You know, some of us just don't know what the various badges and insignia in Scouting are called. All WE KNOW is that our son or daughter came home either carrying or wearing something...and they are proud of what it is. But ask them where does it go on the uniform or what's it for --- that's like asking them to explain to you how come they leave their clothes on the floor inches away from the dirty clothes hamper or basket!!

So, to help ALL of us out...here's a gallery of some - not all -- of the most common badges and insignia. If you find what you're looking for, click on it and chances are, I've linked it to a page somewhere on the Badge and Uniform Site. If not, note the number and send me an email asking me what it is for. I do my best to answer Scouting-related questions within 48 hours of you posting it, but if I'm deployed somewhere, expect some longer delays. At any rate, I'll post you back and let you know what it is...

Naturally, if you have something of a LOCAL nature, it won't be here. Sorry. With more than 200 local Councils and a Direct Service, I cannot simply keep track of EVERYTHING. So here's a solution for you -- two of them, actually.

The first one is ask your Scout son or daughter. Chances are they know what it, and while they may not know everything they did for it, they should be able to help you with some basic knowledge. If you can't get it out of them, contact their Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Advisor, Coach or Skipper. They would probably know...maybe not...

The second one is to ask your local Council service center. Chances are that they will know what it is, because either they created it for the youth in THEIR COUNCIL or that they got them from National and just haven't had the time to tell everyone what they are for before your son or daughter earned one! If you can't get it out of them...then by all means, scan or take a digital photo of the bugger and send it to me. I'll find out what it is, and post you back with the answer!

Scouting's fun...it really is. And the many badges and insignia items are designed to honor, inspire, and motivate young people and the adults who work with them. But if you don't know what it is -- or what you or someone else did to earn it -- it takes the wind out of the sails a bit, if you know what I mean?