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The
Boy Scouts of America has always been a uniformed body. There are many
reasons for this. One reason stands out above all the rest. We wear the
uniform because it is a means of identifying ourselves openly with the
principles to which we are committed-character development, citizenship
training, and physical and mental fitness.
The fact that youth and adult members of Scouting wear
a uniform doesn't mean that we're all alike. We come from different ethnic
and racial backgrounds. We have our own religious beliefs and political
views. We are each individuals with our own family traditions and loyalties.
So the uniform is not intended to hide our individuality. But it is a
way we give each other strength and support. It is a bond that ties us
together in spite of our differences. It is a way of making visible our
commitment to a belief in God, loyalty to country, and to helping other
people.
The Scouting movement is built on positive values.
As we wear the uniform, we are openly identifying ourselves with those
values where everyone can see us. We stand together, not alone, in encouraging
others to live by those same principles. Boys and adults alike should
take pride in belonging to such a movement and wear the uniform as it
is intended.
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