Talk:Scout sign and salute

Picture?

That picture isn't the Scout Salute, it's the Scout Sign thats made during the saying of the Scout Promise (Whilst the Scout Salute is used for greeting and during opening and closing ceremonies) At least thats how it works in South Africa. Jediwannabe 15:17, 20 September 2006 (UTC)

It is the same way in the BSA. And the caption is... awful. --Gadget850 ( Ed) 18:25, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Those people aren't even Scouts, they're Rovers (Granted they fall under the same general movement). Jediwannabe 13:16, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

I'll see if I can get a friend to send me some pictures of Scout salutes. Then we can get a proper image. Blast ^{[improve me]} 25.06.07 0202 (UTC)

Critique

I'm in the BSA, so I'd like some feedback before making any changes, as things are different in other organizations.

• We don't salute other Scouts, only the flag. When handing off the flag in a ceremony, it is the flag that is saluted, not the Scout.
• I never heard about this "bond". Is this a tradition elsewhere or just a retcon?
• The second paragraph repeats elements of the first.
• As far as I can see, the only difference is how the salute is presented is in palm out (Commonwealth style) or palm in (US style).
• Canadian Scouts do the salute vertically?

--Gadget850 ( Ed) 18:34, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

• In South Africa we salute the flag during a ceremony, and we salute each other as a formal greeting, and when receiving awards. The salute isn't used as a casual greeting as the article implies.
• I've also never heard of this "bond", but I suppose it makes sense, I've always been taught, and always teach my scouts that the three fingers stand for the three parts of the Scout Promise, Duty to God and Country, Duty to Others (to help other people at all times), and Duty to self (to obey the scout law), this is also the official explanation in the South African Scout Association handbooks.
• The second paragraph is basically useless, my understanding is that BSA took the US armed forces salute and changed it to the standard Scout salute (Ok, great...why is that interesting??) Wouldn't it just be easier just to say that BSA salutes palm in, and most other countries salute palm out?
• What's a vertical salute??

This article needs some serious work. Someone who knows nothing about Scouting will read it and all they'll really learn is that BSA scouts salute like the US armed forces but in the Scout salute style, Canadian Scouts salute vertically and the rest of the world salute in some other manner that isn't mentioned explicity. Also, that picture needs to be changed, it's school holidays over here now so I can't take a picture of one of my Scouts saluting. Jediwannabe 13:14, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

Three fingers for three duties- that is the BSA explanation as well. --Gadget850 ( Ed) 13:31, 30 November 2006 (UTC)

Expand and rename

I propose that this article be expanded to include:

• The two-fingers salute used in Cub Scouting
• The four finger salute used in Venturing (Boy Scouts of America)
• The Scout sign, Cub Scout sign and Venturing sign that is a variation of the salute.

As such, it should then be renamed to Scout sign and salute. Scout Sign currently redirects to this article. Per the BSA Language of Scouting, sign and salute are lower case- we would need to decide if that fits all the programs. --Gadget850 ( Ed) 11:01, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

• support expansion and renaming. Chris 17:44, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Two-fingers salute

I cleaned up the Cub Scout section of two-fingers salute. I suggest we drop the project tags on that page as I don't really see it as Scouting relevant now. --Gadget850 ( Ed) 14:27, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

Half vs Full salute

When I was a young scout in the Netherlands I was taught that the full salute could only be offered if the saluter was wearing full uniform including headgear. Half-salute was to be given when not complying to those conditions.

The distinction between half-salute and sign is a new one on me. From my time as a Troup Leader with the Sea Scouts (Schipper) I remember that when taking the oath of a new member, the entire troup/watch (officers included) would gather and offer half-salute during the actual pronouncement. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Gwaptiva (talk • contribs) 07:51, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

fingers NOT touching head

Haven't checked each individual edit, but 50 edits ago, 100 edits ago, and 150 edits ago, this article included the questionable description "with the fingertips on the brow of the head". Based on skimming the rest of the article, that does not seem factually accurate... or logically possible: unless maybe referring to the temple as part of the forehead, how can the fingertips touch the forehead if the palm is supposed to face out?

i can only guess that editors more familiar than i am with this hand configuration (confingeration?) intend the line to mean "with the fingertips held level with the brow of the head", but for me to put that in the article would be unverified speculation.

I suspect you will find that this is something that varies from country to country. HiLo48 (talk) 00:44, 12 September 2023 (UTC)

--173.67.42.107 (talk) 15:19, 11 September 2023 (UTC)