Boy Scouts and Kilts

[Matty Ross]

one of the
four standard patrols in a US Woodbadge course.

8 of e'm don't forget bears, owls, antelope and buffalo

[Aussie_Don]

8 of e'm don't forget bears, owls, antelope and buffalo

I did WoodBadge at a time when there was not
the level of demand that there is currently. I'm
pretty sure that it was '75 -- thus my troop
only had four patrols, as was common then


-Don

[Matty Ross]

Still not uncommon I have been involved in troops with 6,7,and 8. in fact at one time they allowed 10 patrols including Crow and wolf

[Woodsman]

Marty,I never made it to eagle as a boy but I am a member of the Eagle Patrol Troop 1 Gillwell. It's a Woodbadge Thing

Ron Gauld
Scoutmaster
Troop 3 Miltom Ma

Oops! Me bad. I was never an Eagle either but I was a Buffalo so I should have made the connection. There 's not too many of us Buffalos you know!

[Aussie_Don]

Ummm.. unless I'm mistaken, he's quoting
from "Back to Gillwell" and thus is saying that
he was a member of the Eagle Patrol, one of the
four standard patrols in a US Woodbadge course.

The patrols being, Beaver, Bobwhite, Eagle, and Fox
for a training troop with four patrols.

I used to be a Fox and good old Fox, too
But now I'm finished foxing and don't know what to do
I'm growing old and feeble and I can Fox no more
So, I'm going to work my ticket if I can

Sorry to follow-up my own post, but I forgot to
mention that a number of wives/girl-friends of
Foxes were most unhappy to hear that we were
"finished foxing"

-Don

NE-V-27 Fox Patrol, Eagle Scout, inactive because the
Aussie Scouting movement wouldn't accept US Woodbadge
as Woodbadge.

-Don

[Cavfsnco]

Yes indeed one of my instructors was in fact from the Raven patrol in his course long time past. Two tickets items down three to go.

[O'Callaghan]

Scott, Maybe you can get him interested in kilts once he earns his wood badge. Once he does that he can start wearing the Boy Scouts kilt. Which is the MacLaren Modern tartan.

I have to correct that. ALL scouts are entitled to wear that tartan, although the question of whether you can wear it as uniform is more complicated, but in the US the answer is no (ETA: unless you are in a Venture crew that votes to have kilts as uniform), in the UK it would be a qualified yes, in that outside Scotland you would have to be of Scottish descent.

The misconception arises due to the square of Maclaren tartan on the Wood Badge scarf.

[scottmphoto]

Correct, here in the US, there is no provision for wearing a kilt with the uniform. The regulations say only official Boy Scout shorts or pants may be worn. Most people that I have ever seen (and I'm in my 33rd year with the program) don't have the official shorts or pants. I only have one pair of shorts myself and can't bring myself to wear them for a week straight at camp during the summer. Most people wear all kinds of different shorts or pants and I plan to continue to wear my kilt until the uniform police tell me specifically to stop. I did get an olive green utility kilt to wear with my uniform so at least it "looks" more uniform and I am planning on getting a MacLaren tartan kilt soon for more "dressy" occasions. At summer camp, most places only require the Field Uniform for the daily opening and closing flag ceremonies so I am wearing a kilt mostly with the Activity Uniform (as in the photo I posted). I'd love it if the BSA would add a provision for wearing the kilt with the uniform, especially since the MacLaren tartan has a long history with the Scouting Movement.

[Cavfsnco]

That is correct officially it is not part of the uniform but I wear it whenever I get the chance. Until the uniform police tell me to stop which isn't likely as there are several adult leaders who wear a kilt on occasion. I have worn it to retreats and council camporee's and nary a raised eyebrow. Official no buttolerated