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Your Cub Scout Uniform
Whenever you see a person in a uniform, you get a quick sense
of who they are and what they do. The members of a sports team wear their
uniforms to say "I belong to this group." Police officers and firefighters wear
their uniforms to say "I provide a service to my community." Even superheroes
wear uniforms to say "I'm one of the good guys, and I stand for what's right."
Just like all of these people, Scouts also wear a uniform,
and for the very same reasons. As a Cub Scout, you belong to a special group of
people, you give service to your community, and you have made a promise to do
your best to be one of the "good guys." Wearing your uniform is a way of saying
these things to everyone who sees you.
Wearing uniforms has been a method of the Scouting movement
from the beginning. Decades of experience show the wearing of uniforms to have
many benefits, including these:
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Equality. The uniform
represents a democratic ideal of equality. Boys from various cultures and
different economic levels wear the same uniform and cooperate as equals.
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Identification. The
uniform identifies a boy as a member of the Cub Scouts. Badges on the
uniform tell other members that he belongs to their den, pack, and council.
The uniform itself identifies a good citizen to the entire community.
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Achievement. The
uniform displays badges and other awards so the accomplishments of each Cub
Scout can be immediately recognized.
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Commitment. Wearing a
uniform is a constant reminder to each Cub Scout of his commitment to the
ideals and purposes of Cub Scouting: duty to God, loyalty to country, and
helpfulness to others.
For these reasons, among others, all parents should emphasize
to their Scouts the importance of wearing the correct and complete uniform on
all suitable occasions.
 Parts of the Uniform
The parts that make up your Cub Scout uniform are these:
- The Cub Scout shirt, with long or short sleeves
- Cub Scout shorts or trousers
-
A cap that shows your rank in Cub Scouting—orange for Tiger
Cub, yellow for Wolf Cub Scout, blue for Bear Cub Scout, and plaid for
Webelos Scout
-
A neckerchief that matches the color of your cap
- A blue belt with a brass buckle
- Official blue socks with orange or gold tops (orange tops for Tiger
Cubs; gold or yellow tops for all other ranks)
Because Webelos Scouts are close to becoming Boy Scouts, some
Webelos dens choose to wear the tan and olive uniform similar to the one that
Boy Scouts wear (tan shirt, olive shorts/slacks, olive socks).
Badges, Patches, Pins, and Medals
Besides showing that you are a member of the Cub Scouts, your
uniform gives you a place to display your personal achievements and those of
your den and pack. Badges of rank, award emblems, special recognitions, and the
medals you win at Cub Scout activities are all sewn or pinned onto your uniform.
Wearing the Uniform
Unless your den leader says otherwise, you should wear your
Cub Scout uniform to all Scouting activities—not only den and pack meetings, but
every activity in which you take part with other Cub Scouts.
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