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> updated 22/10/09
The Crest of Leadership (shown above) was designed by "Green Bar Bill" Hillcourt as a replacement
for the various local Council youth leadership training courses. The Crest was used by the BSA (and is
STILL used by some 30 or so local Councils) to award to youth leaders for completing a set of
individual training application requirements (similar to a "ticket" which Wood Badge participants must
complete) in order to receive and wear the emblem. The emblem was originally designated as a "permanent"
emblem but that designation was removed by the BSA in 1980 with the end of the "ALL OUT FOR SCOUTING!"
leadership training emphasis.
There are several versions of the Crest out there. In 1981, the leadership of the Blue Grass Scouting Alliance
Club at Eastern Kentucky University asked and received permission to alter the Crest and to use it as its official
organizational crest. More information on the Crest of Leadership and the BGSA can be found
on a separate page.
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Insignia
Boy/Varsity Scout
Uniform
Left Shoulder
Retired
"Retired" Strip emblem
David Armstrong asked:
I saw this emblem at my local Scout shop and thought it would be very appropriate to
present to one of our former Committeemembers who, while not active with the Troop anymore
still supports us. Is this a "fake" or "spoof" that National is putting out or is this for
real? And who gets to wear it?
Retired Strip/patch
This was something left over from Chief Scout Executive Ben Love's tenure and was to be honest
almost forgotten about. Chief Love realized that many of our older Scouters were still being
registered as "members at large", District and Council committeemembers, and even down to the
unit level. While this sounded great, many of those volunteers (and professionals) were not
doing much else than just holding down a "slot" on a piece of paper.
He proposed and the National Executive Board approved a revision to the existing catagory of
membership called "Veteran". He wanted to rename it "Retired", as in "retired Scouters".
The National Executive Board did not like this, because it implied someway that the BSA was
obligated to do something with their "retirees." Love dropped it but instructed the professional
staff to create some sort of recognition for those Scouters who no longer serve in a particular
role but may either be registered or not.
At the same time that was going on in Irving, some enterprising Scouters out there, a little
"miffed" about the design and usage of the "Trained" strip, created special "spoof" patches
which would be given to Scouters "just because". They include "pottytrained", "overtrained",
"untrainable" and of course, "retired".
A professional working with the Supply Division ordered a set of the emblems, because they were
fun and after reviewing the "Retired" strip, sent two to Chief Love and informed him that the
volunteers in the field "already beat us to the punch". Love approved the National manufacture
of the "Retired" strip in 1996 and it was approved for official wear in 1997. The first reference
to the "Retired" strip was in the 2000 version of the BSA Insignia (Control) Guide.
When Chief Roy Williams assumed the role of Chief Scout Executive, one of the items presented to
Chief Love upon his retirement was four of the "Retired" strips. It is said that Retired Chief Love
wears that emblem proudly below his Chief Scout Executive emblem on his field uniform.
The emblem is worn below the badge of office, in the same place that the "Trained" strip is worn.
Only one or the other -- not both -- may be worn by a Scouter, even a trained former Scoutmaster.
(Remember the "wear only the insignia representing your *current status* in the movement" axiom.)
The BSA seem to like the ten-year mark with regard to insignia and it's wear. There was only one
"criterion" for the wearing of the strip: a Scouter must have served in one or successive roles
for a minimum of ten years to be considered "retired". However, it is not a "hard and fast" rule
or policy: if a Troop wants to recognize a Scouter who served as Troop Committee Chair for four
years and now that person no longer serves as Troop Committee Chair, the "Retired" strip is appropriate
wear for that person.
Naturally. professional members who have been approved for retirement may also wear the "Retired" strip
below their badge of office.
Hope this helps out.
Great question!
Individual pages explain each element found here:
Council Shoulder Strip
Unit Veteran Bars
Unit numbers
Position emblems
Brownsea Junior Leadership Training emblem
Trained Strip
Commissioner Arrowhead Honor Award
Retired Strip
Settummanque!
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Credits: Scans courtesy of Mike Walton
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