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Why Are Uniforms Important to the Brigade Experience?
It’s always good to examine why we do what we do. Are uniforms for boys in Stockade and Battalion meeting their purpose? I was asked if any groups were changing to a custom T-shirt. You’ll see that my answer is in line with the training, using reasons why uniforms for boys are important.
Uniforms are closely connected to the Stockade achievement program. Showing progress in ranks, blockhouses and stations, as well as what is being learned in modules. Without the badges and pins, recognition of growth is missing, maybe some incentives as well that the leaders and parents can use to encourage boys to achieve. What else could be done with patches and pins? That takes creativity!
It’s an identity with the Christian Service Brigade program on the boys’ age level. For boys, it shows they belong to a recognizable group. It has long been noticeable as a factor of group order when boys are wearing a uniform. Isn’t there an element of self-discipline that comes along with being in a uniform?
Putting on the uniform, and wearing it well, is a custom across the range of units in the Capital Region as seen at the annual Camp-O-Rama and Regional Derby. It would also seem inconsistent to promote some boys to wear a uniform and allow others to come to Stockade without them.
CSB T-shirts have been around for a long time as casual wear, but not made to replace a uniform. Adding a T-shirt may be a good idea for a secondary choice for activities, but not whenever “Battalion, Fall In” or “Build the Stockade” is called.
This is always the choice of the church unit and leadership. T-shirts are an option, but I would not replace the uniforms. Once they are an established custom in a unit, replacing would be to regress.
Hope this is helpful, but I’d want to be open to suggestions as well.
Arden Musselman
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7 Replies
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Uniforms have always been an important tradition of our Unit 2733 in Rock Hill, SC! They not only allow our guys to “show off” their achievements, encouraging others to achieve as well, but they also help to connect us to the brotherhood of other units across the continent. This becomes very evident when we participate in regional events with other units. This is a photo of our Battalion 2733 as we attended the Capital Region Camp-O-Rama at Camp Hemlock in Wardensville, WV. Our battalion is posing along the camp bridge we helped build for a service project. A sharp-looking team, if I do say so myself! 😉
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I’m a firm believer in uniforms, especially if your group has an active achievement program. Uniforms add the recognition to those that successfully complete the various segments in the trail books. It helps build enthusiasm.
Though my group currently does not have battalion dated design of the Battalion uniform hampered the boys adopting it. For Stockade, much of the same. We used a different uniform and added velcro so the patches earned could easily be transferred from one uniform to the next as the boy needed a larger uniform. The Stockade unit owns the uniforms and boys trade them in as they grow. In fact, tonight at Stockade we discuss who wants a uniform for the year.
Also, been saying it for decades – there should be a set of pins that a Battalion teen puts on his uniform if he earned his Builder/Sentinel pins or Builder/Sentinel stars. That ties the 2 segments of CSB together.
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Love the idea of Velcro, especially for patches that get replaced with each step of achievement like the rank emblems on the battalion uniform!
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I like the idea of Stockade achievement pins for Battalion uniforms.
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Jim,
I’m pretty new to understanding Battalion uniforms. I know there are a least two different diagrams out there as to how the pins/patches go on the uniform. But on pages 78-79 of the book: Adventure Trails: A Christ-centered guide for the active young man, it shows the Builder and Sentinel stars and Builder and Sentinel Pins being affixed to the Battalion uniform.
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Andrew,
It appears your questions could be answered mostly by realizing this version of CSB’s Adventure Trails: A Christ-Centered Guide for the Active Young Man originated in CSB Canada. The diagrams of the uniform shirt and awards on pages 78-81 are showing the tradition of the way these are displayed among CSB units in Canada. There are few differences in how they are worn. A few changes were made in the US printing, but the diagrams were not one of them. So there are a very few slight differences in the two diagrams you had posted.
You mention the award pins which are small color versions of the rank patches. The Brigade Shop does not sell those pins, but instead a simple E, G, and T and three different Star pins*. As Coit describes, rank pins for previous and current ranks earned can be worn on the shirt, below the rank emblem for the most current achievement earned.
This version mentioned above and the Adventure Trails Quest for Manhood are equally valid in Achievement for Battalion members in the Explorer, Trailblazer and Guide ranks. This parallel track for Adventure Trails was determined after comparisons by captains on the field showed equal survey results. Therefore both were issued and offered for the 2018 revision. Battalion leaders have the choice on which version they will use for their units. There are just as many Battalions that use one version as the other. See the free download, Adventure Trails Resource Tool, available at the Brigade Shop.
Apparently, the Stockade Builder and Sentinel pins and patches are optional on a Battalion uniform shirt, as long as the young man had earned these awards in his Stockade years.
*You can find Nostalgic pins for Explorer, Trailblazer and Guide at The Brigade Shop online store, which are a throwback to those of decades ago. Either of these are fine to use for Achievement awards.
Serving with you,
Arden Musselman
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Hi Andrew,
Using the Stockade pins as shown is in the Canadian materials, not the USA.
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