The unit pennant: what it is and how to make one

At a Pathfinder gathering, you can spot from a distance which group is which by the small flag raised on a pole: it's the unit pennant. Just as the club has its own flag, each unit has its own pennant, the symbol that says "this is my crew." More than just a piece of fabric, it's the visual heart of the unit's identity, alongside its name, symbol and battle cry. In this article you'll learn what the pennant is, its role within the unit, and how to make your own, along with the most commonly used measurements and an honest note about what varies from source to source.

🚩What the unit pennant is

The pennant is the small flag (a pennon, the kind of flag that narrows to a point) that represents each unit within the Pathfinder Club. If the whole club has its own official flag, each unit has its own pennant, which is why many materials describe it as "the unit's flag."

Its main function is identification: raised on a pole, the pennant shows from a distance where each unit is, whether at the weekly meeting, a parade, an Investiture, or a camporee full of people. It serves both as a meeting point and as the group's calling card.

It's worth noting that the pennant isn't an optional detail of the club: the official Adventist website, describing the advanced Field and Forest Researcher class, lists as a requirement "know and know how to properly use the Pathfinder flag and the unit pennant." In other words, knowing what the pennant is and how to use it is part of a Pathfinder's own training.

👥The pennant and the unit's identity

Within the club, Pathfinders are organized into units, smaller groups, usually of six to eight members, with a captain and a secretary. And a real unit doesn't live by a list of names alone: it has an identity. Leadership materials tend to sum up this identity in four elements: name, pennant (with the symbol), and battle cry.

Everything starts with the name. The unit is free to choose, as long as the name isn't offensive or against the church's principles. Generally, strong, meaningful names are chosen, animals (Eagle, Harpy, Lion, Panther), elements of nature, or biblical names, that motivate children and teens to wear that group's colors with pride. The mascot, when there is one, usually grows straight out of that name: the Eagle unit adopts the eagle, the Lion unit adopts the lion, and so on.

From the name comes the symbol: a design that graphically represents the characteristics of the unit's name. That symbol is what gets stamped at the center of the pennant. And from it also comes the battle cry, the chant the unit lets out to hype itself up and announce its presence. A tip that comes up often in leadership materials is to involve the unit itself in the creation: launch an internal "contest" to choose the battle cry, rather than having the captain decide alone, that way everyone feels ownership of the identity.

"Launch a contest within the unit to choose the unit's 'Battle Cry.'"Leadership material, Cantinho da Unidade (Unit System)

📣Name, mascot and battle cry: how to create them

For the name, gather the unit and brainstorm ideas together. Good criteria: it should be easy to shout, carry a meaning the group admires, and fit the phase of the group. Remember the one rule the materials keep repeating: nothing offensive, and nothing against the church's principles. Once chosen, the name becomes the reference point for everything else, symbol, mascot, colors and battle cry.

The mascot gives the unit a face. If the name is an animal, it's practically already the mascot; if it's a biblical or abstract name, the unit can adopt a figure that represents that idea. The mascot shows up on the pennant's symbol, on t-shirts, and in the unit's materials, helping build that feeling of "this group is mine."

As for the battle cry, it depends on creativity, and leadership materials offer one consistent, practical guideline: the unit's name needs to appear at least once in the cry. It can simply be the name repeated with rhythm, the name paired with a Bible verse, the name with the unit's motto, or even a little tune about the group's ideals. What matters is that it's upbeat, easy to memorize, and never offensive to anyone.

📐How to make the pennant: measurements and materials

The pennant's specifications show up in a fairly consistent way across various club and leadership materials. The most commonly cited standard describes a pennant shaped like a pennon, generally in white fabric with blue details: a thin blue border (about 4 mm) running around the piece, and a blue stripe 10 cm wide applied along the full height on the pole side.

As for the measurements, the most commonly cited width is 55 cm on the pole side, narrowing toward the opposite tip to create the pennant shape. The unit's name is usually written vertically over the blue stripe. The official Pathfinder insignia (about 10 x 10 cm) is placed about 7.5 cm below the top border, on the line between the blue and white sections, and the unit symbol sits at the center of the white section, not exceeding roughly 12.5 x 12.5 cm.

The pennant is attached to a pole, the most commonly cited size is around 1.70 m tall and 2.5 cm thick. When putting it together, attention to detail matters: many clubs decorate the pole with cords, ribbons and paint. And there's a point of etiquette leaders make a point of teaching: the pennant should always be held high and well cared for, never dropped on the ground, because how it's treated reflects the unit's own pride and care.

⚖️What varies: things to check before cutting the fabric

Here's the honest part. The measurements above are the ones most repeated across club materials, but there are variations between sources, mainly in height. Some materials cite 26 cm in height on the pole side; others say 36 cm. There are also small differences in the name of the central insignia (described as A1 in some texts and D1 in others) and in the exact shade of blue (royal blue in some versions).

Why the variation? Because much of this detailed specification circulates in leadership materials, club blogs and specialized wikis, rather than in a single standard published worldwide on the official site. The official Adventist website confirms that the pennant exists and that Pathfinders should know how to use it, but the detailed measurement chart usually comes from these supporting materials.

So the practical recommendation is simple: use the measurements in this article as a starting point, but before having it made, confirm the standard with your club leadership and with the Youth Ministries documents of your union or association. That way your unit's pennant turns out true to local guidelines, and looking sharp.