Square knot insignia

Square knot insignia are embroidered cloth patches that represent awards of the Scout associations throughout the world.

The Scout Association of the United Kingdom uses a "figure-eight" knot and many Scouting organizations of the Commonwealth countries follow suit. The World Organization of the Scout Movement uses military-style ribbons. The Boy Scouts of America a square knot made of colored ropes is depicted; the colors are generally dictated by the award the insignia is associated with.[1][2]

History

In the earliest days of the Scouting Movement military veterans were urged into service as Scoutmasters. The first Scout uniforms therefore resembled military uniforms. It was common for these veterans to wear their military decorations on their modified Boy Scout uniform — a national uniform was not to be developed until the early 1920s.[2]

Military tradition dictated that the actual medal from a military award was only worn on ceremonial occasions — at other times, it was replaced with a thin ribbon bar with the same ribbon style as found attached to the medal. This carried over to Scouting, whose awards were medals, similar to the military, but were most often worn as ribbons.

The first country to switch over from military ribbons to a unique parallel was the United Kingdom, which introduced its knot emblems in 1922.[3]

Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America likewise moved away from allowing Scouters to wear military ribbons, but kept the style, introducing their own ribbons in place of medals in 1934. The BSA introduced its own square knot insignia in lieu of the military-style ribbons in 1947. The choice of the square knot as the common emblem was made by James E. West, who is said to have chosen it for its use as the knot associated with first aid, thereby reminding Scouts to continue to be of service to others.[2]

The first eight awards with square knot insignia in the BSA were the Eagle Scout Award, Quartermaster Award, Scouter's Training Award, Scouter's Key, Silver Beaver Award, Silver Antelope Award, Silver Buffalo Award, and Honor Medal.

Since the introduction of square knot insignia, over forty new awards have been added, then combined, and some retired. Currently, there are 32 nationally authorized square knot insignia representing various medals, medallions, certificates, plaques, and other awards.

There are a few cases of local Council-approved square knots and various popular unofficial or spoof knots.

In the BSA, Square knot insignia are worn in rows of three across the top of the wearer's left pocket. Though there is no rule limiting the number of such insignia that may be worn, some suggest limiting to three rows of three. When fewer than 3 knots are worn in a particular row, knots are generally centered to the pocket, or the row below them.[4]

Dates indicated in the chart below indicate the use of the square knot insignia for the particular award, and may not correspond to the history of the award itself. For example, the first Eagle Scout Award was presented in 1912, and there was a ribbon bar for it from 1934, and it was among the first eight awards given square knot insignia in 1947, so that later date is indicated.

Achievement Awards

These awards are generally earned by the Scouts themselves.
These represent the highest youth rank or achievement in each respective program of the BSA.

Insignia Title Started Description
Arrow of LightArrow of Light (Cub Scouts)1979 
Eagle Scout AwardEagle Scout (Scouts BSA)1947 
Eagle Scout - NESA Life MemberEagle Scout with Life Membership in NESA2008 
Quartermaster AwardQuartermaster Award (Sea Scouts)1947 
venturing summit awardSilver Award / Summit Award (Venturing)1999 

Distinguished service

These awards are generally granted via nomination and review; they cannot be earned or applied for by Scouts or Scouters directly.

Insignia Title Started Description
Unit Leader's Award of MeritUnit Leader Award of Merit2010unit-level quality leader recognition award
District Award of MeritDistrict Award of Merit1971district-level distinguished service award
Silver Beaver AwardSilver Beaver Award1947council-level distinguished service award
Silver Antelope AwardSilver Antelope Award1947regional-level distinguished service award
Silver Buffalo AwardSilver Buffalo Award1947national-level distinguished service award
Silver World AwardSilver World Award1976international-level distinguished service award

Heroism

These awards are generally granted via nomination and review; they cannot be earned or applied for by Scouts or Scouters directly.

Insignia Title Started Description
Medal of MeritMedal of Merit1952 
Heroism AwardHeroism Award1983discontinued late 2012; reinstated, February 2018
Honor MedalHonor Medal1947 

Leadership and training

These awards are generally earned by the Scouters themselves.

Insignia Title Started Description
Den Leader's Training AwardDen Leader Training Award1989 
Scouter's Training AwardScouter's Training Award1947 
Scouter's KeyScouter's Key1947 
Commissioner Award of Excellence in Unit ServiceCommissioner Award of Excellence in Unit Service2011 
Doctorate of Commissioner ScienceDoctorate of Commissioner Science2008 
Philmont Training Center Masters Track AwardPhilmont Training Center Masters Track Award2008 
Professional Scouter Training AwardProfessional Training Award1980 

Specialized achievements

These awards are generally earned by the Scouts and Scouters themselves.
In one case (James E. West Fellowships) nomination by others is also possible.

Insignia Title Started Description
Youth Religious EmblemYouth Religious Emblems[5]1971 
Distinguished Conservation Service AwardDistinguished Conservation Service Award2020replaced William T. Hornaday Awards  
James E. West Fellowship AwardJames E. West Fellowship1993 
International Scouter AwardInternational Scouter Award2002 
William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer AwardWilliam D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award2005 
Alumni AwardAlumni Award2011 

Specialized service recognition

These awards are generally granted via nomination and review; they cannot be earned or applied for by Scouts or Scouters directly.

Insignia Title Started Description
Adult Religious AwardAdult Religious Awards[6]1973 
Order of the Arrow Distinguished Service AwardOrder of the Arrow Distinguished Service Award1976distinguished service to OA
Distinguished Commissioner Service AwardDistinguished Commissioner Service Award1987unit/district/council distinguished commissioner service
Community Organization AwardsCommunity Organization Awards[7]2002 
Venturing Leadership AwardVenturing Leadership Award2004 
Scouting Service AwardScouting Service Award [8]2017Incorporates - Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award, Scouting ... Vale la pena! Service Award, Asian American Spirit of Scouting Service Award, American Indian Scouting Association Grey Wolf Award, Special Needs Scouting Service Award

Discontinued

These awards have been completely discontinued or combined and represented by current award knots.

Insignia Title Started Ended Description
William T. Hornaday AwardWilliam T. Hornaday Medals19912020Superseded by Distinguished Conservation Service Award
Skipper's KeySkipper's Key19471949Superseded by Scouter's Key
Ranger AwardExploring Ranger Award19331951Superseded by "Ranger" bar
Air Scout Ace AwardAir Scout Ace Award19501954
Exploring Silver Award (Type I)Exploring Silver Award19541958
Multiple Exploring AwardsExploring Awards Knot[9]19541998
William H. Spurgeon AwardWilliam H. Spurgeon III Award[10]19892007recognition for individuals and organizations contributing significant leadership to the Exploring program[10]
Scoutmaster Award of MeritScoutmaster Award of Merit19872010Superseded by Unit Leader Award of Merit
Scoutmaster Award of MeritVenturing Advisor / Varsity Coach Award of Merit19992010Superseded by Unit Leader Award of Merit
Pack Trainer AwardPack Trainer Award20062011Superseded by Scouter's Training Award[11]
Cubmaster AwardCubmaster Award19892012Superseded by Scouter's Key
Cub Scouter AwardCub Scouter Award19892012Superseded by Scouter's Training Award
Den Leader Coach AwardDen Leader Coach Award19892012Superseded by Den Leader Training Award
Webelos Den Leader AwardWebelos Den Leader Award19892012Superseded by Den Leader Training Award
Tiger Cub Den Leader AwardTiger Cub Den Leader Award19922012Superseded by Den Leader Training Award
George Meany AwardGeorge Meany Award19872011Incorporated in Community Organization Award
Sea BadgeSea Badge19892012Superseded by Seabadge Trident pin
Asian American Spirit of Scouting Service AwardAsian American Spirit of Scouting Service Award20032016Incorporated in Scouting Service Award
¡Scouting ... Vale la peña! Service Award¡Scouting…Vale la Pena! Service Award20032016Incorporated in Scouting Service Award
Whitney M. Young Jr. Service AwardWhitney M. Young Jr. Service Award19892016Incorporated in Scouting Service Award
Speakers Bank AwardSpeakers Bank Award20072011Discontinued

The Scout Association (UK)

The British Scout Association introduced the idea of a cloth 'knot' insignia in 1922, modeled after the military use of ribbons to represent medals and other citations. Many of the Scouting organizations of the Commonwealth of Nations either copy the British system or simply use the British awards and insignia.

Gallantry

Insignia Title Started Description
Bronze CrossBronze CrossYearDesc
Silver CrossSilver CrossYearDesc
Gilt CrossGilt CrossYearDesc
Cornwell Scout BadgeCornwell Scout BadgeYearDesc

Meritorious Conduct

Insignia Title Started Description
Medal for Meritorious ConductMedal for Meritorious ConductYearDesc
Chief Scout's Commendation for Meritorious ConductChief Scout's Commendation for Meritorious ConductYearDesc

Service

Insignia Title Started Description
Silver WolfSilver WolfYearDesc
Silver AcornSilver AcornYearDesc
Award for MeritAward for MeritYearDesc
Chief Scout's Commendation for Good ServiceChief Scout's Commendation for Good ServiceYearDesc
Chief Scout's Personal AwardChief Scout's Personal AwardYearDesc
Commissioner Commendation AwardCommissioner's Commendation AwardYearDesc
Chief Scout's Length of Service AwardsLength of Service DecorationYearDesc

World Organization of the Scout Movement

Insignia Title Started Description
Bronze Wolf AwardBronze Wolf Award1935The World Organization of the Scout Movement offers only one award to scouters, the Bronze Wolf Award and it is considered the highest honor that can be bestowed on an adult scout leader throughout the world. There is approximately one award given for every 2,000,000 scouts.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Square knot insignia.
  • "Awards Central". Scouting.org. Boy Scouts of America.
  • "Awards-Knots". U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  • Crowl, George. "Illustrated History of BSA Square Knot Evolution". BSA Badge History.
  • Crowl, George. "Knots, Pins, and Insignia of the Boy Scouts of America". Crowl Family Webpages. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  • Kauffmann, Michael. "Scouter Knots". MeritBadge.org. Archived from the original on March 10, 2019.
  • Walton, Mike. "Knot Emblems of the BSA". Badge and Uniform Site.

Further reading

  • Whitman, Gary (2014). Ribbon Bars & Knot Awards of the Boy Scouts of America (7th ed.). CreateSpace. ISBN 978-1499201277.

References

  1. ↑ "Guide to Awards and Insignia". Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "Square Knot Insignia used by the Boy Scouts of America". October 1, 1999. Archived from the original on May 14, 2010. Retrieved June 10, 2007.
  3. ↑ Crowl, George (2005). Knot Awards of Non-US Scouting Associations (11 ed.). Jersey Village, TX. p. 5. Retrieved March 27, 2022.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ "In the Loop: A Guide to Square Knots and How to Wear Them". October 20, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2017.
  5. ↑ As of March 2018, there were 36 religions and denominations that sponsored religious emblems programs for youth, many with different emblems for different ages of youth. This knot represents any of those.
  6. ↑ "Adult Religious Awards". US Scouting Service Project. As of March 2018, there were 34 religions and churches or denominations which sponsored awards for adult service to scouting in that faith. This knot represents any of those 34 distinct awards, which are not offered by scouting, but by the church or religion itself.
  7. ↑ "Community Organization Awards". Boy Scouts of America. As of March 2018, there were 20 secular community orgaanizations which sponsored awards for adult service to scouting in that organization. This knot represents any of those 20 distinct awards, which are not offered by Scouting, but by the community organization itself.
  8. ↑ "Scouting Service Award Combines Five Awards into One Cool Square Knot". February 17, 2017. Retrieved February 27, 2017. As of March 2018, there were 5 distinct awards represented by this knot, each focused on service to a particular, traditionally under-served demographic: African-American, Asian-American, Latino-American, Native American, and Special Needs youth.
  9. ↑ This knot has represented several different awards, many overlapping: Silver Award 1954-1986; Ranger 1978-1996; Ace 1978-1996; Explorer Achievement Award 1986-1995; Young American Award 1995-1996; Exploring G.O.L.D. Award 1995-1998.
  10. 1 2 "William H. Spurgeon Award" (PDF). Exploring. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Update on Training Awards for Adult Unit Leaders". jayhawkcouncil.org. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020.
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