How do you get the Musician badge (not the merit badge)?

[MissouriMom]

I am talking about the one worn on the right sleeve that is shown in the example drawing. All I can find is that the scout must be in "band or drum corps." What, the school band? Is the troop supposed to have a band?

Does anyone know? Any help appreciated.----Melinda

[Mrw]

That is a troop position patch. The boy would be appointed or volunteer to be the troop musician. My son was Bugler for a while in our troop.

If your son wants to be the troop musician, he should talk to the scoutmaster about if there is a need or want for a musician and what the duties might be.

I am guessing there are not very many trrop musicians as I had never seen this patch before and had to look it up.

[MissouriMom]

Thank you for your prompt response. The reason I asked this was I was transferring all my son's patches over to a bigger shirt. I sewed his Patrol Leader patch in the right place, but then I messed up and sewed his Scribe patch on the other shoulder (he is both). I was looking at the reference page as I sewed them on. I guess when I saw the picture of that Musician patch on the right sleeve, I thought the Scribe position sounded analogous.

Is the Musician patch the only patch that can go in that position? That's what it sounds like in the description I finally found.

So, am I right that he must choose whether he wants his Patrol Leader patch OR his Scribe patch on his shirt?

Thanks again----

[wagionvigil]

you can only wear one position patch!!!!!!!!

[MissouriMom]

Wagionvigil--

Is that a yes?

[wagionvigil]

You cannot wear the Scribe and the patrol leader patch at the same time one or the other not both. If your troop does not have a band then the point is mute as far as the troop musician patch.

[Mrw]

Only one position patch at a time. In general, the higher patch would go on. I would use the Patrol Leader patch.

[MissouriMom]

Thank you to Mrw and Wagionvigil. I come to this forum when I need an answer to a scout question. I never fail to get a prompt and helpful answer. Thanks again.

[scoutaholic]

The Boy Scout/Varsity Scout Uniform Inspection Sheet (#34283)(the one I have in my file is from 1999. Maybe this has been corrected?) shows a PL patch on the left sleeve and the Musician patch on the right sleeve. In the description of the right sleeve insignia it says, "...Musician badge, if in band or drum corps, is worn 1/2 inch below patrol emblem...."

That sounds to me like, when I was the official troop "Songleader" (I think my SM made up that title. I never asked for it, and couldn't seem to get rid of it. Probably because I was always doing it - official or not.) and also the JASM, I could have worn both insignia. JASM on the left sleeve, and Musician on the right.

I've never noticed it before, but the Musician patch is treated here as something other than a badge of office. It is also show on the right sleeve in the inside back cover of my handbook.

Does anyone have an Insignia Guide handy, that can look-up and clarify the Musician patch?

[Billiken]

We have an 11-yr old in our troop who is a nationally-known viola player. (Travels to competitions all over the country.)

I guess he could be our Troop Musician.
Wagner, Brahms, Motzart and Bach at the campfires.

[wagionvigil]

Mozart!
But remember these guys would be rockers today

[cballman]

not just any kind of rockers but punk rockers

[Rubino97]

At our last Court of Honor, we awarded every boy (18 of the 37) who is a member of thier school band (grades 6-11) a musician patch. We did this believing they had earned it by being a member of the band. Should we not have done this.

[riverwalk]

Sounds like a nice gesture...but I would only let the one(s) serving at Troop Musician, wear it. If we're talking of the Right sleeve emblem anyway? If you're talking about the MB, then those conditions would apply.

I made an honest mistake as a baby Scouter (newbie leader). When I went to get knots for my Uniform, one was for Quartermaster. I asked the employee if that meant when I was a Quartermaster as a youth. He said yes, so I proudly wore it. Then at Training, a Field Director asked what Ship I was in when I earned this.....I said, no I was only the Troop's quartermaster. Hmmm...once home, that knot came off, haha.

Now I have one of my copies of the Knot book (by a fellow Scouter here in TX), at the Shop over at the Museum, so they can help newbies get the right ones, haha.

[longhorneagle]

Is there any reference in BSA publications other than the uniform inspection sheet to the musician insignia?

[mom4-2eaglescouts]

I remember that there was a scout band at the National Jamboree, and they played in DC too. I'd like to read more on this.

Can a scout band be formed in a district from its troops so that the scouts can play at camporees for their scoutmates? Would that qualify for this patch? What a campfire activity that would be!