Troop 28 Glencoe

Uniform

You need one thing to start: a tan Class A shirt and five patches. The Troop provides the rest, or it is optional.

The Scoutmaster will give you our custom “28” numeral patch.

Tan Class A shirt with the Scouting America emblem, Northeast Illinois Council patch, and numerals 28

You will need three other patches, shown above: the World Crest (purple circle), the Scouting America ring around the circle, and an NEIC council patch of your choice (old black and white, new green, or any special versions they make). You will also need green shoulder loops for the epaulets (not shown).

What to buy

  • Class A shirt: The tan Scouting America shirt, short sleeve, about $35. Most 5th and 6th graders start with a Youth Large or XL so they can grow into it. Adult Small is close to Youth XL, but longer. Wear it to meetings, on the way to campouts, and at any Scouting event that isn’t a Troop activity. In winter, layer a long-sleeve shirt underneath.
  • Three starter patches: Council patch, green shoulder loops, World Crest, and the anniversary ring. The Scoutmaster gives our custom numerals 28. Tell the Scout Shop you are from Troop 28 and they will pull the set.
  • Bottoms for formal events: Scout pants or shorts, or any khakis. Jeans are fine at meetings. No sweatpants or athletic shorts at a Court of Honor.

The Troop provides a Class B T-shirt (any Scouting T-shirt counts; wear it on campouts and active events), the Troop neckerchief and slide (given at the first Court of Honor), a patrol patch, and rank, position, and merit badge patches as they are earned.

Patrol patches the Troop has used

Where to buy: the NEIC Scout Shop in Vernon Hills (phone order and curbside pickup) or scoutshop.org. Help with the cost is available — email the Treasurer in confidence.

Label everything, including the neckerchief, slide, sash, and zip-off pant legs. At most events every Scout is dressed the same.

Getting patches on

Sew them. Don’t glue them. Adhesives fail on a shirt that gets wet, muddy, and washed for years.

  1. Sew them yourself, using the insignia guide.
  2. Local patch service — Laurie Honor in Glencoe, (847) 373-4099, about $8–10 for a new-Scout set. Take the paper cards off the patches and keep them. Fill in the order form or write a note. Put the shirt, patches, note, and cash in a bag and leave it in the drop box on the driveway side of her house. She will message you when it is ready. Call ahead if you have a deadline, such as an Eagle board. There are also services in Vernon Hills and Lake Forest — ask the Advancement Coordinator.
  3. Velcro for patches that change often (rank, position, patrol). Sew the soft side to the shirt and stick the hook side on the patch. Take the patches off before you wash the shirt.
Velcro on a rank patch: soft side sewn to the shirt, hook side on the patch

The Troop sometimes organizes a group drop-off.

Where each patch goes
PatchWhere
Council patch (the older multicolor NEIC patch and the newer black-and-white one are both fine) and numerals 28Left sleeve, at the top. Leave room below.The older multicolor NEIC council patch and the newer black-and-white design Council patch and unit numerals 28 on the left sleeve
Patrol patchRight sleeve, under the flagPatrol patch on the right sleeve, under the flag
World Crest, and the anniversary ring if you add oneAbove the left pocket, centeredWorld Crest above the left pocket, rank on the pocket, Arrow of Light below
RankCentered on the left pocket. The first time, ask the patch service to remove the pen-slot seam. Rank patches get replaced four to six times.Rank patch centered on the left pocket
Position of responsibilityLeft sleeve, under the numeralsPosition patch on the left sleeve, under the unit numerals, with the Trained strip below it
Arrow of Light, if earned as a CubBelow the left pocketArrow of Light square knot
Temporary awards (camp, Klondike, First Aid Meet)Right pocket, one at a time. Most families leave a favorite on.Polar Bear award centered on the right pocket, with a Recruiter strip below the pocket
More temporary awards, once the pocket is fullBack of the merit badge sashTemporary awards on the back of a merit badge sash
Button-loop awardsOver either pocket buttonA button-loop award tucked under a pocket flap
Polar Bear and snowflakesRight sleeve. A Troop 28 option, so snowflakes can be added later.Polar Bear award on the right sleeve, below the patrol patch
Totin’ Chip and Firem’n ChitRight pocket flap. A Troop 28 option. Officially they go in the center of the pocket.Totin' Chip and Firem'n Chit on the right pocket flap
Shoulder loopsGreen, on the epaulets. No sewing.Green shoulder loop buttoned onto an epaulet

Official reference: Guide to Awards and Insignia. The Troop is relaxed about placement. The patch services are not, and will only sew in the official spots.

Merit badge sash

A Scout in Class A with neckerchief and a merit badge sash

Wear it at Courts of Honor and Boards of Review. Badges go on the front (in the order earned, or Eagle-required at the top — either is fine). Temporary awards go on the back. Buy the 36-inch sash, not the 30. It holds 60 or more badges, fits a Scout up to 6 feet, and can be shortened but not lengthened. Leave 3–5 inches empty at the top. If it hangs more than a few inches below the hip, pin it shorter so it doesn’t catch on doors.

To shorten it without a visible seam:

Sash turned inside out and pinned to length
1. Turn it inside out and pin across at the right length.
Sash turned right side out, laid flat, with the extra tail showing
2. Turn it right side out and lay it flat.
The extra tail folded across the sash
3. Fold the extra tail across.
The extra tail tucked inside the sash
4. Tuck the tail inside and pin it to itself, not to the sash. Wear the tuck in back.

Scouting allows only one sash at a time. If you earn more badges than fit, swap sashes. More on sashes.