That Red, White and Blue Knot is for WHAT?
(This has a long download because of the graphic involved.)
The silver knot on a red, white and blue background has been used five times since it's introduction in 1953. Originally designed to represent the second version of the Exploring Silver Award (the silver knot comes from the medal and the red, white and blue background comes from the red, white and blue ribbon which runs down the center of the medal- as well as the red and blue colors which are "Exploring's colors"), because of the low numbers of holders of those awards, the BSA's National Uniform and Insignia Committee shuttled the knot emblem around a bit to represent other "older youth" awards.
In 1968, it was decided that the knot emblem would represent not only those few holders of either version of the Silver Award, but also those holders of the old Ace and Ranger Awards, since the knot emblems representing those Awards were no longer available through the Supply Division and with the change of the Exploring program, none would be made as the advancement program for Exploring was discontinued with the exception of Quartermaster for Sea Explorers and Eagle for those Explorers who earned First Class as a Boy Scout prior to entry in Exploring.
In 1977, a group of national Exploring youth convinced the Committee to once again bring the knot out "of retirement" to represent the then-new Explorer Achievement Award, the first "advancement-type" award since the 60s. When the name of the Award was changed to the Growth Opportunity in Leadership Development Award, holders of the new G.O.L.D. Award were also entitled to wear the knot emblem.
In 1998, the BSA decided that it's holders of the Young American Awards, which the BSA has been administering since 1970 from the U.S. Department of Justice, would also be entitled to wear a special knot emblem...and the knot emblem chosen was the former Exploring/young adult program knot emblem. With the split of Exploring into Learning for Life/Exploring and to the new Venturing program; and with new knot emblems being developed for the Venturing program, the old silver knot on the red, white and blue background got a new lease on life.
The following graphic illustrates the various uses of the knot emblem and how it should be worn by adults and youth members who have received the various young adult advancement awards. Note please that holders of the Exploring or Venturing Leadership Awards DO NOT WEAR THIS KNOT EMBLEM TO REPRESENT ANY OF THOSE AWARDS (even the National versions of those awards!) The BSA does not consider the old Exploring Leadership Awards nor the present Venturing Leadership Awards as "advancement items" and since there are a low number of holders of those awards, a service knot *at the present time* is not cost-effective.
One thing which bears noting: The reason why the BSA has "picked on this particular knot emblem" is because of the relatively LOW NUMBERS of receipients of the various awards (no more than 1000 of any of those awards were ever presented during their spans). Therefore, it is PROBABLE but HIGHLY UNLIKELY that a previous holder of the Explorer Achievement Award or the G.O.L.D. Award would later ALSO be a receipent of the Young American Award because of the age span of those awards. A solution has been put into place, however, for those few holders of BOTH or ALL THREE awards:
If a holder of the Explorer Achievement Award later earns the G.O.L.D. Award AS AN EXPLORER (prior to 12/31/00), then he or she may wear TWO "Big E" devices centered on the knot emblem. If this same individual later receives a Young American Award (from a local Council or from the BSA) while registered as an Venturer or as an adult volunteer (the Young American Awards go to age 22), he or she may add a small Venturing or the "universal device" (the Boy Scout program device) on the knot emblem as well as the two Exploring devices, for a total of three. This is not illustrated because the possibility of a person existing who has earned all three awards as a youth member or before age 22 is very slim.
Hope that all of this helps!!
Settummanque!
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