports practice and don't have time to go home & change. For myself, if I know it's likely that I'm going to be doing something that will get my clothes dirty, I usually don't wear my uniform. I prefer to save it for the camp formations, church services, etc.

It's when we're wearing the uniform bits and pieces, though, that I think (and BSA National says in the Insignia Guide) it should be all or nothing, especially with the high-recognition items like the khaki-tan uniform shirt. I used to think it was OK to wear the uniform shirt with jeans or non-uniform shorts, etc. Then I went to Scout leader training and then on to Wood Badge and realized why it's important to wear the uniform completely and correctly. We're setting the example - one of the leadership skills learned in Wood Badge (or at least the Wood Badge I went through in the late 1990's).

Whether we realize it or not, the Scouts do pay attention and pick up on the non-verbal communication we present, as much if not more so than the verbal instruction we give. If we as leaders are sloppy (or break the rules and/or guidelines set by the organization we have chosen to join) in our visual presentation, what sort of signal is that sending to the Scouts? Exceptions are permissible due to lack of funds, etc., but there are fundraising opportunities (and some units like mine have 'experienced uniform' banks/libraries) for a Scout and/or adult leader to be able to acquire the full uniform over time.

I can't remember any of the trained leaders from my youth not wearing the complete uniform. A few of the dads that drifted in and out, yeah, but they didn't for long.

I think I've said enough. Thread hijack over. Apologies to the OP.

[Downunder Kilt]

Kiltedfarmer a great set of pics thankyou, if I may ask, in one of the photos the gentlemen at the side of the road, holding the United States flags are saluting the parade, but using a military salute. Has the scout salute gone the way of the dodo or as they are not part of the parade do they give the military salute?

[macwilkin]

Whether we realize it or not, the Scouts do pay attention and pick up on the non-verbal communication we present, as much if not more so than the verbal instruction we give. If we as leaders are sloppy (or break the rules and/or guidelines set by the organization we have chosen to join) in our visual presentation, what sort of signal is that sending to the Scouts? Exceptions are permissible due to lack of funds, etc., but there are fundraising opportunities (and some units like mine have 'experienced uniform' banks/libraries) for a Scout and/or adult leader to be able to acquire the full uniform over time.

And others notice it as well. In my former job, we had a lot of Boy Scout troops visit the park, and you could almost instantly tell which ones had leaders that set the bar higher, as Eagle JCS states. Even more telling was when a group of Naval Sea Cadets would visit. Those kids were "ship shape and bristol fashion", and better behaved then some National Guard units that would visit.

T.

[kiltedfarmer]

Kiltedfarmer a great set of pics thankyou, if I may ask, in one of the photos the gentlemen at the side of the road, holding the United States flags are saluting the parade, but using a military salute. Has the scout salute gone the way of the dodo or as they are not part of the parade do they give the military salute?

Don't know how you could notice that. Which one? I looked and didn't see anything amiss. Of course I do have presbyopia.