The Boy Scouts of America has always been a uniformed body. Its uniforms help to create a sense of belonging. They symbolize character development, leadership, citizenship training, and personal fitness. Wearing a uniform gives youth and adult members a sense of identification and commitment.
Personal equality. The uniform represents a democratic idea of equality, bringing people of different racial, economic, religious, national, ethnic, political, and geographic backgrounds together in the Scouting tradition.
Identification. The uniform identifies youth and adult members of the Boy Scouts of America, visible as a force for good in the community. When properly and smartly worn, the uniform can build good unit spirit. When worn on the correct occasions, it can attract new members.
Achievement. The uniform shows the wearer’s activity, responsibility, and achievement. What each youth or adult member has accomplished with program opportunities can be recognized by the insignia worn on the uniform.
Personal commitment. The uniform is a constant reminder to all Cub Scouts, Scouts, Venturers, Sea Scouts, and adults of their commitment to the ideals and purpose of the Boy Scouts of America. The uniform is a way of making visible members’ commitment to a belief in God, loyalty to country, and helping others at all times.
Each scout needs two types of uniform:
Class A (formal): The Class A uniform varies by grade level but always includes an official Scout shirt with appropriate patches, a neckerchief, a neckerchief slide, a belt, and a cap. This uniform is worn for all pack meetings and some den meetings, and at certain times on campouts and overnight trips. Class A uniforms can be purchased in person at the Steve Matthews Scout Store, located near Parmer & I-35. Tell a clerk your scout’s grade level and they will help you get the right items. (NOTE: Our pack does not require the official shorts, pants, skirt, or socks. Some scouts like how these items look and get them anyway, but any appropriate bottom and socks are okay.)
Class B: This “uniform” is just the Pack 565 T-Shirt. It should be worn at Scouting activities when the Class A uniform is not required, such as at some den meetings, certain times during campouts and overnight trips, and at informal pack events. The pack t-shirt is part of the pack dues and can picked up at the next pack meeting
Uniform Patches
Not all patches come pre-sewn on the Scout uniform. Our local Scout Shop sells uniform shirts with several of the most common required patches already sewn on, but there are still some (such as our pack numbers) you’ll have to attach yourself.
Beware: The plastic backing on BSA patches is only for stiffening the patch, and not for attaching the patch onto the shirt. If ironed, the hot plastic backing might seem to hold the patch on for a while, but it won’t last more than one or two washes.
Here is a great post on the proper ways to adhere/sew patches to a uniform. If seweing is not your thing there is a great product called Badge Magic that works great! The local Scout Shop can sew the patches on for you as well, for a small fee, but you must leave the shirt and patches with them for a while; contact the Scout Shop for details.