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Boy Scouts - Militaristic?

by Jimmy Ray, March 2010

With the formation of the Boys Scouts by General Robert S. S. Baden Powell, the use of uniforms that were modeled after military uniforms, the use of Scout staves that could be likened to carrying rifles and drill practice certainly had cause to question the Boy Scouts as a militaristic organization. With the formation of the Boy Scouts of America following the same program as B-P, this issue was certainly not confined to the British view. With just starting an organization, getting rules, regulations, by-laws into place along with providing handbooks, uniforms and supplies, they had to rely on a lot of volunteer help and existing suppliers. They adapted B-P’s Scouting for Boys but had Ernst Thompson Seton make a few changes. That, of course, caused friction with B-P but they did get their own early version out in 1910 that way. Uniforms though were available through many private sources with many variations in style. However, when you have an ad in your first Boys’ Life issue in 1911 with a very definite pose of military style uniform complete with rifle, you know you are not making progress away from the military criticism. Then, when you have Boy Scouts of America volunteers helping with a publication known as a Drill Manual, you are not helping your cause.

So, like many other organizations who are trying to change their image, you use a little marketing. First, you tell them in Boys’ Life that the organization is not military. On the back of every membership card, you emphasize again that it is not military and the Boy Scouts are advocating universal peace. In your now, fully new Boy Scout Handbook, you explain the Boy Scouts are “Peace Scouts” and they just have to be prepared just like those in the military. It took a few years and the actions of the organization to change the perception but the success of the Boy Scouts has shown their resolve. That is not to say that the U. S. military still looks to the Boy Scouts for some of their best leaders with heavy recruiting at National Jamboree. Those outdoor skills coupled with the leadership skills do fit very well with their needs.