THE UNIFORM METHOD Not Just A Uniform

REASONS FOR A UNIFORM EQUALITY: boys wear the same uniform and cooperate as equals. IDENTIFICATION: the uniform is BSA’s identity for your community. COMMITMENT: doing hard things makes us better individually and collectively

EQUALITY

DIVERSITY: either detracts or attracts depending on the environment it is placed. (magnets) VISUAL CONSISTANCY: scouts are reminded constantly of who they are and how to act. TEAM UNITY: just like any team, uniforms help team unity through visual representation.

IDENTITY

BRAND RECOGNITION: BSA has spent one hundred years building it’s brand, use it. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: up to 80% of our visual appearance comes from what we wear. BADGES: are a visual representations of individual and team accomplishments.

COMMITMENT

COMFORT: if we were are comfortable we are not growing. Being different helps us grow. EXPENSE: expense is relative, if something is of great value we sacrifice to pay for it. INTEGRITY: the uniform is the outward expression of our inner commitment. It visually represents what scouts stand for.

OTHER CHALLENGES PARENTS DON’T SUPPORT: we have to teach parents the principles behind scouting. LEADERS DON’T WANT TO: adults that don’t equals youth that don’t. NOT PRACTICAL: uniforms must always be practical, otherwise they will not be used.

‘CLASS A’ UNIFORM Because not all activities can or should be done in our uniforms most troops distinguish two types of uniforms as unofficially ‘Class A’ and ‘Class B’ or activity uniforms. The BSA has gone to great strides to make the official uniform more practical for scout activities. ‘The Class A’ uniform is the BSA official uniform and consists of a shirt, pants or shorts, belt, and socks. Optional items include a neckerchief and a hat. This uniform should be the default uniform worn. Activity uniforms should only be warn when the official uniforms are not practical for an activity.

‘CLASS B’ UNIFORM The ‘The Class B’ uniform should not be used in place of the Official Uniform. ‘The Class B’ uniform is any shirt or clothing chosen by the troop to wear for activities that the Official Uniform would not be practical to wear such as in adverse weather conditions or where the Official Uniform would get damaged.