Six Month Service Badge

This award allows you to gain knowledge of the Boy’s Brigade movement both in Australia and internationally, an understanding of its working in order to contribute to improving it or creating new movements yourself and how to develop and teach others practical skills primarily using the activity of drill.

Six Month Service Quiz Print the quiz, complete and hand to your LIC

To obtain your Six Month Service Badge you need to:

• Be in BB Seniors for six months
• Know The BB Motto
• Know The Object of BB
• Date of the start of BB
• Wear BB uniform correctly
• The company Name and Structure
• Basic understanding the award system.
• Basic Drill movements

Basic Drill Movements

Additional information

The Motto

“Sure and Stedfast.”

The Motto comes from Chapter 6, verse 19 of the Book of Hebrews from the King James Version (translation) of the Bible (notice the misspelling of steadfast is intentional as it quotes this verse!):
“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast”.

The Object of Boys’ Brigade

“The advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among Boys, and the promotion of habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-Respect, and all that tends towards a true Christian Manliness.”

The program of BB continues to evolve and innovate over time, and you are certainly encouraged to contribute and be part of improving BB. But why we do BB is more important than what we do in BB. To guide our focus on what is unique about BB from all other youth groups and activities (even though many copy and borrow a lot of what we do) we always come back to the original Object of the Movement.

Advancing the Kingdom of God through training certain habits and recognising we should strive throughout our lives to live out the ideal idea of maturity.

Date of the start of BB

Founding of BB (the first voluntary youth movement) The Boys’ Brigade was founded on 4th October, 1883, by William Alexander Smith at the Free College Church Mission, North Woodside Road, Glasgow.
William Smith, a voluntary Sunday School teacher and “Volunteers” member (similar to our Army Reserves), devised a unique youth movement and program framework based on Christian ideals (religion) and achieving personal goals (discipline) for his Sunday School members of 12 years of age. Choosing activities that engaged boys of that generation the initial program included a simple form of parade drill, gymnastics, and team games. Other activities were soon added and in 1886 William Smith held the first camp. In fact it was the start of recreation camping for young people!

Wear BB uniform correctly

Senior’s Classic Uniform

Cap: Navy blue Brigade Field Service, worn angled slightly to the right with the cross-over flaps to the front. Viewed from the right side, the base of the cap should be horizontal. The crown is tapped down to give a “dipped” effect. Brigade Metal Cap Badge is worn on the left side of the cap (flap section), the front of the badge being 50mm from the front of the cap. [State/Territory option: a Broad Brimmed Hat instead of the cap]

Shirt: Brigade navy blue long-sleeved, with two button-flap patch pockets and epaulettes. Combined Brigade / Company Title woven tapes, sewn centrally onto each sleeve, the top edge of the tape being 50mm below the shoulder seam. Brigade cloth Section Crest, comprising stylised logo with the word ‘Seniors’ immediately below, worn on the left pocket, centrally and midway between point of the pocket flap and the bottom of the pocket. Brigade Battalion / Group Council Crest (where applicable), worn on the right pocket, centrally and midway between point of the pocket flap and the bottom of the pocket.

Armbands: Brigade Armbands (right and/or left arm) for award badges. Where the Right Armband is worn the Brigade / Company Title tape will be sewn onto the armband – centrally, with the top edge of the tape 50mm below the top of the armband. The Left Armband is worn midway between the shoulder and the elbow. Each badge and Leadership Braid when achieved is to be positioned as per the Award System specifications.

Shoulder Belt: Brigade white shoulder belt is worn over the right shoulder under the epaulette and looped around the belt at the left hip passing over the outside of the belt at the front, with the buckle located just above the belt at the front. Sergeants & Staff-Sergeants will wear a red shoulder belt instead of the white belt. [Companies may choose to have their Staff-Sergeants wear the Brigade leather shoulder belt instead of the red shoulder belt.]

Tie: Brigade light blue, neatly tied with the tip of the tie just reaching the top of the belt buckle. The tie shall pass behind the shoulder belt.

Belt: Brigade black leather.

Slacks: Approved navy blue. [State/Territory may approve on the basis of climate, the wearing of navy blue Shorts by Seniors and Officers at Company, Battalion/Group Council, or State events.]

Socks: Short navy [Brigade long socks, pulled to below the knee, are to be worn with shorts].

Shoes: Black leather, capable of being polished.

Rank Insignia: Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) rank shall be designated by the relevant Brigade insignia (Stripes) worn on each epaulette – the stripes pointing outwards. The insignia will have 1,2 or 3 stripes to denote the particular rank: Lance Corporal – I stripe ; Corporal – 2 stripes; Sergeant – 3 stripes; Staff Sergeant – 4 stripes (pointing inwards).

Climate options: For hot weather, the Captain may approve for Company Parade nights, that long sleeves be worn rolled to above the elbow, and ties and shoulder belt omitted. For cold weather, a Brigade approved navy blue jumper or jacket may be worn. On Company nights or casual outings for those Boys or Companies wearing shorts, navy blue track suit pants or slacks may be worn.

Senior’s Contemporary Uniform

Cap: Approved navy blue baseball-style Cap with stylised logo embroidered on the front.

Shirt: Approved navy blue Polo Shirt with stylised logo embroidered on left breast pocket area. Brigade Section Name woven tape, with the word ‘Seniors’, worn centrally and immediately below the shirt logo.

Armbands: Brigade Armbands (right and/or left arm) for award badges. Where the Right Armband is worn the Brigade / Company Title tape will be sewn onto the armband – centrally, with the top edge of the tape 50mm below the top of the armband. The Left Armband is worn midway between the shoulder and the elbow. Each badge and Leadership Braid when achieved is to be positioned as per the Award System specifications.

Belt: Brigade black leather Belt.

Slacks/Shorts: Either Approved navy blue Slacks with short navy Socks (Brigade long socks, pulled up to below the knee, may be worn), or Approved navy blue Shorts with belt loops, worn with Brigade Socks – navy blue with two white bands, pulled up to just below the knee.

Shoes: Black leather, capable of being polished.

Rank Insignia: Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) rank shall be designated by the relevant metal Brigade badge, worn on the right armband. The badge will have 1,2 or 3 ‘V’ shaped stripes (pointing downwards) to denote the particular rank: Lance Corporal – I stripe ; Corporal – 2 stripes; Sergeant – 3 stripes; Staff-Sergeant – 4 stripes.

Climate options: For cold weather, a Brigade approved navy blue jumper or jacket may be worn. 

Your BB Company will either wear the Senior Section Classic or Contemporary Uniform option for Company Parade Night and other formal occasions (not both)

The company Name and Structure

The whole world-wide movement is called “The Boys’ Brigade” or BB. In Australia, the movement is known as The Boys’ Brigade Australia. The local group unit in the Church is the Company, and  members should speak oft heir Company not as “the Brigade”, but as the “4th WA  Suburb Name “.
Every Company must be part of a Church or Christian organisation, and the Church appoints the Company Captain and all other leaders. The Minister or Clergyman of the Church, is usually the Company Chaplain, and helps determine the direction and focus of each local BB program to complement and at times work with the other programs of that Church.

Company & program structure

Because BB caters for young people from 5 to 18 years old there are three distinct programs to cover this wide spread of ages: Anchors, Juniors and Seniors. The Captain has discretion to determine at which age a Boy can be a member of a particular Section within these age ranges. Your BB Age is the age that you become during that year, i.e. if you turn 15 during this year your BB Age for this year is 15).

Boys in pre-primary join BB’s Anchors Section where there is special emphasis on fun with activities such as games, craft, stories and outings and the chance to gain three Activity Badges. If you know anyone in this age range and your Company has this Section get them along!

The Achievement Scheme of the Junior Section provides a varied and challenging program tailored to each age level to develop each member in all areas: Spiritual, Educational, Social and Physical.
While in this Section a Boy may gain up to eight Achievement Badges.

The Seniors Section Award System encourages and rewards members to challenge themselves further, especially to engage more directly in their local and wider community and issues that impact on their peers, themselves and the world as well as exploring further God’s creation. There is so much life out there yet to be discovered!

Trained Adult Leaders

BB leaders, appointed by the Church, are known as Leaders. Their titles signify their role responsibilities and training completed.

Positions:
Captain The Captain oversees the running of all the Sections in your Company. He is responsible to the Church for the Company.
Chaplain Each Company may have a Chaplain (usually the minister of the Church), who is also an Leader.
L-I-C Most Companies will have an Officer In Charge (O-I-C) of each Section.

Ranks:
Lieutenants All Leaders who have completed their initial and ongoing training requirements are known as Lieutenants (pronounced ‘lefttenant’).
Warrant Officers or Helpers who have not yet completed initial training or have not maintained their training requirements.

The Award System

Awards in BB provide a progressive programme of activities to inspire you throughout your teen years particularly of the unexpected possibilities that exist right now to you, as well as equip and empower you to contribute to your local settings and the wider world. It also recognises achievements such as sacrifices made for long-term commitment to BB involvement, training undertaken, or projects of lasting impact to others.
With the Activity Awards when you complete Level 1 of each award you will be presented with a badge and a certificate will be placed in your Record Book by your Captain.
On completion of Level 2 and higher levels of an award, a certificate and a coloured back cloth is presented to be worn behind the Badge to indicate the level gained. Only the cloth representing the highest level gained is worn behind the badge. The colours represent the level of the award gained:

Work started in one session or year (1 January to 31 December) may be carried across into the subsequent session if not completed.
The next level of an award may be commenced immediately upon completing the previous level provided that the minimum age requirements are observed. The ages are based on BB Age. Your BB Age is the age that you turn during that year eg. if you turn 15 during this year you are 15 BB Age for the year (even if your birthday is December 31!).
For many awards reports are required. Use your imagination as a variety of formats is encouraged: a photographic essay, video, animation, interactive website or app, poster, play, etc. Discuss reporting options with your Captain.
At the start of your career in Seniors Section there are at least eight Activity awards and two attendance awards available to you. To gain these awards will require effort on your part. When you reach 15 BB Age additional awards become available.

Basic Drill Movements