Order of the Arrow

The purpose of the Order of the Arrow is fourfold:

1. To recognize those Scout campers who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives
2. To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit
3. To promote Scout camping
4. To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others

   History
   Membership
   Eligibility
   Induction
   Brotherhood Membership
   Vigil Honor
   Lodges
   Sections
   Selecting Adults for the Order of the Arrow

History

The Order of the Arrow (OA) was founded by Dr. E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson in 1915 at the Treasure Island Camp of the Philadelphia Council, Boy Scouts of America. It became an official program experiment in 1922 and was approved as part of the Scouting program in 1934. In 1948 the OA, recognized as the BSA's national brotherhood of honor campers, became an official part of the national camping program of the Boy Scouts of America.

Membership

The OA has more than 181,000 members located in lodges affiliated with more than 300 BSA local councils.

Eligibility

To become a member, a youth must be a registered member of a Boy Scout troop or Varsity Scout team and hold First Class rank. The youth must have experienced 15 days and nights of camping during the two years before his election. The 15 days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps. Scouts are elected to the Order by their fellow troop or Varsity team members, following approval by the Scoutmaster or Varsity Scout Coach.

Induction

The induction ceremony, called the Ordeal, is conducted at Scout camp and is the first step toward full membership. During the experience, candidates maintain complete silence, receive small amounts of food, work on camp improvement projects, and are required to sleep alone, apart from other campers, which teaches significant values.

Brotherhood Membership

After 10 months of service and fulfilling certain requirements, a member may take part in the Brotherhood ceremony, which places further emphasis on the ideals of Scouting and the Order. Completion of this ceremony signifies full membership in the OA.

Vigil Honor

After two years of service as a Brotherhood member, and with the approval of the national Order of the Arrow Committee, a Scout may be recognized with the Vigil Honor for outstanding service to Scouting, his lodge, and the community. This honor is bestowed by special selection and is limited to one person for every 50 members registered with the lodge each year.

Lodges

Each Order of the Arrow lodge is granted a charter from the National Council, BSA, upon annual application by the local council. The OA lodge helps the local council provide a quality Scouting program through recognition of Scouting spirit and performance, development of youth leadership and service, promotion of Scout camping and outdoor programs, and enhancement of membership tenure.

Sections

An Order of the Arrow section consists of lodges within a geographic area of the region. Once every year, representatives of lodges in the section come together for a conclave to share in fellowship, skills, and training. All of the elected section chiefs form the conference committee for a national Order of the Arrow event, which is held under the guidance of the national Order of the Arrow Committee.

The regional chief is the youth leader of the region elected by the section chiefs for a term of office specified by the national Order of the Arrow Committee, which coincides with the term of national chief and vice chief. This election is held in conjunction with called meetings of the section chiefs to elect the national chief and vice chief, as well as to plan a national Order of the Arrow event.

The regional Order of the Arrow chairman is an adult appointed by the regional director. The professional adviser for the region is a staff member assigned to the position by the region director.

Selecting Adults for the Order of the Arrow

The Order of the Arrow is a youth organization. Youth Ordeal Member candidates are elected by the members of their troop or team most of whom are not members at the time they vote. Election by non-members is a unique feature of the Order. Adults have a special place in the background of Order of the Arrow operations and their selection process differs from that of youth candidates. What follows is a summary of the adult selection process as prescribed by the National Office of the Boy Scouts of America.

Adult candidates are elected to membership by the Lodge Adult Selection Committee upon recommendation by their troop, team or district/council. In Tall Pine Council, the Lodge Adult Selection Committee consists of:
· the Lodge Adviser
· the Lodge Staff Adviser and
· the Council Camping Committee chair
This special committee reports directly to the Scout Executive who casts final approval upon the adults elected by it.

Adults may hold more than one position in Scouting, the Order of the Arrow looks at the adult candidate’s primary scouting registration – registered positions in a “multiple” capacity are ignored. Because the nomination process differs between Scouters at the unit level and Scouters at the District/Council level, the determination of a candidate’s primary registration is important. The council office can answer questions about primary and multiple registrations. For adults whose primary registration is at the unit level (in troops or teams), that unit must have elected at least one youth into membership that year; and the recommendation is made by the Unit Committee for that unit, and signed by the Committee Chair. For adults serving in District or Council positions, the nomination may be made by the Lodge Adviser, the District Chair, the Council President, or any member of the Council Professional Staff, and signed by them.

Adult nominations will not be considered unless their nomination form is signed by the appropriate authorized recommending official just listed. The signed nomination is then forwarded to the Lodge Elections Adviser

To be considered, the adult nomination form must be filled out completely and the answers to the four questions on the form must be in sufficient detail that the reviewers, without personal knowledge of the candidate, can determine that the candidate has met the four criteria for selection. The committee won’t guess and can’t assume based on the mere existence of the nomination form. The Lodge Elections Adviser may attempt to contact nominators or candidates to correct minor errors in the form. Selection of an adult is based on the following four items -- attachments supporting the nomination that further demonstrate these criteria are encouraged:

1. Tthe ability to perform the necessary functions to help the Order fulfill its purposes and not for recognition of service, including current or prior achievement and position;
2. the individual will be an asset to the Order because of demonstrated abilities that fulfill the purpose of the Order;
3. the camping requirements set forth for youth members are fulfilled, AND;
4. the adult leader’s membership will provide a positive role model for the growth and development of the youth members of the lodge.

Adult selection into the Order of the Arrow is subjective. Being nominated by an authorized official does not ensure selection. Adult nominees will not be selected if it appears that the purpose of their nomination was to honor them or to recognize their past accomplishments in Scouting.

Adult nominees will not be selected if it appears to the selection committee that the adult would not properly fulfill the role of an adult adviser in the Order or otherwise fails to meet one or more of the four criteria above. Selected adult candidates will generally be those Scouters who evidence a sincere support for youth leadership and have demonstrated the support of youth leadership in activities; who support personally full and proper uniform requirements by themselves and the youth around them; and who have in the past supported participation in OA activities by youth and who appear to have both the time and inclination to become actively involved in the functions of the Order of the Arrow.

So, we need a few good adults – but we’re looking exclusively at quality and not at all at quantity. If you have what it takes to be an effective adult adviser in the Lodge, we want you!