Merit Badge Placement

[optimist]

Messages moved from MeritBadge.com

rainbow
Scout

Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 1
Location: Glasgow, PA
Posted: 24 Jul 2004 12:42 pm Post subject: Merit Badge
Placement

I have been trying to find out if there is a specific way to
place the merit badges on the sash. I have not been able to
find anything about it from the National BSA site, and the
uniform inspection sheet has nothing specific. One person in
our council said that all the required badges are supposed to
go on the outermost edge of the sash. Has anyone else heard
this? Is this a National requirement? I would appreciate any
information anyone can give me.

Thanks

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Firefish
Life

Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Beaver, Pa
Posted: 24 Jul 2004 12:47 pm Post subject:

it is up to your personal opinion there is no rule, (at least
thats followed) about this. the most common way is to put the
requireds in the middle and the non surrounding them
_________________
Peter Cahill
Troop 469
A Fighting Irish

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Kobalt
Star

Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Louisville, KY
Posted: 25 Jul 2004 03:12 pm Post subject:

I can't find the exact quote (I'm actually just too lazy, ),
but in he BS Handbook it says you can wear it however you
feel.
_________________
John Baunach
Troop 42
"If it were easy, it would have been done before." -Jeana
Yeager, co-pilot of Voyager

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wagionvigil
Counselor

Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 192
Location: PA
Posted: 25 Jul 2004 03:24 pm Post subject: Merit Badge
Order

Most boys arund here place them as they earn them so you see
Family Life and Personal Management at the bottom of alot of
sashes.
_________________
Action Center D Rappel Tower Director 2001 and 2005 National
Jamborees
Northeast REgion Area 4 Venturing Chairman
Wagion 6 Lodge Advisor 96-99
"If you ain't A bear you're a Meal"

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RWSmith
Counselor

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posted: 28 Jul 2004 02:20 pm Post subject: Re: Merit Badge
Placement

rainbow wrote:
One person in our council said that all the required
badges are supposed to go on the outermost edge of the
sash.

Yep, it happens day, usually unintentionally... somebody turns
his (or her) personal preference into a rule. For any
uniforming issues, I...

First, go to the official BSA Insignia Guide. Second, I go to
the official BSA Uniform Handout(s). Third and fourth, in no
particular order, the BS Handbook and the SM Handbook. (Be
advised, there is stuff in one that's not in the other and
vice versa.) Fifth, I try to think of any other BSA document
that may have the answer. (Hint: Try the PL Hankbook.)

If I can't find anything specific in official BSA documents, I
rely on Rule No. 1, which I'm ad libbing from the Insignia
Guide... "Several insignia positions notably do not have an
EXACT placement requirement. This ain't the military! However,
in such cases, placement should be clean, uniform, neat,
balanced." If I had it w/ me right now, I'd quote it for you;
it's in there.

IOW, if you put your first merit badges on touching 1-2-3,
then they all go that way. If you put 'em on equi-distant from
the inner seam, they should all go that way. If you cave into
the old-timer who said they go out to the edge, they all go
that way... which, BTW, I don't think looks very good. But,
that's just my personal opinion, just like his... an opinion.

In order to practice what I preach, I'll try to look it up for
you. <grin>
_________________
Bob Smith, OA, NESA, DAV
ADC, Apache District

If you can read this, thank a teacher... If you can read it in
English, thank a Veteran.

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optimist
Advancement Chairman

Joined: 27 Jun 2004
Posts: 148

Posted: 29 Jul 2004 07:42 pm Post subject:

The following web site is an excellent resource for uniforming
info.

http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/insignia.htm

This link goes directly to the sash page.

http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/sash.htm

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RWSmith
Counselor

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posted: 30 Jul 2004 09:26 am Post subject: Re: Merit Badge
Placement

RWSmith wrote:
I'm ad libbing from the Insignia Guide... "Several
insignia positions notably do not have an EXACT
placement requirement. This ain't the military! However,
in such cases, placement should be clean, uniform, neat,
balanced." If I had it w/ me right now, I'd quote it for
you; it's in there.

Okay. I looked in the Insignia Guide and it doesn't say what I
referenced above. But it is (essentially) somewhere; I think,
in the BS Handbook.

The Insignia guide does state, "Members should make evey
effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered." and,
"Members may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank)
on the back of the merit badge sash."

BTW, the Insiginia Guide also states there is no limit as to
the number of merit badges which may be worn on a merit badge
sash.
_________________
Bob Smith, OA, NESA, DAV
ADC, Apache District

If you can read this, thank a teacher... If you can read it in
English, thank a Veteran.

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wagionvigil
Counselor

Joined: 21 Jul 2004
Posts: 192
Location: PA
Posted: 30 Jul 2004 10:04 am Post subject:

The Easiest way to do this is to place them as you earn them
_________________
Action Center D Rappel Tower Director 2001 and 2005 National
Jamborees
Northeast REgion Area 4 Venturing Chairman
Wagion 6 Lodge Advisor 96-99
"If you ain't A bear you're a Meal"

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RWSmith
Counselor

Joined: 13 Jul 2004
Posts: 55
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posted: 30 Jul 2004 10:44 am Post subject:

wagionvigil wrote:
The Easiest way to do this is to place them as you earn
them

Yep. S'wat I did.
_________________
Bob Smith, OA, NESA, DAV
ADC, Apache District

If you can read this, thank a teacher... If you can read it in
English, thank a Veteran.

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[Bob White]

The only rules are:
You can only wear one merit badge sash.

The badges must be on the front of the sash. (The back is reserved for display of activity patches)

The sash is NEVER worn on the belt or with another sash such as an OA sash.

A good resource to have for uniform questions is the BSA insignia Guide 2003-2005, available at your local scout service center.

Hope this helps,
Bob White

[RWSmith]

The [merit] badges must be on the front of the sash. (The back is reserved for display of activity patches.)

Bob, I'm not sure on that. Actually, the Insignia Guide states, "Members may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank) on the back of the merit badge sash." However, it also clearly states that there is no limit as to the number of merit badges which may be worn on a merit badge sash.

So, while I agree, there is a permission (with limitations) to wear certain patches (other than MBs) on the back of a MB sash, I'm not convinved that does not preclude the wearer from wearing as many MBs as he has, front or back, if necessary... as long as it's "neat and uncluttered."

BTW, IMPO... anything on the back of a MB sash would have a hard time passing for "neat and uncluttered," which is the first law of good uniforming. However, if a kid earns say, 60 MBs, and some end up on the back because he ran out of room on the front, well, how could I possibly argue with that. First of all, he earned them all and he has the right to wear them all. Second, if you can put a camporee patch on the back, then certainly you can put MBs on the back. But, only -like I said- if the front side is full.

What say ye, Brother?

[Bob White]

OOPS you are correct, the uniform inspection sheet does say that merit badges may be worn on the back side

(if needed)

.

But I see no reason why activity patches sewn on the back, as allowed by the BSA, cannot be done as neatly as the merit badges that are sewn on the front.

Right Brother?

BW

[ICanCanoeCanU]

How about telling us the rules on when someone can start wearing a sash. There's an old rumer in our troop, which I've never seen in print, that a scout must have a minimum of 6 MB's before wearing a sash? I don't think this is correct but don't really know?

[cballman]

IMHO a merit badge sash can be worn with one merit badge. because if the kid has earned 1 merit badge then he has earned the right to wear the sash. now i dont see why a kid would wear one that has no merit badges on it. but thats my opinion and I am sticking to it.

[riverwalk]

Sorry, it's from an old movie, haha. The six MB deal comes from earlier days when up to six were allowed on the long sleeve Uniform. This placement was at the end of the sleeve and above the cuff. Perhaps it's origin was to ensure a sash didn't just have one or two...so when six were achieved, it looked more appropriate when tansferred to Sash? Or, with so many connections back to Military uniforming roots, it seemed a natural thing to affix recognition to the sleeve as in Military and para-military examples? Anyway, that's my six, I mean two cents worth.

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Well that makes some sense and I can see where somewhere along the line someone heard that and probably thought it was true. I didn't think it was right but never really knew? Thanks

[riverwalk]

I might even be mistaken about which sleeve, but they were officially applied to a sleeve, long ago in a galaxy far away.

[commish3]

They can still be put on a long sleeve uniform shirt. See the insignia guide for details.

[riverwalk]

Hmmm, now there's a thought. Gee, I haven't picked that up for some time. Thanks for the refresher. These forums are kinda sorta like Roundtable.

[dparker]

See also the Youth Uniform Inspection Sheet, Right Sleeve instructions:

Up to six merit badges may be worn on the long-sleeve shirt in two columns of three starting 3 inches above the bottom edge of the cuff.

[West]

I have 9 MBs on the back of my sash from when I was a kid. There should be some rule that to earn more then 51 you have to be at least 6' tall.

[Rick Tyler]

I have 9 MBs on the back of my sash from when I was a kid. There should be some rule that to earn more then 51 you have to be at least 6' tall.

This reminds me -- tell new parents to always buy the long sash for their sons, even if it hangs to their knees at first. Has anyone else had to cut off and re-sew 27 merit badges and a bunch of other patches when their teen-age scout hit 5 foot-ten?

[ICanCanoeCanU]

Another hint about sashes - we had a very cleaver scout in our troop who took a belt loop off of an extra pair of pants, sewed it onto the top of his sash and when he wore the sash, he would unbutton his shoulder loop and slip the belt loop through the strap. This made is sash stay on and look nice no matter how he moved, and you couldn't see any of this from the outside. Try it - it works great!

[dparker]

Another hint about sashes - we had a very cleaver scout in our troop who took a belt loop off of an extra pair of pants, sewed it onto the top of his sash and when he wore the sash, he would unbutton his shoulder loop and slip the belt loop through the strap. This made is sash stay on and look nice no matter how he moved, and you couldn't see any of this from the outside. Try it - it works great!

What a great idea!

[cballman]

also another great idea from another kid his mother made a buttonhole in the top of his sash and then when he wears it he just buttons it to his shirt. also we did my sons that way and it dont slide all over the place.

[West]

This reminds me -- tell new parents to always buy the long sash for their sons, even if it hangs to their knees at first. Has anyone else had to cut off and re-sew 27 merit badges and a bunch of other patches when their teen-age scout hit 5 foot-ten?

Well, you might want to check the height of the parents first. I never had a chance of makeing 5-10, and was quite pleased when I made it to 5-6 (1 inch taller then my dad, 8 taller then my mom). So the middle sized one was plenty for me.

[SoopaScouta]

There's a boy in the scout book in the "Citizenship" section I think, that is wearing a sash with one or two merit badges on it.

[Chief J]

Great idea, thanks for the tip!

Chief J