Track tenure for BSA programs separately

[Bill_W]

Service star backs

version 2021-08-19-C

@CharleyHamilton

For example, a given scout could have:

• tenure in Cub Scouts (yellow backing)
• tenure in Scouts BSA (green backing)
• tenure in Venturing (orange/red backing?)
• tenure in Sea Scouts (orange/red backing?)
• tenure in Exploring (???)
• leader tenure (blue backing) theoretically applicable for youth who transition to adults

This is valuable for units/individual tracking tenure in each program for service

STEM Scouts

My understanding is that the STEM Scouts units do not normally wear Boy Scout of America traditional Scouting uniforms. The uniform for older STEM Scouts and adult Scouter is a lab coat. There is also an official T-shirt. I have not heard if STEM Scouts wearing service stars. I would propose a white back to match the white lab coat “uniform” or perhaps a color from the STEM Scout badge if they do.

• STEM Scouts® Lab Coat -Adult (scoutshop.org)

Senior youth and young adult programs

Exploring

My understanding is that Exploring units do not wear Boy Scout of America traditional Scouting uniforms.

Sea Scouts BSA

I do not remember Sea Scouts wearing Service Stars on the traditional sea Scouting uniforms or the newer Sea Scouts BSA uniform. On the khaki uniform the red back appears to be the correct colored back.

Service Star Red Back History

The red back for Rover Scouts (RS) and Senior Scouts (SS) in the United Kingdom goes back to about 1918.

The Service Star for Rover Scouts is backed with red cloth.

• Provisional Rules For Rover Scouts [thedump.scoutscan.com], 1918, United Kingdom, page 5, “13. Badges” section.

Traditional program service star backs are:

• Gold backs (No. 63) are for youth Cub Scouting service.
• Green backs (No. 66) are for youth Scouts BSA service (previously Boy Scout service).
• Brown backs (No. 67) are for youth Varsity Scout service.
• Red backs (No. 65) are for youth Venturing service.
• Blue backs (No. 64) are for adult Scouter service.

Adult Scouter service star back color?

I remember the blue for Scouter backs being a light blue. On my display today it appears to be a dark blue on the Scout Shop catalog page. Has the color changed?

@CharleyHamilton

leader tenure (blue backing) theoretically applicable for youth who transition to adults

Youth and adult Scouter service may be combined when using the adult Scouter back. See 2014 Scouting magazine article,

BSA References

• Service Stars - Awards Central [scouting.org]
• Guide to Awards and Insignia
• How to properly wear BSA service stars (scoutingmagazine.org), April 2014

PS

The STEM Scouts program and and STEM Nova Awards are not the same thing. Do not be confused by the combination of products in the online Scout Shop catalog.