Adult Neckwear Neckwear Wood Badge

Hey Dee!!

You wrote and asked me for clarifiication:

I need clarification on the wearing of Wood Badge regalia because the Insignia Guide isn't clear on this. Can the Wood Badge beads and woggle be worn with a neckerchief other than the Wood Badge neckerchief?

It SHOULD....read on....

Can the beads be worn without the woggle and a different neckerchief?

It MAY...read on...

Bottom line, when it is appropriate to wear the beads - with or without the other parts of the official Wood Badge regalia. I know that the beads can be worn alone with the scout uniform, but never with a t-shirt, but need clarification on the questions above.

Here it is. The source for this information is from the BSA's Volunteer Training Associate Director from 1999; this information has not changed since and won't change as you'll read why.

The Wood Badge is the one training accomphishment shared and mutually accepted by all members of the World Organization of Scouting Movements (WOSM). It is worn in other countries typically with a neckerchief or scarf with very few exceptions.

Wood Badge beads and neckerchief

The Wood Badge was and is designed for wear by those volunteers and professionals who have completed both parts of the course and forever afterwards, as an outward symbol of service and training. The Wood Badge, as you stated, is NEVER worn without the official uniform of the BSA -- until 1998, it could be worn with a BSA blazer, but since the BSA officially "mothballed" the blue blazers in 1999, the Wood Badge can no longer be worn with a blazer. It is not worn with a tee-shirt, even a camp tee-shirt. It is also not worn with the "activity uniform shirt" or its options (the open-neck polo shirt). In those cases, there is a small Wood Badge tie-tac/lapel pin which is more appropriate to wear with those uniforms. Sea Scouters who wish to wear the Wood Badge while above vessels may also opt to wear the small Wood Badge lapel pin centered on the left pocket flap (or if the Sea Badge is worn, to the left the Sea Badge so that the two badges are centered on the pocket flap).

Wood Badge lapel pin

All acceptable uniforms -- the vintage ones, the current ones, the Venturing kelly green, the Sea Scout white or blue uniforms -- the Wood Badge is acceptable to be worn correctly with those uniforms.

Here's the rules:

- overall, the Wood Badge is intended and designed to be worn with a neckerchief.

It has never been designed to be worn by itself, although in today's enviornment whereby very few Scouters wear a neckerchief -- any neckerchief -- the Wood Badge may indeed be worn alone with one of the official uniforms.

Wearing the Wood Badge by itself

- if you are a UNIT SCOUTER or if your local Council or District has an official neckerchief and/or slide, you SHOULD and are ENCOURAGED TO WEAR the Wood Badge with that neckerchief and/or slide. This is especially important for those Scouters who are serving at the unit level and whose Troop or Team has adopted a neckerchief color(s). Venturing units which have special neckerchiefs may also wear the Wood Badge with that unit's neckerchief.

Wearing the Wood Badge with unit/district/council neckerchief

- if you are a NON-UNIT SCOUTER, regardless of position or whether you are a professional or volunteer, you SHOULD and are ENCOURAGED TO WEAR the Wood Badge with the MacLaren tartan neckerchief and Wood Badge woggle. This is the reason why that distinctive neckerchief was created -- so that *non-unit Scouters* may wear a neckerchief with the Wood Badge as strongly recommended.

Wearing the Wood Badge by a non-unit Scouter (professional or volunteer)

- wearing the Wood Badge with special neckerchiefs (for instance, the National Eagle Scout Association's white neckerchief; special Order of the Arrow neckerchiefs; the Kente cloth neckerchief; the National, World or international activity neckerchiefs; and special local Council or camp neckerchiefs) is also highly encouraged and recommended...either with or without the Wood Badge woggle. Again, the idea is that the Wood Badge SHOULD BE WORN with a neckerchief as it was designed to be worn with one.

The Wood Badge should always be displayed IN FRONT OF the neckerchief. If worn formally with pendant-type awards, the Wood Badge should always be displayed in the front of those awards if all possible.

Oh, and just because people ask me this a lot: it DOES NOT MATTER which side the "two beads" and the "single bead" is worn on in the case of those Scouters wearing the three-bead necklace. It is completely up to the Scouter, although most Scouters opt to wear the two-beads on their left side as wearing it simply because "it's closest to the heart". There is absolutely NO POLICY, NO INSTRUCTION and NO GUIDANCE which states this...it has been passed downward from Wood Badge holder to Wood Badge holder. It doesn't matter which side....*smiling*

It does not matter which side the two-beads are on...

Dee wrote as a followup:

Ok, just for clarification. We have a scouter who is also a Commissioner, can the beads be worn with that neckerchief?

Yes, if the neckerchief is one which all Commissioners in your District or Council wear.

Hope this helps out...thank you very much for asking me! It's a great question!

Settummanque!

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