All Civilian Wear Pins Mother's/Parent Pins

"Hi! I've been asking and looking for information regarding rank pins and can't seem to find an answer. There are two pins associated with boy scout ranks. One is a small mothers pin and a little bit larger one that was given to the boys. My question is - what is the larger pin and where do the boys wear it? Right now they are wearing them on their boy scout cap - but that doesn't seem right."

No, it's NOT right, Steve.

Without going into the exact size of each of the rank pins, there's a "smaller" version and "larger" version. (These are the pins for the Boy Scout ranks shown; there are similiar versions for Cub Scouting ranks as well.)

Small Mother's/Parent pins

Large Mother's/Parent pins

Now, the history:

In the earliest days of the BSA, we had no official uniform. The official uniform did not come around until the middle 20s, and most of it were copies of military uniforms (Army and Navy) adapted with special BSA insignia and other items to distinguish it from a military uniform.

Because we had very little cloth insignia, small pins were presented to wear on the uniform jacket or shirt. This is where the larger of the two pieces come from. Each rank - Tenderfoot through Life -- has such a metallic full-sized pin. Additionally, for First Class, there were special metallic pins to be worn on the campaign hat (at that time the only official BSA hat) to denote the First Class Scout -- the goal (not Eagle!) for every boy in Boy Scouting.

In the earlier days, boys (and girls) took great pride in wearing small pins representing their status in various programs. The BSA's reaction was to develop small pins which the Scout could wear on *civilian clothes* (mainly on the lapels) which denoted their status in the movement to others. Over time, the pins traveled from the street shirt to jacket or vest to Mom's collar or a sweetheart's dress top as recognition of their role in the advancement step (or just to say "thanks").

After cloth rank patches were developed in the 30s, the pins remain and were awarded at the same time the cloth rank emblem was.

Therefore after the 40s, the pin for personal wear became known as the "Mothers' pin". The pins were later established for Cub Scouting and Exploring (until the advancement program in Exploring went away).

In the 60s, the BSA emphasized the awarding of the "advancement pin" immediately after the board of review because unlike the cloth rank patches developed, the "advancement pin" did not need to have be supported by an advancement report -- it can be awarded as "immediate recognition".

In the 60s, one of the craft projects for young Wolf Cub Scouts was to make a "pin holder" for their mother. The mom would proudly wear this piece of material with a safety or straight pin on the backside during Pack meetings whereby when the Cub Scout would earn a rank, Mom would also get pinned with small versions of that same rank onto the "pin holder" by the Cub Scout. It would transfer over to Boy Scouting.

Example of homemade parent pin holders for wear on uniforms or on civilian clothing; it should be worn centered on the right pocket of the field uniform by parents; or anywhere on civilian clothing.

Later, a firm created special blue, red and khaki or red/white/blue ribbons held with a pin or suspended around the neck to allow the mother (or father) of a Cub Scout or Scout to wear the "parents' pin" as it is now called, upon the piece of cloth or ribbon.

Example of manufactured parent pin holders for wear on uniforms or on civilian clothing; it should be worn centered on the right pocket of the field uniform by parents; or anywhere on civilian clothing.

In 1972, with the introduction of the Improved Scouting Program, we also gained a special "Scout pin" in large and small versions. Of course by that time, we've gone through several uniform changes and the "advancement pin" as it was called, was considered optional wear with any of those uniforms.

Scout "placeholder" pin (large and small versions) since Boy Scout is NOT a rank but merely the placeholder until the Scout earns Tenderfoot)

Today, the larger "advancement pin" is worn on the Boy Scout field uniform, centered on the left pocket of the uniform shirt and *only when the cloth emblem is not worn*. It is an optional instant recognition item which seldom gets used. At other times it is worn on a patch vest or jacket It may also be worn with an activity shirt on the right side equal to where the logo or other emblem is on the left side of the shirt.

Varsity Scouts wear the "advancement pin" on the bottom part of either version of the Varsity Letter. If worn with the "VS" letter, it is worn at the bottom of the "S"; if worn with the "V" letter, it is worn where the "V" meets at the bottom.

Varsity Letter with Scout rank pin shown on bottom of letter.

Current Varsity letter. The Scout rank is worn at the bottom of the "V".

"Parents' pins" are only worn with civilian clothing. They should never be worn on the collar (or anywhere else) on the field uniform of a Scouter or Scout.

Hope this helps you out and again my personal apologies for not responding sooner; my personal goal is to provide an answer -- even an interim answer while I go and research an item -- within 3 days. I didn't meet that goal with your question, which is a great one!!

Thanks for asking me!

Settummanque!

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