Looks like I can more or less answer my own post.   Did some googling and found some info on Scoutingnews.org:

"Please allow me to respond to several concerns and to further explain the emblem, based on my conversation with BSA folks involved in the selection and implementation of the emblem.

First, the emblem is as described, designed to be worn by ALL members of the BSA during 2010 and 2011. As one of several items being released this fall, the emblem should be worn between now (August 2009) and July 2011, when the last of the BSA’s official observances recognizing the BSA’s 100th anniversary will have concluded. This also gives other local Councils who choose not to provide the emblem during 2009 but waiting until the start of 2010, the same 18-month period of time to wear the emblem.

Second, RIGHT NOW, it is not recommended to be worn with the field uniform after July 2011, which means that it’s not part of the Jamboree uniform in 2013. This may change upon the BSA’s petition to allow the wearing of the emblem with the World Crest as an exception to WOSM policies.

Third, George’s comments are valid. He stated, quoting here “Personally, I believe it detracts from the World Crest. The Crest, unenhanced, is worn by most uniformed Scouts in 160 countries. So it would be a distraction or confusion to visiting Scouts. (Hm… smacks of US imperialism…) Help me justify the positioning of this temporary patch” endquote.

He stated something in his last sentence which bares repeating: the “Centennial Ring Emblem” is NOT a PERMANENT PART OF THE UNIFORM but rather one of several TEMPORARY PIECES OF INSIGNIA which the BSA developed to allow Scouts, Scouters, Venturing youth and adult, and Sea Scout youth and adults, as well as all volunteers and professionals to honor the BSA’s 100th year of service to our nation.

Therefore, George, you may choose to wear the emblem or not; and after I post the entry on my Badge and Uniform Site, I hope and pray that local Councils’ Scout Executives don’t go overboard with “mandating” that “everyone in our Council will wear this” and likewise, that they inform their unit leaders and Commissioners that the emblem is VOLUNTARY, and NOT a “required item to wear on the uniform during the next couple of years.”

Fourth, Thom wrote as a comment, quote “I suspect some people that have more than three rows of knots will have a hard time placing it” end quote.
The current BSA Insignia (Control) Guide recommends (doesn’t require, but RECOMMENDS) that Scouters wear no more than three rows (or nine) “square knot insignia” on the field uniform at one time. This, according to those I’ve personally talked with, will be stricken from future editions. It was a suggestion placed in there which, on second and third blush, seems to be silly in view that the BSA will be introducing a couple more “square knot insignia” items in the next two years (there’s currently 40 of those, ten of which may be worn by youth members). The follow-up which state that folks should wear the World Crest in the “right location” is absolutely correct — however, with the BSA having the Crest pre-sewn onto the shirts, most people are not going to expend the time in taking the Crest off and resewing it in the right location.

I’ll post a page this evening to the Badge and Uniform Site with this information as well as additional information. I’ll be wearing it on a couple of my Jamboree shirts next summer; and I’ll be wearing it during 2010 and the first six months of 2011 as the BSA’s observances wind downward. Then, it’ll be another item that I’ll put away and maybe my grandsons and daughters may get $10 from in 2060!!

Settummanque!

LTC Mike Walton (settummanque, the blackeagle)
Owner/Editor, Badge and Uniform Site (currently at http://www.mninter.net/~blkeag…..signia.htm // moving to http://www.wheredoesitgo.com in 2010)"

-Moonshake (John R)