Guide for Officers and Advisers - Order of the Arrow, BSAGuide for Officers and Advisers – 4 –...

Guide for Officers and AdvisersA guide containing the current policies concerning the organization and administrationof the Order of the Arrow lodge.

Revised May 2019

Guide for Officers and Advisers – i – Order of the Arrow, BSA

ContentsForeword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Lodge Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Lodge Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7The Order of the Arrow National Bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Lodge Ledger and OA Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Camping Promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Membership Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13OA LodgeMaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Lodge Membership Fees and Dues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Lodge Pocket Flaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Lodge Finances and Financial Records. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Lodge Charter Renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Lodge Journey to Excellence Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Forming Lodge Chapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Don’t Just Meet: Do (But Not Too Much) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Lodge Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Membership Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18The Key 3 Team For Lodge Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Unit Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Election to Ordeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Ceremonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Choosing Vigil Honor Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Structure, Program, and Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33National Order of the Arrow Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35National Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35National Conference Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36National Leadership Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Developing Youth Leadership Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Order of the Arrow Adviser Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Regional Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Section Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37The OA and International Scouting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Special Programs and Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Guidelines for Assisting Scouts and Scouters with Special Needs . 41Lenni Lenape Word List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Guide for Officers and Advisers

Foreword

Congratulations to Arrowmen who haveaccepted leadership in the lodge. You have animportant responsibility to your fellow Arrow-men and to the future of your lodge. This bookhas been written especially for you.

While some of the material will seem familiar, itis important that you absorb all the informationoffered in this guide and display the knowledgeyou gain through your leadership performance.

This Order of the Arrow Guide for Officers andAdvisers reflects the current policies concern-ing the organization and administration of theOrder of the Arrow lodge. It is available at theOrder’s official Website, www.oa-bsa.org. Alllodge and chapter officers and advisers shouldhave a copy.

Scouting’s National Honor Society

Guide for Officers and Advisers – 1 – Order of the Arrow, BSA

http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/publications

Lodge Administration

Upon close study, you’ll find that your lodge—its purpose, program, and especially its mem-bership—is a natural extension of Scoutingitself. It stems from a mutual desire of its mem-bers—experienced Scouts and Scouters—toserve a program they greatly admire, respect,and believe in. Good lodge administration iscrucial to the lodge’s success and, when prop-erly conducted, brings together a dynamicgroup of self-motivated individuals, unitingthem in service to others. It develops synergy,that rare instance where the sum of all theparts is greater than the whole.

Policies and procedures for the Order of theArrow, which are developed by the nationalOrder of the Arrow committee based on soundand tested experience, unify the lodges nation-ally in furthering the objectives of the Order asScouting’s National Honor Society. The uniqueattraction of the Order is its combination ofinspiration, fellowship, and fun that holds, indedicated service and devotion, your council’sfinest youth and adults.

As a leader, you show the way for others. Leadby example, in thought, word, and deed. Fol-low the policies, procedures, and guidelinesthat have been established, adapting them asnecessary to local conditions. Always remem-ber not to shortcut a procedure or bypass apolicy, for in doing so you weaken not onlyyour lodge but the Order of the Arrow nation-ally.

From its humble beginning, the Order of theArrow was designed as a resource to Scouting.It is often credited with maintaining the interestof older youth in Scouting and retaining themas they reach adulthood, providing a pool ofleaders to Scouting in the council. Arrowmen

can best serve the movement through theirpersonal example by upholding the spirit andtraditions of the OA and Scouting.

Two-deep leadership is required on all Order ofthe Arrow meetings, trips, and outings. This is aminimum requirement and additional supervi-sion may be necessary depending on thenature of the activities and the size of thegroup.

Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age orover are required at all Scouting activities,including meetings. A registered female adultleader over 21 must be present for any activityincluding female youth. Notwithstanding theminimum leader requirement, age and pro-gram appropriate supervision must always beprovided.

Eligible leadership must:

• Be 21 and over

• Be registered as volunteers with the BSA

• Have gone through a background check,and

• Be up-to-date on Youth Protection Train-ing

(All Arrowmen 18 to 20 years of age are con-sidered adults except for voting and holdingoffice, in which case they are consideredyouths.) This is not only a policy—it is just com-mon sense.

When planning OA activities and meetings,advisers need to keep the following in mindwhen female youth and adults are present:


• Restroom and shower facilities must beavailable for females or schedules createdto provide separate times for female use.

• Separate tent or sleeping accommodationsmust be provided for male and female, andtent-mates cannot be greater than twoyears apart in age.

Organization

Next to the membership itself, the lodge is themost important element in the Order of theArrow because that is where the program iscarried out. But before it can carry out the pro-gram, the lodge must be properly organized.

Within the council, the Scout executive is thefinal authority over the Order of the Arrow and,for this reason, holds the title of Supreme Chiefof the Fire. It is the Scout executive’s job to seethat the lodge adheres to national policy.

Each year the Scout executive appoints anadult volunteer to serve as the lodge adviser. AsDeputy Supreme Chief of the Fire, the lodgeadviser acts on behalf of the Scout executive inguiding the day-to-day affairs of the lodge.This person normally serves as a member ofthe council’s camping or program committeeand is frequently selected to serve on thecouncil executive board.

In some councils, the Scout executive serves asthe lodge staff adviser, but in most casesappoints a member of the professional staff tothat position. The staff adviser, as Chief of theFire, acts on behalf of the Scout executive ingiving guidance to the lodge adviser and thelodge leadership. With support and counselfrom the Scout executive, it is the staff adviser'srole to see that the lodge adheres to nationalpolicy.

Many lodges are broken down into smallerorganizational groups called chapters. Chapteradvisers and chapter staff advisers areappointed annually by the Scout executive, andact on behalf of the lodge adviser in guidingthe day-to-day affairs of the chapter.

All lodge and chapter advisers should beScouters with experience and tenure in the

Order of the Arrow. They need to work closelywith district and council volunteers and profes-sional Scouters. It is the adviser’s responsibilityto see that the OA is working in close supportof, and in harmony with, the council’s strategicplan. It must at all times be remembered thatthe Order is an extension of Scouting, an inte-gral part of it, rather than a separate program.The lodge adviser and lodge chief normallyserve as members of the council camping orprogram committee, while the chapter adviserand chapter chief normally serve on the districtcamping or program committee.

Optionally, with prior approval from the Scoutexecutive, the lodge or chapter adviser mayappoint an associate lodge adviser or associatechapter adviser annually to help fulfill the mis-sion of the lodge. One associate at the chapterlevel should be enough; at the lodge levelmore than one position may be appropriate,depending on the size of the lodge and theduties assigned. If too many associates areappointed, they could interfere and cause con-fusion for the youth who are trying to lead.Service in any of these positions should not beconsidered an automatic pathway to the chap-ter or lodge adviser role.

Lodge officers. The elected officers of thelodge are the lodge chief, lodge vice chief,lodge secretary, and lodge treasurer. Somelodges find it desirable to elect more than onevice chief. Arrowmen desiring to serve as alodge (or chapter) officer or committee chair-man must meet the following eligibilityrequirements:

1. Be currently registered in Scouts BSA, Ven-turing, or Sea Scouting, in the council thatcharters the lodge.

2. Be a member in good standing in thelodge.

3. Be younger than 21 for the entire term ofoffice.

Officers serve a one-year term. Suggestedterms of office are a calendar year, January 1through December 31, or a school year, e.g.,September 1 through August 31. Officers maybe re-elected. It is recommended that lodgeofficers hold no other office in the Order of the


Arrow. This practice will allow the officer todevote their entire effort to the successful per-formance of the duties and responsibilities ofthe office. Lodge chiefs who are elected to bechief of a section, while in office, must resignthe lodge chief position within 30 days afterelection as section chief.

All members of the lodge younger than 21 areeligible to vote.

Lodge executive committee. The executivecommittee of the lodge—a key group—con-sists of the youth serving as lodge officers(including the immediate past lodge chief),lodge operating committee chairmen and theiradvisers, the staff adviser, the lodge adviser,and the Scout executive. If the lodge member-ship decides that this group is not representa-tive, a lodge may select two or three membersat large—American Indian lore or public rela-tions experts, for instance—to serve on thecommittee. If there are chapters in the lodge,the chapter chiefs and chapter advisers aremembers of the lodge executive committee.Any lodge member is welcome to attend exec-utive committee meetings as an observer.

The executive committee is the steering com-mittee of the lodge. It faces the problems,studies possible solutions, and then, throughthe lodge or chapter committee organization,acts. It carries out the business of the lodge,coordinating the work being done by officersand operating committees. Regardless of anyexecutive committee decision or undertaking,the lodge must operate within the policiesestablished by the national Order of the Arrowcommittee, without variation or modification.

The lodge chief is chairperson and presidesover meetings. The lodge chief is expected toprepare agendas and share them with thelodge and staff adviser before sending them tocommittee members with the meetingannouncement.

A definite schedule for executive committeemeetings should be established before thestart of the lodge year. Meetings held monthlyor every two months are the customary pat-tern. Each committee member should have aschedule of the meetings. It is understood that

the lodge chief or Scout executive is privilegedto call a special meeting of the committee ifthe need arises.

The executive committee is a relatively smallgroup and thus is able to handle the businessof the lodge in a quick and efficient manner.The entire membership of the lodge should,however, hear a report of all major decisionsand projects being planned.

Members of the executive committee who arestaff members at a BSA resident camp mayserve on the Order of the Arrow camp councilto handle the OA’s business during camp.When not in camp, the lodge chief appoints anArrowman to serve as camp OA coordinator.

Key 3 leadership. The working relationship ofthe chief, volunteer adviser, and professionalstaff adviser is commonly referred to as the“Key 3.” Key 3 leadership is common to all lev-els of the Order: chapter, lodge, section,region, and national. The Key 3 should meetregularly at each level to establish goals and toevaluate progress toward those goals.

Operating committees. For the lodge toachieve its camping promotion and cheerfulservice objectives, a number of operatingcommittees must be organized to implementits programs.

Committee chairs are appointed by the lodgechief with the approval of the lodge adviser.They become members of the executive com-mittee and may pick their own committeemembers subject to the approval of the lodgechief.

Each operating committee should have one ormore adult committee advisers to guide com-mittee work. They are appointed by the lodgeadviser in consultation with the lodge chief andare approved by the Scout executive or staffadviser. It is the adviser’s job to provide infor-mation, instruction, and coaching for the com-mittee members.

Every Arrowman should serve on one or morecommittees. In this way, all members shareresponsibility for lodge activities and projects.Lodge officers should not be burdened with all


the details of committee meetings and relatedprojects.

Some larger lodges broaden their committeestructure to include editorial, public relations,American Indian dance team, costuming com-mittees, etc.

Lodges organized by chapters should havecorresponding chapter-level committees withthe chapter committee chairs serving on thecorresponding lodge level committees.

Here are some of the basic lodge operatingcommittees:

Activities committee. Develops plans for twoor three membership meeting activities for thelodge each year and is responsible for carryingthem out.

Camping promotion committee. Developsplans for camping promotion in consultationwith the council camping committee; developspromotion helps such as “Where to Go Camp-ing” resources, visual aids, and movies or vid-eos of camping activities.

Ceremonial committee. Recruits and trainsceremonialists for pre-Ordeal, Ordeal, andBrotherhood ceremonies, and for the VigilHonor unless that responsibility is managed bya Vigil committee. Researches appropriate cer-emonial attire, procures or assists members inmaking it, and ensures the attire is clean, prop-erly stored and in good repair. Maintains cere-monial circles used in the performance of alllodge ceremonies. Conducts lodge and unitceremonies when requested.

Communication committee. Prepares lodgenewsletters and social media campaigns,develops and maintains lodge websites, orga-nizes and operates the network of OA unit rep-resentatives to keep units informed, andpromotes participation in OA events and activi-ties. Some lodges may want to create a sepa-rate OA unit representative committee.

Finance committee. Draws up an annual bud-get based on administrative and programneeds, obtains information from the councilservice center, issues regular finance reports,

and is responsible for maintaining the financialstatus of the lodge.

Inductions committee. Plans and administersOrdeals, recruits and trains Elangomats andNimats, administers the Brotherhood hike, andconducts new member orientation.

Leadership development committee. Plans anannual conference to build members’ leader-ship and job-specific skills, coordinates contin-ued leadership training throughout the yearbased on current lodge needs.

Membership committee. Checks on inactivemembers and maintains membership records,sends out letters each year to identify activemembers and checks address changes, andsends letters to Ordeal members eligible forBrotherhood membership.

Service committee. Suggests a yearly scheduleof service projects, obtains lodge approval, andmakes complete plans for accomplishing thework.

Unit elections committee. Sends out informa-tion to unit leaders regarding candidate elec-tion procedures, organizes and trains electionteams, schedules visits of election teams tounits, and records the results of elections.

Ad hoc committees. Committees are some-times appointed on a temporary basis to carryout some specific assignments such as lodgeofficer nominations, Vigil Honor nominations,lodge rule revisions, or running a single serviceproject, a banquet, or other major lodge activ-ity.

Lodge Program

The first step to creating a good program is tolay out the entire year’s plan in advance and leteveryone know about it. To do this, the lodgechief should work closely with the officers andadvisers to determine the lodge’s goals andobjectives for the coming year, for these dic-tate its program. From this initial planning ses-sion, a lodge program plan book is created.The plan book should include a calendar ofevents, describe the program of emphasis, andserve as a guide or plan throughout the year.


The lodge program should be directed towardachieving the purpose of the OA, camping pro-motion, council service, leadership develop-ment, and cheerful service to the community.Preparing and distributing “Where to GoCamping” resources for unit leaders and mak-ing camping promotion visits to all units areimportant parts of the lodge program.

Lodges are expected to plan a program andactivities to support the purpose of the OA, thelocal council, and its units through outdoorprogram promotion and service. This includesthe council resident camps, camp facilities,unit camping, Cub Scout outdoor experiences,and Webelos-to-Scout transition. In recentyears, this has expanded from traditional areassuch as unit camping promotion visits, Ameri-can Indian dance performances at blue andgold banquets, and Scoutcraft skill resourceteams to include many new fields, such asecology, STEM, websites, social media andelectronic communication. Many lodges holdan annual social affair to which members’friends and family, or the community at large,are invited. These functions often serve as ameans of raising funds to provide camp schol-arships or for other worthwhile lodge projects.Typical events include hayrides, fish fries,annual banquets, winter carnivals, canoe trips,barbecues, and winter campouts. It must beremembered that prior to embarking on anytype of fund-raising project, close coordinationwith and approval by the council must besecured.

Business meetings are essential to the adminis-tration of the OA. These include lodge execu-tive committee meetings and other lodgecommittee meetings, which occur as neces-sary to accomplish their tasks. Lodge meetings,where the entire lodge membership gathers,are held much less frequently, and these areoften in the form of a lodge fellowship week-end, conclave, banquet, or pow wow. Lodgesorganized by chapters conduct chapter mem-bership meetings monthly or every othermonth to deliver the Order of the Arrow pro-gram to the membership, foster communica-tion, and organize the lodge’s efforts to servethe council.

Calendar of events. The lodge executive com-mittee is expected to develop a calendar pol-icy, scheduling meetings to fall at regularintervals and at a routine time and place toimprove attendance. Activities should fall onset weekends each year.

In developing the calendar, make an effort toeliminate conflicts in scheduling. Take intoaccount district and council activities, andavoid significant national, state, local, or reli-gious holidays and important community orschool events. The lodge calendar should beincorporated into the council planning calen-dar.

Caution should be exercised to not overpro-gram the lodge functions and distract fromquality unit programs. Remember, the Arrow-man’s first responsibility is to the unit.

Promoting activities. The best way to promotelodge activities is by earning a reputation forquality programming—make every event a suc-cess. Other effective ways of promoting activeparticipation are through proper coverage inthe lodge newsletter and website, general dis-tribution of the lodge calendar, special fliers orpostcards, communication through the OAunit representatives, and phone call remindersshortly before the activity. At each event,whether it is an activity or simply a meeting,take time to encourage members to attend thenext scheduled activity, and to bring a fellowArrowman who isn’t present that day. A key topromoting any event is to begin the promotionwell enough in advance so that people can besure to hear about it and place it on their cal-endars. In today’s busy world, last-minute orlate promotion is about as good as no promo-tion at all.

Communication

Every lodge must develop a plan for effectivecommunication to accomplish its objectives. Itmust inform members of lodge meetings andactivities and also keep the Scouting commu-nity and the general public informed. Best


results are accomplished through balancedcommunication, as illustrated in this diagram:

Balanced communication combines an infor-mative newsletter and website with additionaldirect mailings or fliers, social mediaannouncements, and telephone contact.

The most important method of lodge commu-nication is the printed or electronic newsletter.Each lodge should publish a newsletter at reg-ular intervals for all its members. Most lodgesfind that a newsletter published every two orthree months will do the job. A lodge newslet-ter should carry information of interest to themembers—announcements of upcominglodge and chapter events, news of personalinterest about lodge members and their activi-ties, inspirational stories, letters to the editor,and editorials.

Some newsletters devote a section to newsfrom each chapter which is produced by achapter correspondent. Always welcome arespecial features on topics such as a major ser-vice project or American Indian dancing. Goodhumor, and cartoons will help hold the interestof readers. Stories about section conclaves,training events, and national Order of theArrow news should also have a place in everylodge newsletter.

Keep in mind that a newsletter is also a salesand promotion tool and the success of itsmessage depends a great deal on being attrac-tive, timely, accurate, and useful to members.The newsletter also can assist the lodge in theexecution of its annual lodge program.

Another excellent tool is the council newslet-ter. Use it as a means of getting lodge informa-tion to Arrowmen and to individuals who are

not members of the OA. Not only is this goodpublic relations, but also nonmembers mightneed to know what is happening in the OA asthey schedule their events. It is good marketingstrategy to let the entire council know howactive the lodge is.

The lodge should also use every availablemeans of disseminating information to thegeneral public. News articles should be sub-mitted regularly to the local media. All lodgeinformation sent should be newsworthy,approved by the local council, and both factualand interesting. The council service center canbe of help because there is usually someonethere in charge of public relations.

Successful lodges and chapters also use OAunit representatives, phone committees, andpersonal contacts to promote activities andevents. The OA unit representatives provide amajor communication and programmatic linkwith the lodge and chapter. Phone committeessimply divide up the roster of members amonga committee assigned the job of making phonecalls. Enthusiastic word-of-mouth from afriend is also a good way to publicize a comingevent. Promotion should be far enough inadvance so that the committee has time tocomplete the task and the members have suffi-cient time to plan to attend. Each activity andevent should be promoted. Often, regularlyscheduled meetings, such as a lodge executivecommittee or chapter meeting, need this extraeffort more than an annual event does.

The convenience and accessibility of elec-tronic media have also made it possible formany lodges to communicate with their mem-bership via email or social media. While currenttechnology makes this an attractive option tocommunicate with OA members, care shouldbe exercised to prevent the posting of pro-tected or sensitive material through email andon websites. The national Order of the Arrowwebsite should be used as a model for lodgewebsite development. It also provides produc-tion guidelines.

COMMUNICATION

Message Recall

If I only hear . . . 10%

If I only see . . . 20%

If I see and hear . . . 65%

If I see, hear, and have it in writing 80%


The Order of the Arrow National Bulletin

Recognizing that the organization is successfulin sharing news and current events via digitaland social channels, the National Bulletin pro-vides inspiration, longer form coverage of pro-gram changes, national events, andrecognitions, along with insight into thebroader scope of the OA direction and rolewithin Scouting. This “OA magazine” takes onthe look, format, and style of high quality travelguides and lifestyle magazines. The contentfocuses on providing the greater context forthe news events covered via digital channels, indepth reporting on successful lodge / chapterprograms, and long form articles on the impactof the OA within a council, the life of an indi-vidual, or within Scouting. The National Bulletinis sent to national OA/BSA leadership, lodgeleadership, Scout executives, and certain otherindividuals.

Lodge Ledger and OA Today

The national Order of the Arrow committeekeeps OA members informed by periodic massemails. The “Lodge Ledger” is sent to nationalcommittee members and key volunteers,region/section leaders, and lodge Key 3 mem-bers. It is focused on lodge best practices andcommunicating national policy changes. The“OA Today” contains more general OA newsand is sent to all individuals on general mailinglists accumulated from OA national events.Lodges are encouraged to share the contentsof these emails with their membership.

Lodge news items of national interest may besent to [email protected]. To beadded to the “OA Today” mailing list, visit oa-bsa.org.

Camping Promotion

All Arrowmen should be committed to camp-ing promotion. This is one of the OA’s mostimportant commitments to Scouting.

It is essential that Scouts go camping with theirunits. Over the years, camping has kept Scoutsinterested in Scouting.

Every Order of the Arrow lodge has theresponsibility to do a good job of promotingScout camping. Arrowmen can do campingpromotion individually in their units or bybecoming members of the lodge’s campingpromotion committee.

Arrowmen should be the top camping promo-tion people in their unit. They should set theexample for fellow Scouts by being the first tosign up for camp. They lead the way in plan-ning for year-round camping events. They talkcamping on a person-to-person level with allScouts.

Arrowmen are enthusiastic about camping andnever miss an opportunity to encourageScouts to enjoy the great outdoors. They areprepared to talk to parents of Scouts in theirunit about the values of camping for their chil-dren. They assist the unit leader in planningand carrying out camping and high-adventureactivities. As an example to younger Scouts,lodge members should advance toward Eaglerank and become especially skilled in campingtechniques.

An Arrowman’s first duty is to the unit. We mustalways keep in mind that a primary role of theOrder of the Arrow is to strengthen units andhelp units to succeed, particularly in the out-door phase of their program.

The lodge must work closely with appropriatecouncil and district committees in carrying outthe council camping promotion plan. Thelodge adviser and lodge chief should be mem-bers of the council camping or program com-mittee, and chapter advisers and their chiefsshould become members of their respectivedistrict committees. The camping committee isresponsible for camping promotion. It is notthe role of the Order of the Arrow to assumetotal responsibility for camping promotion, butrather to give full support to the entire counciland district camping program. This includesmonthly unit camping as well as residentcamp.


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.oa-bsa.org


It is the duty of each lodge to arrange for anannual Order of the Arrow election for newmembers in every eligible unit. Elections pres-ent an excellent opportunity to promotecamping when an OA member takes the floorto explain the Order of the Arrow program toScouts and leaders.

Teams of Arrowmen may also visit packs,troops, crews and ships to show them videoson camping, talk at parents’ night meetings androundtables, and help provide special unit-level camping programs. They can be aresource of experience and leadership avail-able to assist new or struggling units, providingexpertise that may be in short supply in theunit, be it at a meeting, on a weekend outing,or at resident camp. However, advising unitleaders and committee members about theirresponsibilities for camping should be left inthe hands of council and district campingcommittees.

Many lodges have agreed to help campingcommittees by providing literature and visualaids (e.g., videos) about camping. Others haveproduced “Where to Go Camping” booklets orwebsites for several years. Arrowmen mightconduct surveys, compile facts, and preparethe listings of nearby places to camp and hike.These listings should be updated periodicallyas new places are found and some campsitesbecome unavailable.

Special attention should be given to outdooradventure opportunities for Cub Scouts, SeaScouts and Venturers. If Cubmasters, Sea ScoutSkippers and Venturing Advisors have properinformation at hand, they are more likely totake their units outdoors. This project may takemore work and time and cost more money toproduce, but a useful outdoor program book-let for Cub Scouts and a high-adventure book-let for Sea Scouts and Venturers is a servicethat should be considered by every lodge. TheBoy Scouts of America has an excellent publi-cation, Passport to High Adventure, that is use-ful in planning high-adventure programs forolder Scouts, Sea Scouts and Venturers.

Sample camping promotion visit timetable.The sample Camping Promotion Visit Timeta-ble (on page 11) was developed by a lodge,

based on one designed for the council camp-ing committee. It provides an effective methodfor recruiting, training, and scheduling unit visi-tation teams. This timetable may also beadapted to other phases of the lodge’s pro-gram such as unit elections, a “Where to GoCamping” project, or a service or Ordeal week-end. The success of the lodge in camping pro-motion depends on its ability to meetdeadlines. Remember, a lodge’s camping pro-motion effort must be carried out in coopera-tion with council and district campingcommittees at all times.

“Where to Go Camping” guide. This guideshould be an ongoing service project of anOrder of the Arrow lodge that provides “Whereto Go Camping” and hiking information forpacks, troops, Sea Scout ships, and Venturingcrews. Units with this information have a toolthat enables them to do more year-roundcamping in a variety of sites and conditions.

Planning the guide:

1. Lodge chief and lodge advisers discuss theproject with the Scout executive and thechairman of the council camping commit-tee to

• Determine the scope. The guide shouldinclude information on places to camp.Plan to include all areas and placesavailable for outdoor activities, eventhough some may be outside thecouncil boundaries. (Cub Scout activi-ties include day camping, family camp-ing, and Webelos camping; it isrecommended that separate informa-tion be provided for pack leaders.)

• Decide on the amount of informationneeded.

• Determine the roles that the lodge andthe camping committee will play in thedevelopment and completion of theproject.

• Determine how to finance productionof the guide.


http://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/youth/older-boy-adventure

Camping Promotion Visit Timetable

Date schedule adopted by lodge: From September

To September

Deadline Date

The Job to Be DoneDate

Completed

Meet with council camping committee.

Lodge and chapter advisers obtain assignments and approval of plans.

Organize lodge and chapter camping promotion committees. Committees develop pattern of opera-tion to carry out program.

Classify camping by district in advance. Classify each unit by camping status—always camps, sometimes camps, rarely camps, never camps.

Recruit and train three- to five-member visitation teams.

Obtain materials for visitation teams. Provide and train them in use of movies, videos, charts, literature, “Where to Go Camping” publications, exhibits, etc.

Contact unit leaders to schedule visits. Explain pro-gram to them; arrange time, place, facilities; suggest that parents be invited.

Make visits as scheduled. Be prepared with materials; know about units in advance; reschedule visits if necessary.

Set deadline for all unit visits. Dates must be set in advance and held to, unless officially extended, if plan is to be successful.

Give final report to council camping committee. Report should be in writing with unit analysis and results, problem areas, suggestions, etc.


2. The camping chairman should discuss theproject at a camping committee meeting. Ifnecessary, they should obtain financial helpfrom other council sources. Final approvalof the project by the camping committee isa must. It is unwise to start the projectwithout the committee’s official approval.

3. After the camping committee gives itsapproval, the lodge executive committeeshould adopt the project and appoint an adhoc committee (or designate a standingcommittee) to take over the project andproduce the guide.

Collecting information for the guide:

1. The assigned committee meets, discussesprocedures to follow, and draws up a formto be used in gathering the informationabout each outdoor area or site. This formmay include requests for the followinginformation:

• A general description of the site or area.

• Is the site good for Cub Scouts, ScoutsBSA, Sea Scouts, Venturers, or all?

• Check activities the site is best suitedfor—picnic, sightseeing, day hike, over-night camp, long-term camp, careerexploration, high-adventure trip, edu-cation tour, etc.

• Facilities available—eating places, fire-places, water, electric power, tables,buildings, toilets, etc.

• Site regulations—permits necessary, feecharged, regulations on fires or use offacilities, adult leader required, contactfor reservation, etc.

• Special features—swimming, boating,hiking trails, nature study area, moun-tains, conservation areas, field sports,game areas, winter sports, fishing,hunting, guides available, conductedtours, etc.

• Where the site is and how to getthere—address, telephone, travel direc-tions, distance, map, etc.

• If a printed guide is planned, securephotos, diagrams, or maps that can bereproduced.

2. Use a prepared form to record informationon areas and places used by Scoutinggroups. Follow these procedures:

• Send forms to unit leaders asking themto suggest possible areas and places toinclude in the booklet.

• Request the help of council and districtScouters in developing a list of sites andareas to visit.

• Consult council and district records forareas and places used by Scoutinggroups for visits, camporees, expedi-tions, Scouting shows, or pilgrimages.

3. Check on additional sources of informa-tion:

• Lodge members ask for informationfrom their friends and parents.

• Committee members contact conser-vationists, forest rangers, police depart-ments, city bureaus, chambers ofcommerce.

• Committee members investigate local,state, and national park facilities.

4. Be sure to include information about thefollowing:

• National Camping Award of the BoyScouts of America

• All useful information about your coun-cil camp(s). and other councils’ campswithin a reasonable driving distance

• All well-established annual regionaland/or council events

• Historical trail programs

• High-adventure bases and programs ofthe Boy Scouts of America and localcouncils

Organize the information, eliminate all duplica-tions, and then get the reactions of a few unitleaders to your rough draft. Refine the copy,


have it duplicated, printed, published online,and distribute to all unit leaders. Many lodgesalso produce a version for publication on theirlodge and council websites, with links to otherresources on the internet.

Membership Records

It is essential that each lodge keep accuratemembership records at all times. Knowing whothe members are and how they can be con-tacted (address, phone number, and email) isvital for good communication. All personalinformation must be protected on behalf of thelodge’s members. Knowing the dates of Ordealand Brotherhood memberships and VigilHonor recognition is vital to conducting accu-rate inductions.

Every lodge also needs to know who has paidthe current year’s dues. Continuing to mailcorrespondence and newsletters to unregis-tered members is costly. More importantly,determining who has not paid dues tells thelodge whom it needs to contact to encouragereregistration. Perhaps the members feel leftout and need to feel wanted. A call, letter, oremail from a friend or the OA unit representa-tive could make a difference.

All lodge members must first be registeredmembers of the Boy Scouts of America. TheScout executive is required to certify that alllodge members are currently registered mem-bers of the BSA and have been checked againstthe council ScoutNet membership files as partof the annual lodge charter renewal process.

OA LodgeMaster

The Order of the Arrow has developed the OALodgeMaster Membership Management Sys-tem for lodge administrative record-keeping.Use of this automated system is required for alllodges in the country. Multiple, simultaneousaccess to use and edit data, central data stor-age, and nightly back-up are provided. Thesystem maintains the history of past membersand their induction dates and can track every-thing from service hours to event attendanceto finances. It can also manage most aspects of

lodge administration, including attaining Jour-ney to Excellence recognition, printing mem-bership cards and address labels, and sendingmass emails.

Lodge Membership Fees and Dues

Each lodge sets its own annual dues and itsfees for induction into the OA. Only registeredScouts and Scouters who have been officiallyinducted into the OA are eligible to pay duesand be members of the lodge.

The fee for new member induction varieswidely around the country. It should be kept toa minimum and should cover dues, Ordealsash, Order of the Arrow Handbook, and alodge pocket flap. Food, insurance, and othercosts are also included.

Annual lodge dues should also be kept to aminimum, covering the cost of mailings tomembers, the lodge charter renewal fee, andother expenses. Most lodge dues are $10-$15.Lodge members should receive a new mem-bership card within 30 days of payment of theirdues.

The lodge charter renewal fee is based on thetotal paid membership as of the last day of thelodge’s dues year. The records of dues receivedshould be kept in OA LodgeMaster by thelodge secretary or membership committee.

Members of the OA may be official dues-pay-ing (and in the case of youth, voting) membersof only one lodge, that being the lodge char-tered to the council where they have their pri-mary Scouting registration. Members may only

John Doeis a Brotherhood member inSuccedaneum Lodge

José Amanuensis 12/31/2019Netami Lekhiket Expiration Date


wear the lodge pocket flap of the lodge wheretheir dues are paid. Therefore, the lodgepocket flap must match the council shoulderpatch of the council to which the lodgebelongs.

When an active member moves and wishes tobe transferred to another lodge, the lodge sec-retary or membership committee should pro-vide the Arrowman’s membership record in theOrder to the Scout executive of the new coun-cil.

If a member’s dues are not paid, they are notallowed to wear a lodge pocket flap. They alsocannot attend lodge functions or becomeBrotherhood or Vigil Honor members. Youthmembers whose dues are not paid also cannotvote. Members may be reinstated with no pen-alty by paying their current year's dues.

Lodge Pocket Flaps

Cloth lodge emblems (“flaps”) are made avail-able by most lodges. BSA uniform and insigniapolicy requires that these pocket flap patchesbe made of, and embroidered on, cloth, andmust be of a size and shape as to cover theright breast pocket flap and not extend beyondthe outer edge of the uniform pocket flap.They must show the lodge name and totem. AllOA patches must include “BSA” or the BoyScout emblem in their design. The beading offlaps is against BSA uniform and insignia policyas are chapter or clan flaps and therefore thesetypes of flaps are prohibited.

It is strongly encouraged that no honor distinc-tion be denoted by the flap or flap border. Thenational Order of the Arrow committee alsorecommends that no restrictions be placed onthe purchase of flap patches by members ofthe lodge. Only the pocket flap of the lodge inwhich a member is currently a dues payingmember may be worn.

If the lodge has been recognized with one ofthe levels of achievement in the lodge Journeyto Excellence program, members of the lodgemay wear a JTE pin on their lodge flap. Onlythe most recent pin awarded may be worn and

it must be mounted against the left verticalborder of the flap.

Lodge Finances and Financial Records

Current, accurate financial records are essen-tial to a lodge’s well-being. The lodge mustknow how much money it has, along with itsincome and expenses. Knowing things as sim-ple as how much it costs to have the lodgepocket flap made, or how much a lodge eventcosts, aids the lodge in planning.

The lodge is to be self-supporting, requiring nofunding from the council. Estimating howmuch money will be collected from varioussources and keeping records of how it is spentwill enable the lodge to prepare and operatewithin a budget. OA LodgeMaster providessupport and reporting for financial transac-tions, budgeting, trading post sales/inventory/consignments, and asset control.

The lodge treasurer should report regularly, ateach lodge executive committee meeting, onthe financial condition of the lodge. Financialclose-out reports of each lodge event shouldbe prepared; this is the basis for planning futureevents.

The financial transactions of the lodge must beprocessed through the council; they are sub-ject to council regulations and auditing proce-dures as described in The Local CouncilAccounting Manual. All lodge and chapterfunds must be handled through the council’sfinancial system and deposited into the coun-cil’s Order of the Arrow custodial account.

Lodges are encouraged to use the OA LodgeFinance Manual, which is available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Lodge Charter Renewal

Each lodge operates under a charter grantedby the National Council and must apply annu-ally for renewal. The charter renewal kit ismailed to the council Scout Executive in Octo-ber of each year. All lodge charters expire onDecember 31.


http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/publications#lfm

http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/publications#lfm

All councils of the Boy Scouts of America havean Order of the Arrow lodge. The Boy Scoutsof America will grant a charter to only onelodge per council. When councils merge, theirOA lodges must also merge.

Lodges must submit their completed charterrenewal application through OA LodgeMaster.The system automatically calculates the fee,and the council is billed by the national servicecenter. A printed copy of the application mustbe signed by the lodge chief, lodge adviser, andScout executive, and then scanned andemailed to the national service center byDecember 31.

Submission of the lodge’s data through OALodgeMaster and a signed application arerequired for a new charter to be issued. Ordersfor supplies, Founder’s Awards, and Vigil Honorcertificates will not be processed for a lodgewhose charter has not been renewed, andlodge members cannot attend section,regional or national OA events out of council. Adropped charter may be reinstated by payingthe current year’s charter fee and submittingthe required information to the national servicecenter.

Lodge Journey to Excellence Program

The Lodge Journey to Excellence Program(JTE) is the performance measurement andrecognition program for all Order of the Arrowlodges. The program evaluates and encour-

ages lodge performance through continuousimprovement. It provides a guide for goodlodge administration and recognizes bronze,silver, and gold levels of achievement in pro-gram and operation. JTE is the latest evolutionof the previous National Standard Lodge,National Honor Lodge and National QualityLodge programs. Similar, complementary pro-grams have been developed for sections andchapters.

The annual charter renewal process requirescompletion of the lodge JTE petition. Whenthe charter renewal application is submittedthrough OA LodgeMaster, the lodge JTE peti-tion and data are automatically transmitted.

To be considered for one of the three levels ofrecognition, the lodge must have filed its char-ter renewal on time and achieved the neces-sary point score on the JTE petition. Thepetition’s objectives form an overall plan andguide that help ensure a successful lodge pro-gram.

Forming Lodge Chapters

Order of the Arrow lodges vary in size fromabout 50 to more than 4,000 members. Inmany lodges a chapter plan is necessary if theobjectives of the OA are to be realized. In other


lodges where there are few members, chapterswould be of little value. For these reasons, thenational Order of the Arrow committee haspurposely left the decision as to the need forchapters in the hands of the Scout executive inconsultation with lodge leaders.

Before organizing chapters within a lodge, thecouncil staff, lodge officers, and advisersshould thoroughly study these factors:

• The active membership of the lodge

• The geography of the council

• Whether a chapter should include one orseveral districts (a district should neverhave more than one chapter in its geo-graphical area)

• Whether sufficient potential members andleaders are available to support a chapteroperation

• Whether the advantages of the chapterplan will offset the additional lodge admin-istration that will be required

• Whether the best interests of Scouting andthe OA will be served through a chapterplan

• Whether sufficient potential members existto form effective ceremonial teams

After a careful study of these factors, the Scoutexecutive decides whether chapters areneeded. If they are, the Scout executive annu-ally appoints a chapter adviser and staff adviserfor each chapter. The chapter adviser functionsat chapter meetings and activities in the sameway that the lodge adviser does with the entirelodge. The chapter adviser works in conjunc-tion with the chapter chief, chapter staffadviser, lodge adviser, lodge chief, districtcamping chairman, and lodge staff adviser. Thechapter adviser should also become a memberof the district camping or program committee.

As stated on page 4, with the prior approval ofthe Scout executive, the chapter adviser mayappoint an associate chapter adviser annuallyto help fulfill the objectives of the chapter. Nomore than one associate should be appointedfor a chapter.

The chapter staff adviser should meet the qual-ifications specified for all advisers. This personworks closely with the lodge staff adviser tocoordinate lodge and chapter activities andpromote harmony between the district camp-ing committee and the membership.

The chapter officers are nominated andelected by the youth who are members of thechapter, in the same way that lodge officers areelected. Their duties are the same on the chap-ter level as those of lodge officers on the lodgelevel. The chapter chief and the chapter adviserbecome members of the lodge executivecommittee. Each chapter should have thesame operating committees as the lodge. Thechairs of these committees become membersof the corresponding lodge operating commit-tees. All candidates for chapter office or com-mittee chair must meet the eligibilityrequirements outlined earlier in this sectionunder the heading “Lodge officers.” on page 4.

When a chapter plan of operation is firmlyestablished, most Order of the Arrow projects,ceremonies, and activities can be carried outon a chapter basis. It should be possible foreach chapter to train ceremonial teams toconduct Ordeals and Ordeal ceremonies, aswell as the Brotherhood membership cere-mony. Vigil Honor ceremonies must be left forthe lodge to conduct. Service projects shouldbe cleared with the district camping commit-tee. The year-round program of the chaptermust be coordinated with that of the districtand lodge.

When larger lodges operate on an effectivechapter basis, each chapter becomes muchlike a small lodge. In this way, more youth aregiven an opportunity to develop and demon-strate leadership and to share in the responsi-bility of giving cheerful service to their unitsand districts.

Under a well-established chapter plan, theentire lodge gathers only occasionally. Eachchapter plans its program to carry out theobjectives of the lodge. Events, such as call-out ceremonies, Ordeals, Ordeal ceremonies,and Brotherhood ceremonies can be con-ducted by chapter personnel. Service projectsand social events lend themselves better to


smaller groups than to the entire lodge. Somechapters develop dance teams and hold ban-quets, campouts, and other Order of the Arrowactivities.

When the entire lodge gets together for a fallreunion, an annual meeting, or a weekendconclave, the event takes on the atmosphereof a fellowship conference. This event shouldfeature fun, fellowship, inspiration, and train-ing.

An Order of the Arrow Chapter OperationsGuide is available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Don’t Just Meet: Do (But Not Too Much)

Experience has proven that the lodges thatkeep general lodge and chapter meetings oractivities to a minimum will have better atten-dance. Experience also has shown that themost active and successful lodges are thosethat offer service opportunities and are activelyinvolved in helping units and the council.

It is recommended that general lodge meet-ings or activities be held at a time most conve-nient for the majority of its members to attend.

Lodge officers direct activities through theirexecutive committee meetings. The actualwork of the lodge happens through the lodgeor chapter committee meetings—not at gen-eral meetings. The frequency of committeemeetings is determined by the work to be doneand the time of the year.

Arrowmen are expected first to give service toand be active in their own units. Then as timepermits, they can assist the lodge in such activ-ities as unit elections, camping promotion, ser-vice to council camping facilities, etc.

In addition, Arrowmen have other outside andschool interests and activities, so they will notbe interested in attending too many lodge andchapter meetings and activities. Don’t try toschedule too many ceremonies, inductions,rehearsals, or fellowships, either.

Lodge Rules

Each lodge should develop and formallyapprove a written set of lodge rules to governits operations. These rules should be reviewedannually and should cover topics like insignia,officers and advisers, officer election andreplacement, meetings, activities, and dues. Inaddition, the national Order of the Arrow com-mittee requires that the following rules beincorporated into all lodge rules. No lodge rule,policy, or procedure may deviate from orchange in any manner a requirement in thecurrent printing of any of the Order’s literature.

I. Mission. The mission of this lodge is to ful-fill the purpose of the Order of the Arrowas an integral part of the Boy Scouts ofAmerica through positive youth leadershipunder the guidance of selected capableadults.

II. Name and affiliation of lodge. The lodgeshall be known as: ________ Lodge,________ Council No. ________, BoyScouts of America, and shall be under thesupervision of the council camping orprogram committee and the administra-tive authority of the Scout executive.

III. Election to membership.

A. The requirements for membership inthis lodge are as stated in the currentprinting of the Order of the ArrowHandbook and the Order of the ArrowGuide for Officers and Advisers.

B. The procedure for the Ordeal shall beas stated in the current printing of theOrder of the Arrow Handbook and theGuide to Inductions.

IV. Officers.

A. The officers of this lodge shall be lodgechief, lodge vice chief(s), lodge secre-tary, and lodge treasurer. These electedofficers must be younger than 21during their entire term of office.

B. The lodge executive committee shallbe composed of the elected lodge offi-cers, immediate past lodge chief, lodge


http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/publications#cog

operating committee chairmen, lodgeadviser, one member of the councilcamping or program committee ifappointed by the Scout Executive,chapter chiefs, chapter advisers (whereapplicable), Scout executive, and lodgestaff adviser.

V. Brotherhood membership. Completion ofBrotherhood membership shall be inaccordance with the requirements in thecurrent printing of the Order of the ArrowHandbook and the Order of the ArrowGuide for Officers and Advisers.

VI. The Vigil Honor. Attainment of the VigilHonor shall be in accordance with therequirements in the current printing of theOrder of the Arrow Handbook and theOrder of the Arrow Guide for Officers andAdvisers.

VII. Finances. All Order of the Arrow fundsshall be handled through the council ser-vice center and go through all normalcouncil accounting procedures.

VIII. Voting. Arrowmen under the age of 21who are primarily registered with a unit inthis council and whose dues are currentlypaid in this lodge may vote in matters oflodge business.

Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Policy

The Boy Scouts of America prohibits the use ofalcoholic beverages and controlled substancesat Scouting encampments or activities onproperty owned and/or operated by the BoyScouts of America, or at any activity involvingparticipation of youth members. Arrowmenlearn from the examples set by their advisers.Advisers should support the attitude that youngadults are better off without tobacco and maynot allow the use of tobacco products by any-one at any BSA activity involving youth partici-pants. This includes the use of electroniccigarettes, personal vaporizers, and electronicnicotine delivery systems that simulatetobacco smoking.

Membership Requirements

Unit leader approval. To become eligible forelection, a Scout must be registered with theBoy Scouts of America and have the approvalof their unit leader prior to the election. Theunit leader must certify their Scout spirit (i.e.,their adherence to the Scout Oath and Lawand active participation in unit activities). Theunit leader must also certify that the nomineemeets all specified requirements at the time ofthis annual election.

Youth membership qualifications. All mem-bers of, or candidates for membership in, theOrder of the Arrow who are under 21 years ofage shall be considered youth members orcandidates for youth membership, subject tomeeting the following requirements:

• Be a registered member of the Boy Scoutsof America.

• At the time of their election, youth must beunder the age of 21, and hold one of thefollowing ranks corresponding to the typeof unit in which they are being consideredfor election: Scouts BSA First Class Rank,Venturing Discovery Award, or Sea ScoutOrdinary rank, or higher, and followingapproval by the Scoutmaster, Crew Advisoror Sea Scout Skipper, be elected by theyouth members of their unit.

• Have experienced 15 nights of campingwhile registered with a troop, crew, or shipwithin the two years immediately prior tothe election. The 15 nights must includeone, but no more than one, long-termcamp consisting of at least five consecutivenights of overnight camping, approved andunder the auspices and standards of theBoy Scouts of America. Only five nights ofthe long-term camp may be creditedtoward the 15-night camping requirement;the balance of the camping (10 nights)must be overnight, weekend, or othershort-term camps of, at most, three nightseach. Ship nights may be counted ascamping for Sea Scouts.

• Adults (age 21 or older) who meet thecamping requirement may be selected fol-


lowing nomination to and approval by thelodge adult selection committee.

Candidates for youth membership shall beelected by other youth members in accor-dance with policies set forth by the nationalOrder of the Arrow committee.

Scouts with special needs. The Order of theArrow is committed to including Scouts andScouters who have special needs because of adisability. In the case of special-needs troops,election teams should follow the same proce-dures, keeping in mind that any Scout who isclassified as a youth member of a Scouts BSAtroop, Venturing crew, or Sea Scout shipregardless of age, will be considered a youth(voting) member. All other membershiprequirements remain the same.

When inducting a Scout or Scouter with a spe-cial need, as with any candidate, lodges shouldmake the activities challenging within the indi-vidual’s limitations, and plan accordingly.Accessibility to ceremonial circles, sleepingsites, and appropriate work projects should betaken into consideration to ensure a meaning-ful induction. (See the appendix for “Guidelinesfor Assisting Scouts and Scouters with SpecialNeeds”.)

Adult membership qualifications. All membersof, or candidates for membership in, the Orderof the Arrow who are 21 years of age or olderand who are registered members of the BoyScouts of America shall be considered adultmembers or candidates for adult membership.Individuals shall be selected as candidatesbased on the following:

1. Adult leaders in units: Each year, uponholding a unit election for youth candidatesthat results in at least one youth candidatebeing elected, the unit committee maynominate registered unit adults, 21 years ofage or older, for membership in the OA tothe lodge adult selection committee, com-posed of the lodge adviser, the chairman ofthe council committee on which the lodgeadviser serves, and the lodge staff adviser.The number of adults nominated can be nomore than one-third of the number ofyouth candidates elected, rounded up

where the number of youth candidates isnot a multiple of three. In addition to theone-third limit, the unit committee maynominate the currently serving unit leader(but not assistant leaders), as long as he orshe has served as unit leader for at least theprevious 12 months. Recommendations ofthe adult selection committee, with theapproval of the Scout executive, will becandidates for induction, provided the fol-lowing conditions are fulfilled:

• Selection of the adult is based on theability to perform the necessary func-tions to help the OA fulfill its purpose,and not for recognition of service,including current or prior achievementand positions.

• The individual will be an asset to the OAbecause of demonstrated abilities thatfulfill the purpose of the Order.

• The camping requirements set forth foryouth members are fulfilled.

• The adult leader’s membership willprovide a positive example for thegrowth and development of the youthmembers of the lodge.

2. Adult leaders in council and district posi-tions: The lodge adviser, district chairmen,council president, or members of the pro-fessional staff may nominate adults to thelodge adult selection committee. Allrequirements set forth for adult leaders inunits must be fulfilled, with the exceptionof the camping requirements, which maybe waived at the discretion of the lodgeadviser and Scout executive. Recommen-dations of the adult selection committee,with the approval of the Scout executive,serving as Supreme Chief of the Fire, willbecome candidates for induction.

Adults may be nominated for membershiponly one time per year as either unit Scout-ers or district/council Scouters, but notboth. How they are nominated depends onwhere they maintain their primary registra-tion.


The Key 3 Team For Lodge Administration

The Lodge Chief The Lodge Adviser The Lodge Staff Adviser

1. Elected from the youth member-ship of the lodge. Responsible tothe Scout executive through thelodge adviser and staff adviserfor performance of duties.Becomes a member of thecouncil camping or programcommittee.

1. Appointed annually by the Scoutexecutive. Becomes a memberof the council camping or pro-gram committee and may beelected to the council executiveboard. Attends all meetings ofthat council committee andknows the camping situation ineach unit. Knows from chapterreports which units need camp-ing promotion and training.

1. Appointed annually by the Scoutexecutive. If not a member whenappointed, participates in the firstavailable Ordeal. Consults withthe Scout executive on annualperformance and appointmentof the lodge adviser.

2. Responsible for adherence to theprogram and policies of thelodge. Attends appropriatecouncil, section, regional, andnational OA functions.

2. Understands the policies andprinciples of the OA and seesthat they are followed in thelodge. Sees that all lodge fundsare handled properly. Attends alllodge functions. Attends appro-priate council, section, regional,and national OA functions.

2. Understands the policies andprinciples of the Boy Scouts ofAmerica and the Order of theArrow. Communicates andensures their application to OAfunctions. Ensures funds areproperly budgeted, receipted,disbursed, and transmittedaccording to council proceduresand the accounting manual ofthe BSA. Attends all lodge func-tions and other appropriate OAactivities.

3. Works closely with the lodgeadviser, seeking advice and train-ing. The chief does not wait forthe adviser to call, but calls theadviser often. Establishes annualgoals and objectives for thelodge including attainment ofJourney to Excellence recogni-tion.

3. Sees that the lodge officers getthe job done by providing themwith tools, opportunities, andnecessary transportation. Knowsthe adult role in the Order of theArrow and does not wait for thelodge chief to call, but is self-motivated and offers help. Assistsin establishing goals and objec-tives, including attainment ofJourney to Excellence recogni-tion.

3. Provides council, regional, andnational information, literature,and correspondence to lodgeadvisers and appropriate com-mittees. Orders materials andsupplies from the national ser-vice center and Supply Group.

4. Attends all lodge activities andlodge executive committeemeetings. Promotes attendanceand participation of lodge offi-cers and committee chairs.

4. Makes sure that the lodge chiefconducts the lodge executivecommittee meetings. Attendsand sits with the lodge chief at allmeetings and activities.

4. Works with the lodge adviser tohelp the lodge chief conductlodge executive committeemeetings. Attends and sits withthe lodge adviser and lodgechief.

5. Appoints lodge operating com-mittee chairs in consultation withthe lodge adviser and lodge staffadviser.

5. Appoints an adult adviser to eachlodge officer and committeechairman, in consultation withthe lodge chief and staff adviser.

5. Recommends and obtains Scoutexecutive approval of prospec-tive adult advisers.

6. Assigns lodge members to oper-ating committees in consultationwith the lodge adviser and lodgestaff adviser.

6. Helps every adult Arrowman inthe lodge to be a functioningadviser, either as a unit leader oran adult adviser to a lodge orchapter committee or project.There are no honorary adultpositions in the Order, the lodge,or the chapter.

6. Encourages appropriate adultparticipation and support tocommittees and activities.Informs professional staff associ-ates of OA activities, program,and correspondence.


7. Reminds lodge officers andcommittee chairmen to attendmeetings of lodge operatingcommittees related to theirassignments.

7. Reminds adult lodge committeeadvisers to attend the meetingsof the lodge operating commit-tees related to their assignments.Ensures the lodge charterrenewal application is completedand submitted on time.

7. Works with the lodge adviser toensure appropriate adult partici-pation in meetings of lodgeoperating committees related totheir assignments. With the lodgeadviser, ensures the lodge char-ter renewal application is com-pleted and submitted on time.

8. Presides over all lodge and lodgeexecutive committee meetings.Works from an agenda estab-lished by the Key 3. Solicitsagenda items from lodge officersand committee chairs.

8. Aids the lodge chief in producingeffective agendas for thesemeetings. Promotes attendanceof appointed adult advisers.Encourages work with officersand committee chairmen priorto the meetings.

8. Recommends agenda items.Ensures that financial and activityreports required from the coun-cil office are printed with timelyinformation. Works with advisersto the lodge treasurer and othercommittees concerning theinformation in the reports.

9. Responsible for planning andconducting lodge activities.

9. Limits annual lodge activities toan appropriate number of excit-ing events scheduled each yearthat involve the entire lodgemembership. These activitiesshould be well planned and pro-vide opportunities for the Arrow-men to learn more about theOrder and how to provide effec-tive service. Clears all dates withthe staff adviser.

9. Represents the OA at the councilannual planning conference,coordinating dates with council,section, region, and nationaldates. Makes appropriate reser-vations for council facilities.Works with office staff to ensuretimely communication to themembership and units. Involvesthe OA in council programs.Ensures lodge representation atnational and section OA func-tions.

10. Delegates duties to fellow lodgeofficers and committee chairs.

10. Helps the lodge chief delegatethe full burden of the lodge pro-gram so that it is shared with theother lodge officers and com-mittee chairmen.

10. Monitors the delegation ofresponsibilities and assists thelodge adviser and lodge chief inevaluation, assignments, and fol-low-up.

11. Sees that the chapter programgives complete support to thelodge program.

11. Understands that the chapter(when so organized) is a divisionof the lodge for carrying out thelodge program. Understands thatthe chapter is not a superunitunto itself, but is a camping pro-motion aid for units. Every youthin the chapter is a member of aunit and has unit responsibilities.Each chapter activity shouldresult in an enriched program forunits. Frequently reviews thegoals with officers to see that theOrder of the Arrow program isbeing actively followed in eachdistrict.

11. Recommends to the Scout exec-utive the appointment of chapterstaff advisers. Communicateswith chapter staff advisers andensures appropriate council ser-vices to the chapter system.Evaluates and makes suggestionsfor chapter programs.



12. Undertakes lodge service proj-ects with the advice and approvalof their adviser.

12. Clears all lodge service projectswith the staff adviser. Knows thatthe Arrowman is primarily amember of a unit and that Orderof the Arrow projects must NOTremove a youth from their unittoo often. The lodge serviceprojects undertaken should bedirectly related to camping, thecouncil Cub Scout, Scouts BSA,Venturing, or Sea Scouts pro-grams, and the community.

12. Keeps the Scout executiveinformed on all OA projects.Recommends potential serviceprojects for OA consideration.Coordinates with the campranger on Ordeal and other OAprojects at camp.

13. Appoints the Vigil Honor nomi-nating committee (chair andmembers approved by the lodgeadviser and Scout executive).

13. Appoints an adviser to the VigilHonor nominating committee incoordination with the lodgechief and staff adviser.

13. Administratively supports thefunctions of the Vigil Honornominating committee.

14. Promotes the correct wearing ofthe Scout uniform by personalexample and special lodge edu-cation programs.

14. Sets the example for youth andadult Arrowmen by correctlywearing the Scout uniform withthe proper badges and insigniacorrectly placed.

14. Sets the example for youth andadult Arrowmen by correctlywearing the Scout uniform withproper badges and insignia cor-rectly placed.

15. Works with the adviser in provid-ing the lodge officers and chair-men with unit contactinformation.

15. Provides lodge officers andcommittee chairmen with districtrosters of the units so that propercontact can be made for unitelections, camping promotion,etc. As the lodge adviser, main-tains constant and regular con-tact with the staff adviser so thatperson can quickly relay any unitpersonnel changes, etc.

15. Secures rosters and reportsrequired by the OA in a timelymanner for their use.

Duties of an Associate Lodge Adviser

1. As directed, supports and assists the lodge adviser in carryingout the operations of the lodge.

2. Assumes other responsibilities and duties as assigned.

3. Promotes participation in section, region, and national OA andScouting events.

4. Interprets OA policy in consultation with the lodge adviser.

5. Serves as an example of the ideals of the BSA and the Order ofthe Arrow.

6. Wears the Scout uniform correctly.

7. Attends meetings as directed by the lodge adviser.

8. Functions as an adviser to the youth members.



Because the Order of the Arrow is princi-pally a youth organization, unit, district, andcouncil Scouters are not selected formembership as a recognition. Selectionshould take place only when the adult’sposition in Scouting will make OA mem-bership more meaningful in the lives of theyouth membership.

Professional membership. Members of theprofessional service of the Boy Scouts ofAmerica shall be considered ex officio mem-bers of the lodge of the council in which theyare employed. Members of the professionalservice designated by the Scout executive toserve in camp positions should be given anopportunity to complete the Ordeal and theOrdeal ceremony if they have not previouslybeen inducted into a lodge of the OA. Mem-bers of the professional service whose respon-sibility in the council would be enhanced maybe inducted into the lodge based on the rec-ommendation of the Scout executive and uponcompletion of the Ordeal experience and cer-emony.

Camp staff members (paid but not consideredmembers of the professional service) shall beelected only by members of their own unit ifthey are under age 21 and meet the youthmembership requirements. Staff members overage 21 must meet the adult membershiprequirements and be selected as either unitScouters or district/council Scouters.

Honorary membership. Honorary membershipin the Order of the Arrow is not authorized andshall not be given. Membership in the OA shallbe gained only through fulfillment of member-ship requirements as stated in the official litera-ture of the Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts ofAmerica. Visiting Scouts or leaders cannot begiven honorary memberships in the OA.

Life membership. A life membership in the OAis not authorized and shall not be recognized.Membership in the OA requires current regis-tration with the Boy Scouts of America. There isno official or authorized life membership regis-tration status for the Order of the Arrow in theBoy Scouts of America.

Unit Elections

To become a member of the Order of theArrow, a Scout is chosen by vote of the youthin their unit. This is a unique feature of the OAsince the majority of those who select theircandidates for this honor are not members ofthe lodge. However, lodge members in the unithave a vote as well as nonmembers. In this waymembership is controlled by the youth in theirown units and not by those who are alreadyArrowmen.

It is important that the members of the unithave the membership requirements properlyexplained to them.

Registered active member. In Scouts BSA,Venturing, or Sea Scout units, every registeredactive member of the unit under age 21 at thetime of election is eligible to vote.

A Scout who carries a current national mem-bership card and participates in at least someunit activities during the year is considered tobe a registered active member of the unit. Forexample, a youth away at college who partici-pates in some unit activities when home, suchas a campout, camporee, or occasional unitmeeting, should be considered a registeredactive member.

A youth who moves away or drops out of theunit because of other interests would not becounted in the registered active membershipfigure.

Elections outside the registered council. Allelections must be conducted by the Order ofthe Arrow lodge of the council in which theunit is chartered. No unit may visit outside itsown council and hold an OA election underthe auspices of an OA lodge of another coun-cil.

Election to Ordeal

1. The lodge will determine the time of theyear unit elections will be held and shouldinform unit leaders of this by mail well inadvance. Lodges are encouraged to com-plete all unit elections prior to their units


going to summer camp. This ensures thatthe maximum number of unit memberscan be present to vote in the election.Elections may not occur in Cub Scoutpacks.

2. The lodge, through the unit elections com-mittee, should work with the troop leaderin establishing the actual time and place toconduct the election. The Order of theArrow should be represented by a two- orthree-member team from the lodge orchapter unit elections committee. All elec-tion team members must be trained and inproper uniform during the election.

3. Before the election, the OA team mustsecure from the unit leader verification thatat least 50 percent of the registered activeunit membership is present. If at least 50percent is not present, an election cannotbe held. The number of registered activemembers and the number present areentered in the spaces provided on the “UnitElection Report (in the Guide to Unit Elec-tions). If the unit leader is an Arrowman, hemay explain to the group the purpose ofthe Order of the Arrow and the basis uponwhich candidates should be selected, anddescribe the method of election. If the unitleader is not a member of the Order, amember of the OA team should make thispresentation with the unit leader’s consent,demonstrating that election leadership is acooperative effort of the unit leader andthe OA team.

4. The unit leader provides a list of all regis-tered active members of the unit who meetall eligibility requirements, including atti-tude and participation. The names of thesemembers are entered on the report formand the unit leader signs the certification.

5. The election team leader explains the fol-lowing to the unit leader:

• This is the current method of electionapproved by the national OA commit-tee in use by the lodge.

• Only one election may be held peryear.

• All eligible youth who receive votesfrom at least 50 percent of those whoturn in ballots are elected. If no one iselected a second vote may be heldimmediately, and the result of this votewill be final.

6. A voter may list on their ballot any combi-nation of names, including all eligible can-didates who he believes are worthy tobecome members of the Order of theArrow.

7. The OA team conducts the election usingthe “Unit Elections Ceremony” (in theGuide to Unit Elections). Stress the follow-ing points:

• Select the candidates who, in youropinion, have set the best examples ofbrotherhood, cheerfulness, and service.

• Vote only for those you believe willcontinue in unselfish service to yourunit.

• If you feel that no one is worthy, turn ina blank ballot.

• If you are new in the unit and do notknow the candidates well enough tovote wisely, you may abstain by notturning in a ballot at all; this will notaffect the final result.

• Youth eligible for election also vote,and they may vote for themselves ifthey feel they are worthy.

8. When the voting is finished, the OA elec-tion team counts the number of ballotsturned in, and enters the numbers on theunit election report.

9. The OA team determines the minimumnumber of votes one must receive to beelected, as follows: If the number of ballotsturned in was even (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.), dividethis number by two. If the number was odd(1, 3, 5, 7, etc.), add one and then divide bytwo. The number of votes a youth mustreceive to be elected is entered on thereport form.


10. The votes are counted in private by theelection team and the unit leader to deter-mine who has been elected. All votes countequally. If at least one has been elected, theelection result is final. If no one is elected,the OA team announces this fact and statesthat the unit will now be given the oppor-tunity to vote again. Time is allowed for fur-ther explanation of the purpose of the OAand the election procedures, and for anyquestions. (No information about the votesreceived by candidates is to be revealed atany time.) The second ballot is then heldimmediately, and if the unit still elects noone, this is the final result for the year’selection. The OA team places a check marknext to the names of those who have beenelected.

Note: Two unit elections videos, “Conducting aQuality Unit Election” and “Electing New Mem-bers Unit Elections” are available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Announcement of results. As soon as theelection is completed, the unit leader may ormay not choose to announce to the entire unitthe names of members who have beenelected. Often, if the unit will be participating ina call-out, the announcement of results maybe postponed until the call-out. The namesand addresses (plus additional information thelodge feels is necessary) are listed on the elec-tion report form. OA team members sign theform and mail it to the specified address imme-diately following the election.

Call-outs. Most lodges offer optional call-outceremonies for newly elected candidates;these candidates should be called out at theearliest possible time, either at a resident camp,a camporee, or a special ceremony. The Guideto Inductions, which is available at www.oa-bsa.org, contains information on how to con-duct a call-out ceremony. Lack of participationin a call-out ceremony does not affect eligibil-ity to attend an Ordeal; lodges should invite allduly elected candidates to all Ordeals whilethey are candidates (see “Candidate Status”below). Call-outs should be conducted by theOA lodge of the council in which the unit ischartered. This is the preferred method of call-out.

It is recognized that there is some value inholding a call-out at a summer camp. A lodgemay not call out candidates from a visiting out-of-council troop unless the unit leader pres-ents a letter from the home lodge chief andlodge adviser, requesting the call-out andidentifying the members to be called out. Asigned copy of the home lodge’s unit electionreport must accompany this letter. The homelodge chief and lodge adviser must receiveconfirmation of the call-out following theevent.

Candidate status. Scouts and adults remaincandidates until completion of the Ordeal andOrdeal ceremony. If this period of candidacyexceeds one year, the candidate’s name will bedropped. To become candidates again, theymust be elected/selected again. The executivecommittee of the lodge may extend the one-year limit if a candidate is ill or there are otherunusual circumstances.

If a candidate permanently relocates to a newBSA council prior to completing the Ordeal,the candidate should immediately join a unit inthe new council. A copy of the election reportmust be presented to the new unit leader toarrange induction in the new lodge. The candi-dacy period is not restarted or extended.

Ordeals. Candidates for membership in the OAmust complete the Ordeal and must beinducted into the OA by the lodge that servesthe council in which the unit is chartered. Out-of-council Ordeals are not permitted exceptwhen religious custom and observance pre-cludes attendance at the Ordeals of a Scout’shome lodge (e.g., Sabbath-observant JewishScouts). In this special case, the region Orderof the Arrow chairman may be petitioned foran exception to permit the Scout to beinducted by another lodge.

Ceremonies

Although we might not always understand orremember all that happened, our most vividand lasting impression of the Order of theArrow was probably formed during the pre-Ordeal, Ordeal, and Brotherhood ceremonies.The exhilarating fatigue that comes from work-


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ing hard with very little food amid the excite-ment of a special ceremony heightens theexperience of the Ordeal. So it is important tothe success of the OA that every lodge con-duct the best ceremonies possible.

Businesses usually are successful when theyspend extra time and effort on their customers,and if a lodge is active enough to qualify for theJourney to Excellence recognition, it probablycan credit some of its accomplishments andstrengths to good ceremonies. Because candi-dates realize and remember that a lot of hardwork went into “their” ceremonies, the lodge’sefforts in producing good ceremonies oftenare repaid by inspired new members who willtake an active interest in the activities of theOA.

Conducting ceremonies. Ceremonies are animportant part of the activities of the Order ofthe Arrow. They must always be conducted in amanner that is in complete compliance withthe ceremony texts and the Guide to Induc-tions. Neither hazing nor any other action thatendangers the health or disrespects the candi-dates has a place in an OA ceremony.

Ceremonies should be dramatic and held in anappropriate setting with proper use of Ameri-can Indian attire and approved council firetechniques. Nothing should be done to detractfrom the serious purpose of honoring candi-dates. The difference between success andfailure of a lodge starts with the ceremonies ofthe OA. Proper attire, a well-kept and symboli-cally correct ceremonial circle, ceremonialistswho understand and have fully memorizedtheir parts, efficient time management, andrespectful treatment of candidates all contrib-ute to meaningful ceremonies.

Ceremonial teams. The ceremonies of the OAare designed to be rich and vibrant experiencesthat communicate the essence of the OA tothe candidates in an inspirational and memora-ble manner. To achieve this effect, ceremonial-ists must understand the symbolism associatedwith the principal they are to personify; theymust know verbatim the words they are to sayand be able to speak so as to be heard clearlyby each candidate. Above all, they must under-stand the meaning of their words and be moti-

vated to convey that understanding tocandidates. All Arrowmen involved in conduct-ing ceremonies must be fully aware of theimpact their efforts will have on candidates andmembers. Our ceremonies are far too import-ant to allow for mediocrity.

Four ceremonial team members are neededfor the pre-Ordeal, Ordeal, and Brotherhoodceremonies. Fewer team members are neededfor the Vigil Honor ceremony. Regardless ofthe ceremony, all ceremonialists must beyouth members of the OA (younger than 21).

Ceremonial team members must hold themembership of the ceremony being con-ducted (or a higher membership level). Forexample, an Ordeal member may not be amember of the Brotherhood ceremony team,but a Brotherhood member may be a memberof the Ordeal ceremony team.

Additional members, as many as may bedesired by the lodge, may serve as caretakersof the council fire, assistant guides, etc., solong as they are younger than 21.

All principals who conduct the ceremonyshould wear ceremonial attire that is appropri-ate and respectful of the American Indian cul-tures being represented in our actions. Inaddition they should wear their current Orderof the Arrow sash. Other members attendingjoin in the circle of membership, in Scout uni-form, wearing their current OA sash. All mem-bers should help preserve the quietness,dignity, and inspiration of the occasion.

Members should not take photographs orvideo recordings of the pre-Ordeal, Ordeal,Brotherhood, or Vigil ceremonies. Photogra-phy and video recording are a distraction to theceremonialists and candidates and compro-mise the inspirational environment lodges takegreat care to create.

Approved ceremonies. There is no officialnotification or call-out ceremony for Ordealmembership or the Vigil Honor. Instead, lodgesare encouraged to develop their own call-outceremony. A list of key elements that all Ordealcall-out ceremonies should include can befound in the Guide to Inductions. The Cere-mony for the Vigil Honor contains information


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on call-out ceremonies and candidate notifi-cations.

All other ceremonies of the Order are pre-scribed nationally and are contained in theGuide to Inductions, Ceremony for the Ordeal,Ceremony for the Brotherhood, and Cere-mony for the Vigil. They were carefullyreviewed and approved by the BSA NationalAlliances team and various religious groups. Nochange of any kind is permitted in these cere-monies. Ceremonies must be memorized andpresented without deviation. All spoken wordsand movement diagrams are to be followed.Hazing, kneeling, and blindfolds are forbid-den in all Order of the Arrow ceremonies.

Call-out ceremony. Many lodges have devel-oped a call-out ceremony for use at summercamp, unit meetings, retreat ceremonies,campfires, camporees, and other district/council events.

Each lodge should develop its own call-outceremony. The Guide to Inductions, availableat www.oa-bsa.org, contains information onhow to conduct a call-out ceremony and asample call-out text that lodges may use as abasis for their own call-out ceremonies. Hereare some basic principles that must beobserved:

1. Call-out ceremonies shall be held in public.

2. The candidates and the audience of youth,parents, and leaders shall be made awareof the importance of the honor beinggiven.

3. The name, unit, and community of eachcandidate shall be announced clearly.

4. Call-out ceremonies should be dignifiedand impressive. They may have an Ameri-can Indian theme. Campfires, drums, andAmerican Indian dancing may be used tosupplement, but not overwhelm, thehonor.

5. Rough stuff, making the candidates kneel,blindfolding the candidates, hazing, teas-ing, marking the candidate in any way, orany other kind of physical or psychological

abuse has no place in the Order of theArrow and is strictly forbidden.

Brotherhood Ceremony. The ceremony forBrotherhood membership is in the Ceremonyfor the Brotherhood pamphlet, available atwww.oa-bsa.org.

At a time and place determined by thoseresponsible, the Brotherhood ceremony maybe held as outlined in the Ceremony for theBrotherhood. Only Brotherhood candidatesand Brotherhood and Vigil Honor membersmay attend. Brotherhood ceremonies areencouraged at every lodge fellowship eventheld at camp.

From the inception of the Order of the Arrowin 1915, it was intended that all membersshould be of the same rank or standing. Broth-erhood membership does not carry with it anydegree of rank, status, or special privilegewithin the lodge. It is not to be thought of as aseparate honor in the same sense as the VigilHonor. Except for making the necessaryarrangements for Brotherhood ceremonies,Brotherhood members should not meet as aseparate group. Social and service activities areintended for all members of the lodge.

The Brotherhood is an opportunity for mem-bers to evaluate their unit service since theirinduction, to contemplate their future serviceto the lodge, and to reaffirm their belief in thehigh purposes of the OA. The ceremony isintended as a source of inspiration, motivatingits members to render even greater service toScouting and the lodge.

Brotherhood membership can only be con-ferred by an Arrowman’s home lodge—thelodge that serves the council in which theArrowman’s unit is chartered.

Face paint policy. The use of face paint, bodypaint, and wigs by non-American Indians couldbe offensive to some groups of AmericanIndian people. Where lodge activities related toceremony and dance are offensive to localAmerican Indians, they must be discontinuedfor OA members. Appropriate local use is to beinterpreted by each lodge based on their rela-tionship with American Indian tribes in the



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council area and those being represented inlodge ceremonies.

National Order of the Arrow conferences, con-claves, and other events conducted beyondthe individual lodge will not permit face paint,body paint, or wigs to be used in social orcompetition dancing or in ceremonies, cere-mony team evaluations or ceremony competi-tions.

Protected species and flag policies. No feath-ers, talons, or other parts from protected spe-cies of birds may be worn in Order of theArrow dance competition or used in demon-strations, displays, workshops, or ceremonies.Nearly every bird species is protected, exceptresident state game birds and domestic fowlsuch as turkey and chicken. The same might betrue regarding animal or reptile parts; if so, theyare equally forbidden. Check with the U.S.Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice, and state conservation authorities fordetails.

Within the guidelines found in the U.S. Codepertaining to the American flag, flags are not tobe worn as apparel. With this in mind, no typeof U.S. flag can be worn as part of ceremony ordance attire. Flag motifs in quillwork and bead-work are acceptable.

Fire Safety. All ceremonialists must be aware ofand adhere to the BSA Guide to Safe Scouting.The chapter of particular interest is VI. Chemi-cal Fuels and Equipment. The passages of noteare:

1. “Using liquid fuels for starting any type of fire—including lighting damp wood, charcoal, andceremonial campfires or displays—is prohib-ited.”;

2. “Definitions: Prohibited chemical-fueled equip-ment—Equipment that is handcrafted, home-made, modified, or installed beyond themanufacturer’s stated design limitations oruse.”; and

3. “Definitions: Approved chemical-fueled equip-ment—Commercially manufactured equipment,including stoves, grills, burners, heaters, andlanterns that are designed to be used withchemical fuels.”

Homemade torches are therefore prohibited.Torches that are commercially manufactured,like Tiki torches, are acceptable.

A trail marker-can that uses a roll of tissuesoaked in kerosene is prohibited. A trailmarker-can that uses a candle is acceptable.

Lodges should develop a fire mitigation planfor all ceremonies. This plan should be submit-ted to the appropriate council committees forapproval. The lodge should have fire extin-guishing equipment available during a cere-mony to deal with any unplanned fires. Anadult knowledgeable about chemical fuels andequipment should be appointed to supervisethe storage, handling and use of chemical fuelsand equipment. Before leaving the ceremonialcircle and the trails leading to and from thearea, all fires must be completely out.

Additional information is contained in the OAGuide to Inductions available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Choosing Vigil Honor Candidates

The Vigil Honor is a high mark of distinctionand recognition reserved for those Arrowmenwho, by reason of exceptional service, per-sonal effort, and unselfish interest, have madedistinguished contributions beyond the imme-diate responsibilities of their position or officeto one or more of the following: their lodge,the Order of the Arrow, Scouting or their Scout




camp. Under no circumstances should tenurein Scouting or the Order of the Arrow be con-sidered as reason enough for a Vigil Honor rec-ommendation. (For a complete explanation ofthe meaning and selection criteria, refer to“Vigil Honor” in the Order of the Arrow Hand-book.)

The following procedure has been establishedby the national Order of the Arrow committeeto maintain a consistent, high standard in theselection of Vigil Honor nominees across thecountry. Lodges should observe the followingprocedure in recommending candidates forthe Vigil Honor and in carrying out the VigilHonor induction. None of the Vigil selectionand induction procedures may be delegated tochapters, other than to recommend candidatesto the lodge nominating committee.

The lodge chief appoints a Vigil Honor nomi-nating committee chairman and committeemembers composed of youth who have beenapproved by the lodge adviser and Scout exec-utive. The lodge adviser appoints one adultadviser in consultation with the lodge chief andstaff adviser. The chairman and committeemembers are usually Vigil Honor members;however, any youth member of the lodge mayserve on the committee, provided that they arenot eligible to receive the Vigil Honor. A com-mittee of five to 10 youth has been foundeffective in many lodges. The key is to keep thecommittee to a manageable size, yet largeenough to complete its task. The committeeshould be of sufficient size so that its memberswill collectively be aware which Arrowmenhave been the leaders and workers in thelodge.

Mailed ballots should never be used for selec-tion of Vigil Honor candidates. Open discus-sion between members of the Vigil Honornominating committee is the best way toensure that all eligible Brotherhood membersreceive proper consideration. Inasmuch as theVigil Honor does not connote a separate mem-bership or grouping, it is inappropriate for thenominating committee to be “a committee ofthe whole” involving all or substantially all VigilHonor members of the lodge. Nor is the VigilHonor nomination process to be one in which

the Vigil Honor members of the lodge, as agroup, determine who is selected.

In selecting Vigil Honor candidates, the lodgenominating committee may reach agreementthrough consensus, without a formal vote.However, if a vote is taken in order to selectVigil Honor candidates, only those membersyounger than age 21 may vote, as in all OAmatters. The nomination flows from the lodgeto the national committee.

The lodge nominating committee should usethe following step-by-step procedure in deter-mining Vigil Honor nominations to be submit-ted to the national Order of the Arrowcommittee for approval.

1. Secure from OA LodgeMaster a list ofBrotherhood members who are in goodstanding with the lodge and the Boy Scoutsof America and who have been Brother-hood members for at least 2 years. Therewill be no posthumous Vigil Honor candi-dates.

2. Determine the number of Vigil Honor can-didates that the lodge is eligible to nomi-nate to the national committee by findingout the total lodge membership, asreported on the most recent lodge charterrenewal application. Use this figure againstthe chart, “Quota Table: Vigil Honor Nomi-nations,” to determine the maximum num-ber of candidates the lodge is eligible tonominate.

Quota Table: Vigil Honor Nominations

Total lodge membership

reported on latest charter renewal

application

Maximum number of lodge

Vigil Honor nominations

0–99 2

100–149 3

150–199 4

200–249 5

250–299 6

300–349 7

350–399 8


3. In selecting candidates for the Vigil Honor,keep in mind that all candidates must be ingood standing with the lodge and the BSAand must have been Brotherhood mem-bers for two years or longer at the time ofselection by the lodge Vigil nominatingcommittee.

When weighing “distinguished service” innominating candidates, remember to mea-sure a Scout on a youth’s standard and anadult on an adult’s standard.

To maintain a proper ratio of youth toadults in awarding the Vigil Honor, thenational committee has established a pol-icy which requires that at least 50 percentof a lodge’s nominations must be for can-didates younger than 21, including those,as outlined below, that do not countagainst the quota for any given year. Allnominations may be for candidatesyounger than 21, but no more than 50 per-cent may be for persons 21 years of age orolder.

Nomination of professional Scouters, thecouncil president, council camping or pro-gram committee chairs, and camp rangerswill not count against the lodge quota fortotal nominations. However, these nomi-nations will count toward the policy limit-ing total adult nominations to a maximumof 50 percent of the total nominations sub-mitted in a given year. Adults in this groupmust meet the requirement of at least twoyears of service as Brotherhood members.

4. Select an honorable American Indian nameand its English equivalent for the candidate.Use the “Lenni Lenape Word List” or

another credible American Indian languagetext. The Vigil Honor name should beselected in a serious manner, based uponeach person’s qualities, talents, or traits.

5. Prepare the Vigil Honor petition, availableat www.oa-bsa.org.

The petition must be filled out completelybefore it can be approved. Particular careshould be used in furnishing the date thatBrotherhood membership was conferred.Specific reasons for nominating the candi-date for the Vigil Honor should be listedcompletely and concisely. The petitionmust be used during the current chartercalendar year. Unused quota may not becarried over to future years.

6. Secure approval of the petition from thelodge chief, lodge adviser and Scout exec-utive. Each must personally sign the peti-tion before forwarding to the director ofthe Order of the Arrow. Unsigned petitionswill be returned to the council. A lodge’sVigil Honor petitions must be submitted asa group, and only once per calendar year.

7. Check the box on the form if a Vigil ID cardis desired. Scan and email the signed peti-tions to the national service center. Thecouncil will be billed for the total amountdue. A minimum of 30 days must beallowed for the national Order of the Arrowcommittee to consider the petition andadvise the lodge of its acceptance or rejec-tion. Do not assume approval or make apublic announcement until certificateshave been received in the council servicecenter.

400–449 9

450–499 10

500 or more Ratio 1 to 50

Quota Table: Vigil Honor Nominations

Total lodge membership

reported on latest charter renewal

application

Maximum number of lodge

Vigil Honor nominations

PABLO AMANUENSIS

SUCCEDANEUM LODGE

1980


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8. Upon receipt in the national service center,petitions will be reviewed. If approved, cer-tificates will be sent to the council Scoutexecutive. If petitions are not approved, thecouncil Scout executive will be notifiedwith an explanation for the disapproval or arequest for further information.

9. When the certificates have been received,arrange for notification or conduct a call-out of the Vigil Honor candidate.

10. Order Vigil Honor sashes from the SupplyGroup of the Boy Scouts of Americathrough the local council service center.

11. Arrange and conduct the Vigil Honorinduction. If there are no Vigil Honor mem-bers in the lodge, arrange to have candi-dates inducted by a nearby lodge that hasVigil Honor members, or bring in VigilHonor members from another lodge to

conduct the induction. Approved VigilHonor candidates must be inducted withinone year of national service centerapproval (the date on the certificate). Oth-erwise the certificate must be returned tothe national service center and the namewill be removed from the approved list.Their selection must then be consideredanew with a future year’s quota.

12. Arrange and conduct a public presentationof Vigil Honor sashes and certificates to thenew Vigil Honor members at a major func-tion of the council or the lodge.

13. If approved candidates are not inducted, itis very important to notify the director ofthe Order of the Arrow immediately. Oth-erwise, they will be assumed to be inductedmembers of the Vigil Honor.

Planning for the Vigil induction ceremony must include arranging for drivers for the candidates and the ceremonial participants following the ceremony.

Vigil Honor sash


Structure, Program, and Awards

The Order of the Arrow is fully integrated intothe outdoor program of the Boy Scouts ofAmerica as Scouting’s National Honor Society.Nationally, the magnitude and dynamics of theOrder of the Arrow program require adminis-tration by a full-time, paid staff. This staff worksat the national service center and is responsiblefor carrying out all aspects of the OA’s pro-gram, processing Vigil Honor and Founder’sAward recognitions and lodge charter renew-als, liaising with local councils, and conductingall national business and financial matters ofthe OA.

The staff is headed by the director of the Orderof the Arrow. The director is assisted by anassociate director.

The Order is a self-funded program and paysall costs associated with its operation throughits own revenue sources, which include annuallodge charter fees and recognition sales.

The Field Operations Guide provides completeinformation on the field organization andoperations of the Order of the Arrow at thenational, regional, and section levels.

For additional information on national policy,programs, and events, the Order of the Arrowalso maintains an official Website: www.oa-bsa.org. The Guide for Officers and Advisersand the Field Operations Guide are available fordownload and printing at the website.

The national OA committee may be contactedthrough:

Boy Scouts of America

Order of the Arrow, S325

1325 West Walnut Hill Lane

P.O. Box 152079

Irving, TX 75015-2079

Phone: 972-580-2438




http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/publications#fog


The Order of the Arrow and its Place in Scouting

Council Operations Group

Assistant Chief Scout Executive

Executive Board

ChairmanCommissioner

Chief Scout ExecutiveDeputy Chief Scout Executive

ACSE Outdoor Adventures

Vice PresidentGroup Director

Outdoor Adventures Committee

ChairmanGroup Director

National OA Committee

ChiefVice ChiefChairmanDirector

Region OA Key 3

ChiefChairman

Staff Adviser

OA Section

ChiefAdviser

Staff Adviser

OA Lodge

ChiefAdviser

Staff Adviser

OA Chapter *

ChiefAdviser

Staff Adviser

Region Executive Board

PresidentCommissioner

Region Director

Area

PresidentCommissionerArea Director

Council Executive Board

PresidentCommissioner

Scout Executive

District Committee

ChairmanCommissioner

District Executive

* A chapter can consist of one or more districts.

ChairmanStaff Adviser

District Camping orProgram Committee

ChairmanStaff Adviser

Council Camping orProgram Committee


National Order of the Arrow Committee

The national Order of the Arrow committee, asupport committee of the national OutdoorAdventures Committee, sets policy and directsthe program of the OA. The OA has more than150,000 members nationally, organized intomore than 270 lodges, grouped into sectionsof the four regions.

The volunteer leader is the chairman of thenational Order of the Arrow committee. Thechairman is appointed annually by the chair-man of the national Outdoor Adventures Com-mittee. There are approximately 50 membersof the national Order of the Arrow committee;they are appointed annually by the chairman.

The staff advisers to the national committeeare the director and associate director of theOrder of the Arrow. These individuals arenational professional Scouters.

The national chief and national vice chief arethe top youth leaders of the OA and serve onthe national committee to provide youthinvolvement in decisions affecting the programnationally. The immediate past national chiefand immediate past national vice chief mayalso serve on the national committee.

To implement and manage the program of theOrder of the Arrow, the national committee isorganized along these functional lines:

• Communication

• Development

• Finance and Strategic Planning

• National Events

• Outdoor Adventures

• Recognition, Awards, History, and Pres-ervation

• Region and Section Operations

• Strategic Performance

• Technology

• Training

• Unit, Chapter, and Lodge Support

Vice chairmen of the national committee areappointed by the chairman annually to manageand administer each of these areas.

Every five years, the national committee estab-lishes a Strategic Planning Task Force. Orga-nized across functional areas, the task forcedevelops the OA’s multi-year plan for growthand improvement.

Because of the size and complexity of the pro-gram and the number of individuals who serveon the committee to deliver the programacross the country, a steering committee hasbeen created to manage the day-to-day affairsof the National Committee. As a whole, thenational committee meets semiannually; thesteering committee meets two additional timesduring the year. Various members of the steer-ing committee are in constant contact withone another to handle the work of the OA on adaily basis. Members of the steering committeeare the national chairman, national vice chair-men, past national chairmen, national chief,and national vice chief. The director and asso-ciate director of the Order of the Arrow serveas nonvoting members.

National Conference

Every two years, usually in late July or earlyAugust, the Order of the Arrow holds a nationalconference. The national conference is heldover six days with 7,000 to 10,000 Arrowmenparticipating, coming from throughout theUnited States and its territories, and some fromoverseas. The conference program includesinnovative leadership development programs,fellowship periods, inspirational gatherings(shows), ceremony team development, Ameri-can Indian pageants, camping promotion, andopportunities to hear and talk with nationalleaders of the Order of the Arrow and the BoyScouts of America.


National Conference Committee

The national Order of the Arrow conference isplanned and conducted by the national con-ference committee, which is composed of thenational committee members and those youthfrom throughout the country, younger than 21,who are currently serving as section chiefs.Section chiefs and national committee mem-bers participate in a national planning meetingheld annually in late December.

As their first order of business, the sectionchiefs elect a national chief, a national vicechief, and four region chiefs.

To be eligible to hold a national office asnational chief, national vice chief, or regionchief, a section chief must be younger than 21during the entire term of office. In addition, noperson who has ever held one of thesenational offices can ever again be eligible tohold any national youth OA office.

These officers serve until their successors areelected at the next planning meeting. Thenational chief and vice chief organize subcom-mittees and direct the program planning forthe national conference. Members of thenational Order of the Arrow committee serveas advisers.

Following the elections, the national confer-ence committee is divided into functional sub-committees, called conference committees,with each section chief being assigned to oneafter indicating the committee of their prefer-ence. The committees meet, and each elects achair, called a conference vice chief. Like thesection conclave, these committees ofteninclude training, ceremonies, special events,communication, shows, competitions and rec-reation, conference festival, camping, Ameri-can Indian events, and others.

While the responsibilities are definite, it mustbe remembered that at each level of the Orderof the Arrow, the three types of leaders—youth,volunteer, and professional—must work inclose harmony to ensure an effective program.

National Leadership Seminar

The National LeadershipSeminar (NLS) is a nationalOrder of the Arrow leader-ship program conductedin a weekend conferenceformat. The adaptive lead-ership approach builds onethical leadership, self-

awareness, and skills needed to lead teams andindividuals. The program is designed toenhance the leadership capacity and abilities ofthe OA’s youth and adult members as they seekto improve their service to the Boy Scouts ofAmerica and the greater community.

The NLS is an intensive, engaging, and experi-ential learning opportunity in which attendeeswill gain knowledge about themselves, learnhow to adapt their leadership approach to theircurrent situation, and cultivate a mindset ofresiliency. While designed to be a fun engagingexperience, the NLS program is also mentallychallenging. Attendees should be develop-mentally, physically, and mentally prepared toactively engage in a strenuous and invigoratingweekend. Youth participants should be at least15 years of age or a chapter or lodge officer.

The NLS program is executed at the regionlevel by a trained and qualified youth staff.

Developing Youth Leadership Conference

The Developing YouthLeadership Conferenceis an innovative trainingprogram for all advisers,regardless of their cur-rent responsibilities.Advisers learn how toapply the words andskills learned in NLS

when working with young people.

The Developing Youth Leadership Conferencewill help advisers learn how to establish a lodgeand chapter culture that grows leaders who arecapable of establishing goals, building teams,


and guiding the lodge’s work. Prior participa-tion in the National Leadership Seminar isencouraged but not required. Informationabout future DYLCs can be found on the regionwebsites.

Order of the Arrow Adviser Conference

The Order of the Arrow Adviser Conference is aweek-long training experience staffed bymembers of the national OA committee. Train-ing topics requested by conference partici-pants are emphasized, which often includeimproving membership retention, lodge andchapter communication techniques, how towork effectively with youth, role of the adult inthe OA, and tips on achieving Journey toExcellence recognition. This conference isopen to all adult members of the OA whoadvise youth in their lodge or chapter. AdultArrowmen interested in the conference canfind additional information at www.philmont-trainingcenter.org.

Regional Organization

The Boy Scouts of America is organized intofour geographical regions: Central, Northeast,Southern, and Western.

The region chief is the youth leader of theregion elected by the section chiefs from thatregion at the national planning meeting. Theregion chief must be younger than 21 duringthe entire year of their term; and will serve untila successor is elected. The election is held fol-lowing the election of the national chief andnational vice chief.

The volunteer leader in the region is the regionOrder of the Arrow chairman. Appointed annu-ally by the region director in coordination withthe chairman of the national Order of theArrow committee, this person is responsible foradministering and managing the programregionally, with a special emphasis placed onthe role of adviser to the region chief.

The region staff adviser is appointed by thenational OA director in partnership with the

appropriate regional director. Duties of theregion staff adviser include regular communi-cation and counsel with the region OA chair-man and region.

Each of the regions is divided into geographicalareas composed of a number of councils. Thenumber of areas varies according to region.The region director establishes the areaboundaries and appoints an area director toprovide leadership to the programs within thearea. The councils in each area are groupedinto one or more sections by the area director,based on recommendations made by theregion Order of the Arrow chairman and regionstaff adviser.

Communication is a very important role for theregion. Some regions use a newsletter to keeptheir sections up-to-date.

Each region has its own website:

central.oa-bsa.org

northeast.oa-bsa.org

southern.oa-bsa.org

western.oa-bsa.org

Section Organization

The section provides an inter-lodge forum forlodge and chapter leaders, bringing themtogether for fellowship and mutual improve-ment through the exchange of ideas. The sec-tion organizes and conducts an annualconclave at which training plays a major part.In addition, the section creates a monitoring/mentoring relationship with its lodges, providesleadership development opportunities, fostersunderstanding and adherence to national OApolicies and procedures, and coordinates OAadministrative and program functions.

The section officers are the chief, vice chief,and secretary. They are elected at the annualbusiness meeting held during the conclave.The section adviser is the adult volunteerleader, and a professional Scouter serves asstaff adviser. These Arrowmen are appointedannually by the area director, with the concur-rence of the region Order of the Arrow chair-


http://central.oa-bsa.org

http://northeast.oa-bsa.org

http://southern.oa-bsa.org

http://western.oa-bsa.org

http://www.philmonttrainingcenter.org

http://www.philmonttrainingcenter.org

man and region staff adviser. The advisers workclosely with the section officers in planningand conducting the conclave.

The section adviser is the important linkbetween lodges within the section. This personprovides advice and guidance to the sectionofficers and is an important resource of pro-gram ideas and help for lodge advisers.

A field operations publication is available at theOA’s official website, www.oa-bsa.org, andshould be used by all section officers andadvisers. The Field Operations Guide isdesigned as a guide to administration and pro-gram pertaining to section, region, andnational operations of the OA. It includes cur-rent information about the organizationalstructure and program, as well as the sectionrules.

Secondly, the Field Operations Guide is dedi-cated to providing the necessary background,knowledge, and information about how toorganize and run a successful section con-clave. It is informative and full of helpful hints,including sample training outlines.

Names and addresses of all elected personnelshould be sent by the staff adviser to the direc-tor of the Order of the Arrow within a week fol-lowing the election of section officers.

The OA and International Scouting

The Order of the Arrow is an integral part of theprogram of the Boy Scouts of America andoperates within its official structure. Neitherthe OA nor individual members may enter intoany type of agreement concerning the OA andanother Scout association or individuals interms of individual or honorary memberships.

Remember, to be eligible for election to theOrder of the Arrow, the individual must first bea registered member of the Boy Scouts ofAmerica. Recognizing international camp staffparticipants or members of other nationalScout associations with any type of OA mem-bership is contrary to the policies of the BoyScouts of America. This type of recognitionalso can create difficulties in the Boy Scouts of

America’s relationships with other nationalScout associations.

Special Programs and Awards

A variety of special programs and recognitionshave been created by the national Order of theArrow committee over the years. Each isadministered by the director of the Order ofthe Arrow, and pertinent information andappropriate forms are available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Josh R. Sain Memorial Scholarships. Thesecollege assistance scholarships are awardedannually to immediate past national officers(chief, vice chief, or region chief) and immedi-ate past section chiefs, based on exceptionalservice and scholarship achievement. Thescholarships are given in memory of 1997National Vice Chief Josh Sain, who died in a caraccident during his term of office. The first twoawards were given in 1999.

Maury Clancy Indian Campership fund. Thecampership fund was created in 1971 to helpprovide funds to those American Indian Scoutsneeding assistance to attend resident camp.The fund was subsequently named in memoryof long-time national committee memberMaury Clancy, who contributed significantly tothe OA. Mr. Clancy emphasized the signifi-cance of our country’s American Indian cultureand worked to encourage the preservation ofour American Indian heritage. Lodges maycontribute to this fund through their section atwill, thereby increasing the fund and enablingmore camperships to be awarded.

E. Urner Goodman Camping Award. Theaward was established as a tribute and testi-monial to the OA’s founder, E. Urner Goodman.Its purpose is to encourage and challengeOrder of the Arrow members and lodges toincrease their effectiveness in promoting andincreasing Scout camping in each council.Awards are presented annually to two out-standing lodges in each region. For a lodge tobe eligible for consideration, it must have com-pleted the E. Urner Goodman Camping Awardpetition (available at www.oa-bsa.org) which



http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/forms





must be submitted to the national service cen-ter by December 31.

National Service Award. The National ServiceAward was created in 1998 to recognize annu-ally two lodges in each region that have per-formed outstanding service, both in aqualitative and quantitative manner, to theirlocal council. To be considered for this presti-gious award, the lodge must have completedthe National Service Award petition (availableat www.oa-bsa.org) which must be submittedto the national service center by December 31.

National Service Grant program. Each year thenational Order of the Arrow committee makesavailable matching grant money to lodges forcamp or service center projects in their localcouncils. The Order will provide up to one-halfof the money for a selected service project.The maximum amount that will be granted is$5,000. Selected projects must be consistentwith the lodge/council strategic plans. Grantapplications are available at www.oa-bsa.organd must be submitted by October 31; thoselodges granted awards will be notified by thefollowing January 31. To be eligible for grantconsideration, the lodge must not havereceived a grant from the Order within the lasttwo years.

Founder’s Award. The Founder’s Award wascreated to honor and recognize those Arrow-men who have given outstanding service to thelodge. The award is reserved for those Arrow-men who memorialize in their everyday life thespirit of achievement as described by founderE. Urner Goodman. The award is a handsomebronze medallion bearing the likenesses of E.Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson, withwooden base and brass plate suitable forengraving. The award is suitable for display athome or the office. Also available is theFounder’s Award arrow ribbon, similar to theuniversal arrow ribbon, except that it has agold-colored arrow suspended from a red rib-bon. Lodges may petition the national Order ofthe Arrow committee to present up to fourawards annually, based on lodge membership.If the lodge presents more than one award,one must be to a youth under the age of 21.Petition forms are available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Red Arrow Award. The award was created in1967 to recognize individuals who are notmembers of the OA for outstanding service tothe OA. This attractive award, a red arrow andmedallion superimposed on an engravedplaque and a miniature charm for civilian wear,can be awarded only by action of the nationalOrder of the Arrow committee. Petitions, avail-able at www.oa-bsa.org, must be submitted tothe director of the Order of the Arrow. Theawards are presented at the national Order ofthe Arrow conference.

Distinguished Service Award. The Distin-guished Service Award was created in 1940 tohonor those who rendered service to theOrder beyond the lodge level. The award ispresented to those Arrowmen who have ren-dered distinguished and outstanding service tothe OA on a sectional, regional, or nationalbasis. It is given primarily for dedicated serviceto the Order and Scouting over a period ofyears. The first awards were presented at CampTwin Echo, Pennsylvania, to E. Urner Good-man, Carroll A. Edson, and eight others at the1940 national meeting. Between 1940 and thefirst national conference in 1948, the awardwas presented at national meetings as deserv-ing individuals were found. Thereafter, theaward presentation became a traditional partof the pageantry and ceremony of the nationalconference. Since the time of the first awardsin 1940, through 2018, 1,019 Distinguished Ser-vice Awards have been presented. This alone isa testament to its high standard of excellence.The award is a sterling silver arrowhead, bear-ing an arrow pointing upward and to thewearer’s right, suspended from a white neck-ribbon upon which are embroidered redarrows. A white square knot embroidered uponred cloth is available for uniform wear, and aminiature silver arrowhead lapel pin is availablefor civilian wear. Presentation of the award islimited. Arrowmen whose service records arethe most outstanding and extend farthestbeyond others are usually selected. Nomina-tions are open to both youth and adult Arrow-men. Petitions are available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Innovation Award. The Innovation Award rec-ognizes chapters and lodges for their efforts in








improving the OA program and provides ameans to chronicle the best ideas in additionto promoting and sharing them nationwide as“best practices.” It recognizes innovation atevery level of the organization, and as such,any idea that has been proven to positivelyimpact the chapter, lodge, district, council, orScouting will be considered. To be eligible, thelodge must have completed an award petition(available at www.oa-bsa.org) and must besubmitted to the national service center byDecember 31. Selections will be made by thenational Order of the Arrow committee. Twoawards will be presented in each region eachyear. The awards consist of a certificate and adonation of $1,000 to the recipient council’spermanently restricted endowment fund.

Unit of Excellence Award. The Unit of Excel-lence Award identifies those units, and leaderswithin them, that excel at incorporating the OAinto their annual planning. This annual awardrecognizes units that invite the lodge to con-duct quality unit elections, participate in lodgeevents and meetings, and operate a completeOA unit representative program. Units thatqualify are recognized by a ribbon for the unitflag each year the award is achieved. In addi-tion, the OA Unit representative, adviser, andunit leader are recognized by a certificate andpatch. More information on the award, orderforms and certificates are available at www.oa-bsa.org.

Other awards. A variety of recognition itemsare available from the BSA Supply Group foruse by lodges and chapters. These includeplaques suitable for engraving, statuettes, andcertificates. These may be obtained throughthe council service center. While it is not nec-essary to obtain approval of the national Orderof the Arrow committee for these local recog-nitions, lodges and chapters must have theScout executive’s approval prior to presenta-tion.

It is recommended that awards of this type bekept to a minimum so that they are moremeaningful to the recipients.



https://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/forms#unitexcellenceaward

https://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/forms#unitexcellenceaward

Appendix

Guidelines for Assisting Scouts and Scouters with Special Needs

This information is provided to help members

of the Order of the Arrow address issuesregarding Scouts and Scouters with specialneeds. It is important to realize that 70 percentof disability = ability, and that the Order of theArrow program can be adapted to includeeveryone. Do not assume what a person iscapable (or incapable) of doing by looking atthem. These guidelines should help in under-standing ways to adapt to meet special needswhile still upholding the customs and traditionsof the OA. Even though the experience mayneed to be different, it is no less meaningful tothose involved.

Eligibility

If a unit leader believes that a Scouts BSA FirstClass, the Venturing Discovery Award, or theSea Scout Ordinary rank (or above) Scout can-not complete the camping requirement of theyouth membership qualifications due to a dis-ability or long-term medical condition, he orshe should contact the lodge adviser well inadvance of the unit election to discuss possiblemodification or waiver of the camping require-ment. The lodge adviser should contact theScout executive, who has final authority in thematter. The Scout executive should make adetermination in consultation with the coun-cil's Disability Awareness Committee. In coun-cils where this committee does not exist theScout executive should make the decision onhis or her own. If the Scout executive grants amodification or waiver of the camping require-

ment, the lodge or chapter should then sched-ule and conduct the unit's election.

Inductions and Ceremonies

The Ordeal

It is important to understand how a disabilitycan affect a candidate’s ability to perform thefour tests of the Ordeal. The best way to estab-lish this understanding is by asking questions ofthe candidate and/or their parents, unit leader,or a medical professional. This should beginimmediately after the election/nomination ofan individual with a special need. It is importantthat all of those involved with the Ordeal(including elangomats and ceremonialists)understand as much as possible about thecandidate.

The night alone. Most individuals will be ableto complete this test, but some might requireslight adaptations. Someone might need tospend the night with the candidate to ensuresafety, as that is the number one priority. AScout or Scouter who uses a wheelchair formobility might not be able to transfer out oftheir chair to sleep on the ground, but a simpleaccommodation like a cot can help themcomplete this test. Some individuals mightneed private surroundings to address bath-room/toileting issues but can sleep outdoorswithout assistance.

Good judgment of all parties involved isimportant to ensure a safe and pleasant experi-ence. Unit leaders often can answer most


questions and can provide the necessary assis-tance for the candidate.

The day of silence. There may be times thatthe vow of silence will need to be broken toadvocate immediate needs and concerns, andflexibility should be provided. When possible,the special accommodations should be doneapart from the other candidates. If a discussionis held prior to the Ordeal, a candidate with aspecial need can be asked to carry a pen andpaper to minimize the need to actually talkduring the Ordeal.

Scant food. This test requires pre-event plan-ning and might be the requirement that needsthe most flexibility. Many medicines arerequired to be taken with food, or full glassesof water or milk. They also might need to betaken at scheduled times during the day toensure medical consistency. Discussing a can-didate’s special dietary needs prior to the eventis essential. Foods that typically are used duringthe Ordeal might not suffice or be practical toScouts or Scouters with a special need.

Arduous labor. Work projects still can be verymeaningful but might need to be done a littledifferently. Try to establish ahead of time someprojects that will meet this goal. Wheneverpossible, include the candidate with a specialneed in the same projects as the other candi-dates.

Training Elangomats and Ceremonialists

It is important that special needs are discussedand understood by each person that will beinvolved with the induction process. If there isa need to make an accommodation, everyoneneeds to understand why and how to accom-plish this. Consideration should also be givento allow the unit to provide an elangomat towork along with the candidate with a specialneed throughout the entire Ordeal process.

Direct questions about what needs to happenduring the Ordeal process and the ceremonyshould be discussed prior to the event. A planshould be established that meets the needs ofthe candidate involved, as well as the lodge,but does not lose sight of the traditions of the

Order. Things to discuss might include, butshould not be limited to:

• Can the individual pull the bow?

• Can they raise their hand in the Scout sign?

• Can they repeat the Obligation?

This is just a small sampling of questions to beconsidered, and while they may seem verybasic, they need to be asked.

The Brotherhood

Most individuals with special needs can com-plete the Brotherhood requirements with littleor no adaptation required. As in the Ordealprocess, the induction team should hold a dis-cussion prior to the Brotherhood process.Some questions to ask might include:

• Can the individual participate in the Broth-erhood Hike?

• How can we help the Scout complete thetests during the ceremony?

The Vigil

The Vigil induction can be completed withsome assistance without affecting the symbol-ism of the honor. It will be important to takespecial precautions to ensure the safety of thecandidate and all involved. The induction pro-cesses for the Ordeal and Brotherhood shouldprovide plenty of ways to conduct a successfulVigil induction that will make it a very meaning-ful experience for all involved.

Participation in OA Events

It is important to strive for inclusion of all inany OA event being planned, whether on alocal, sectional, regional or national basis. Pre-event planning is the key to accomplishing this,and it is important that all registration and pro-motional information include a way to addressspecial needs. Special needs can include butshould not be limited to:

• Sleeping arrangements and personalhygiene needs


• Diet restrictions/accommodations

• Storage of medicine/medical supplies

• Assistance with mobility to programs atevents

• Flexibility with service projects

• Language/communication issues

• Special parking/transportation

Stress that every reasonable effort will be madeto meet special needs, but it is the responsibil-ity of the participant to indicate their needs inas much detail as possible prior to the event.It should never be assumed that one can justshow up at an event and find that their needscan be met. In order to help those with specialneeds make proper arrangements, provideclear instructions on whom to contact andhow to reach them.

Section conclaves usually are held at a differentlocation each year, and each location may pro-vide different access. Each year the servicelodge should include requests for specialneeds requirements in its pre-event informa-tion. Specific issues can be directed to the ser-vice lodge staff adviser.

National Leadership Seminars (NLS), Develop-ing Youth Leaders Conferences (DYLC), andNational Order of the Arrow Conferences canaccommodate Scouts and Scouters with spe-cial needs. The same pre-event planningshould occur to ensure the facility meets theirneeds. The region staff adviser can help withthis information for NLS and DYLC, while allrequests for special needs for NOAC should beaddressed to the director of the Order of theArrow. As with other requests, be sure to be asspecific as possible to ensure the best results.

Youth Protection

Scouts and Scouters with special needs can beespecially vulnerable to sexual abuse. Careshould be given to meeting all guidelines forBSA Youth Protection.

Conclusion

The Order of the Arrow is a wonderful programthat can be enjoyed by all. It is important tolearn how to assist and involve all Scouts andScouters in the program, and it is imperative tomaintain and respect everyone’s confidentialityand safety. Every individual, regardless of abilityor disability, can have a rewarding experienceas a member of the OA.

References

• Several BSA resources, including the Guideto Working With Scouts With Special Needsand DisABILITIES, No. 510-071 and theScouting for Youth With Disabilities Manual,No. 34059 are available at www.scout-ing.org/programs/boy-scouts/the-build-ing-blocks-of-scouting/disabilities.

• The University of Washington has a glos-sary of terms at www.washington.edu/doit/glossary-disability-related-terms.

• The United Cerebral Palsy Association’swebsite, www.ucp.org includes disabilityetiquette tips.

• The Americans With Disabilities Act andother disabilities-related laws and regula-tions can be researched by using Internetsearch engines.


http://www.scouting.org/programs/boy-scouts/the-building-blocks-of-scouting/disabilities



http://www.washington.edu/doit/glossary-disability-related-terms

http://www.washington.edu/doit/glossary-disability-related-terms

http://www.ucp.org

Appendix

Lenni Lenape Word List

AAble, One Who Is Able Wunita

Abode, Residence Achpineen

Accomplished One Pakantschiechen

Active One Wischixin

Advantage, One Who Gives Advantage Unto Others

Ichauweleman

Adviser Witatschimolsin

Afoot, He Who Goes Afoot Pommissin

Aged One Kikey

Agreeable One Nachgundin

Agrees, He Who Agrees Nguttitehen

Aids, One Who Aids Witawematpanni

Alder Tree Topi

Alone, One Who Is Alone Nechoha

Along the Bank Japeechen

Amusing One Klakaptonaganall

Ant Elikus

Ardent One Segachtek

Arrow Alluns

Assistant Witawematpanni

Assists, One Who Assists Witschindin

Assures, One Who Assures Kittaptonen

Attention, One Who Gets Attention Papenauwelendam

Authority, One Who Has Authority Tschitanessoagan

Away, He Who Goes Away Elemussit

BBabbler, One Who Is a Babbler Wewingtonheet

Bachelor Kikape

Back, One Who Comes Back Apatschin

Badger Gawi

Bald Eagle Woapalanne

Bald-Headed One Moschakantpeu

Bear Machque

Bearded One Tuney

Beaver Ktemaque

Bee Amoe

Behaves, He Who Behaves Well Wulilissin

Believer Olsittam

Beloved Ahotasu

Best Wulit

Beyond, He Who Looks Beyond Wulowachtauwoapin

Big Amangi

Big, One Who Is Big and Wide Elgigunkhaki

Birch Tree Wihhinachk

Bird Awehhelleu

Bird, Blackbird Tskennak

Bird, Redbird Mehokquiman

Black Sukeu

Black Fish Sukamek

Black Fox Wulalowe

Black Snake Sukachgook

Blameless One Kschiechelensin

Blamelessly, He Who Lives Blamelessly

Wawulauchsin

Blanket Akquiwan

Bleed, One Who Bleeds Fast Kschiechgochgihillen

Blessed One Welapensit

Blue Schiwapew

Bluebird Tschimalus

Boat Amochol

Book Bambil

Book Reader Achgindamen

Boulder Ganschapuchk

Bow (as in bow and arrow) Hattape

Boy Skahenso

Boy, Big Boy Pilapeu

Boy, Little Boy Pilawetit

Bright Wachejeu

Broad Achgameu

Brother Nimat Brother,

Elder Brother Chans

Brother, Younger Brother Chesimus

Brotherhood Wimachtendienk

Brown Wipungweu


Buck (deer) Ajapeu

Buffalo Sisilija

Builder Wikhetschik

Bull Frog Andhanni

Bullfrog Oleleu

Bushy, a Bush Achewen Business

Manager Nanatschitaquik

Busy One Wischiki

Buys, One Who Buys Ajummen

Buzzard, Turkey Buzzard Amatschipuis

CCalm-Minded One Klamhattenamin

Camper Mechmauwikenk

Canoe, Little Canoe Amocholes

Capable One Tschitanissowagan

Captain Lachxowilenno

Carefree One Ksinelendam

Careful One Nechasin

Cares, One Who Cares Anatschiton

Carpenter Gendatehundin

Cat, Wildcat Nianque

Cattle Owner Wdallemunsit

Cautious One Anatschihuwewagan

Cedar, Red Cedar Tree Mehokhokus

Cedar, White Cedar Tree Talala

Certain, One Who Is Certain Awelendam

Cheerful Wingolauchsik

Chestnut Tree Woapiminschi

Chief Sakima

Chief, Head Chief Gegeyjumhet

Chief, Mighty Chief Allowat Sakima

Child Amemens

Chipmunk Anicus

Chosen, One Gegekhuntschik

Clean One Kschiechek

Clothing Ehachquink

Cloud Achgumhok

Clown Gebtschaat

Cold One Taquatschin

Collector Mawachpo

Comes Back, He Who Comes Back Apatschin

Comforts, One Who Comforts Wulilaweman

Companion Nitis

Comrade Tschutti

Concerned, He Who Is Concerned Lachauweleman

Confidence, One Who Has Confidence

Nageuchsowagan

Contented One Tepelendam

Cook Sachgachtoon

Cordial One Wdehiwi

Counselor Atschimolsin

Counsels, One Who Holds Council Witatschimolsin

Crane Taleka

Creates, One Who Creates With Hands

Gischihan

Creates, One Who Creates With Mind

Gischeleman

Cricket Zelozelos

Cries, One Who Cries Aloud Ganschiechsin

Crow Ahas

Cures, One Who Cures Kikehuwet

Current, Strong Current Kschippehellen

Cutter of Wood Manachewagan

DDancer Gentgeen

Day Gischquik

Deep Water Chitquen

Deer Achtu

Deer, Young Deer Mamalis

Delights, One Who Delights Winginamen

Delivers, One Who Delivers Nihillasohen

Desires, One Who Desires Gattamen

Determined One Gischitehen

Different One Tschetschpi

Diligent One Lilchpin

Discerning One Natenummen

Doctor Kikehuwet

Dog Allum

Dog, Little Dog Allumes

Door Esquande

Doorkeeper Nutschisquandawet

Doubtful One Quilawelensin

Dove Amimi

Dove, Wild Dove Mowichleu

Dreamer Lungwamen

Dresses Well, One Who Dresses Well

Wulenensin

Drum Beater Pohonasin

EEagle, Bald Eagle Woapalanne

Earnest One Kittlelendamwagan

Easily, One Who Thinks Easily Apuelendam

East Wind Achpateuny

Easy One Ksinelendam

Eater Mizin

Eight Chaasch

Elder Kikeyjumhet

Elder Brother Chans

Elected One Gegekhuntschik

Elk Mos

Elm Tree Achgikbi

Encourages, One Who Encourages Gihim

Endurance, He Who Has Endurance Ahowoapewi

Endures, He Who Endures Pain Mamchachwelendam


Enjoyable One Apensuwi

Enjoys, One Who Enjoys Apendamen

Enlightens, One Who Enlightens Gischachsummen

Established, One Who Is Established Tschitanigachen

Esteemed One Ahoatam

Esteemed, One Who Is Highly Esteemed

Allowelendam

Excellent One Wdallowelemuwi

Excited One Glakelendam

Exerts, One Who Exerts Himself Wischixin

Exhorts, One Who Exhorts Guntschitagen

Experienced One Lippoe

Extravagant One Klakelendam

FFarmer Hakihet

Farsighted One Wulowachtauwoapin

Fast One Tschitanek

Father, One Who Is a Father Wetochwink

Few Times Keechen

Fifth Palenachtchegit

Fighter Machtagen

Fine One Awullsu

Firefly, Lightning Bug Sasappis

Fire Maker Tindeuchen

Fireman Atenkpatton

Firm One Tschitanigachen

First Netami

First Aid, He Who Gives First Aid Achibis

Fish Names

Fish, Large Fish Amangamek

Fisherman Wendamen

Five Palenach

Flies, One Who Flies Wschimuin

Fog, Mist Awonn

Follower Nosogamen

Forceful One Achtschinkhalan

Foremost One Niganit

Forgetful One Wannessin

Foundation Epigachint

Four Newo

Fourth Neweleneyit

Fox, Black Fox Wulalowe

Fox, Gray Fox Woakus

Free One, to Be One’s Own Person Nihillatchi

Friend Elangomat

Friendly Looking One Langomuwinaxin

Friendly One Tgauchsin

Frog Tsquall

Funny One Gelackelendam

GGardener Menhakehhamat

Generous One Wilawilihan

Gentle One Wulamehelleu

Giddy One Gagiwanantpehellan

Gives, One Who Gives Back Guttgennemen

Good, He Who Does Good for Others

Wulihan

Good One Awullsu

Good-Looking One Wulinaxin

Good-Natured One Tgauchsin

Goose, Wild Goose Kaak

Gracious One Eluwilissit

Grandfather Muchomes

Grasshopper Kigischgotum

Grateful One Genamuwi

Gray Wipunxit

Gray Hair Woaphokquawon

Gray-Headed One Wapantpeu lenno

Great Macheu

Great One Amangi

Great River Kittan

Great Sea Kittahikan

Green Asgask

Groundhog Gawi

Grows, One Who Grows Fast Lachpikin

Guard Nutiket

Guide Kichkinet

HHair, Gray Hair Woaphokquawon

Handsome One Wulisso

Half Pachsiwi

Happy, He Who Makes Others Happy

Lauchsoheen

Happy One Wulamallessin

Hat, Cap Allquepi

Hawk Meechgalanne

Hawk, Fish Hawk Nimenees

Hawk, Night Hawk Pischk

Hears, One Who Hears Well Achginchen

Heart Wdee

Helpful One Witscheman

Helper Witschindin

Hiker Achpamsin

Hoarse, One Who Is Hoarse Bihilewen

Honest One Schachachgapewi

Honorable One Wulapeju

Honored One Machelemuxit

Hopeful One Nageuchsin

Horse Nenajunges

Horseback Rider Nenajungeshammen

How, One Who Knows How Wunita

Humble One Gettemagelensit

Humility, One Who Has Humility Tangitehewagan


Hungry One Gattopuin

Hunter Elauwit

IImpatient One Asgalendam

Indian Language, One Who Speaks Helleniechsin

Indifferent One Ajanhelendam

Inquiring One Natoochton

Instructs, One Who Instructs Allohakasin

Interpreter Anhoktonhen

JJocular One Achgiguwen

Journey, One Who Prepares for a Great Journey

Nimawanachen

Joyful One Wulelendam

Jumps, One Who Jumps Laktschehellan

Just One Wulapeju

KKind One Wulilisseu

King, Great King Kittakima

Kinsman Langoma

Knife Kschikan

Knowledge, One Who Has Knowledge

Weuchsowagan

Knows, One Who Knows How Wunita

LLamp Nendawagan

Lamp Carrier Nendawen

Large One Amangi

Laughing One Gilkissin

Leader Takachsin

Lean Alloku

Leisure, One Who Is at Leisure Ksinachpin

Left-Handed One Menantschiwon

Life, One Who Gives Life Lehellechemhaluwet

Lifesaver Gachpallan

Lifts, One Who Lifts Up Aspenummen

Listener Glistam

Little One Tatchen

Lively One Achgiguwen

Lives Long, One Who Lives Long Segauchsin

Lizard Gegachxis

Load, One Who Carries a Load Najundam

Long One Amiga

Looks, One Who Looks Fine Wulinaxin

Loving One Ahoaltuwi

Loyal One Leke

Lucky One Welapensit

MMakes, He Who Makes Gischihan

Man Lenno

Man, Little Man Lennotit

Man, Old Man Mihillusis

Mediator Etschihillat

Medicine Man Meteu

Merchant Memhallamund

Merciful One Achgettemagelo

Merry One Wulelendam

Messenger Elogamgussit

Mighty and Powerful One Ehalluchsit

Mighty One Allouchsit

Mild One Tgauchsu

Mind, One of Calm Mind Klamhattenamin

Minded, High-Minded One Machelensin

Minister Pichpemmetonhet

Mocking, Jesting Achgiiki

Modest One Tachpachiwi

Mountain Wachtschu

Mouse Achpoques

Mud, Clay Assisku

Muscle, Clam Ehes

Muskrat Damaskus

NNear Gattati

Necessary Acheweli

Neighbor Pechotschigalit

Nephew Longachsiss

Night Hawk Pischk

Nimble One Wischixin

Nine Peschgonk

Noisy One Achgiguwen

North Lowaneu

Nurse Nechnutschinget

OOak, Black Oak Wisachgak

Oak, White Oak Wipunquoak

Obedient One Awullsittamuwi

Old One Kikeyin

Old Tree Quetajaku

One Mawat

Opossum Woapink

Otter Gunammochk

Overseer Genachgihat

Owl Gokhos

Owl, Little Owl Gokhotit

PPaddle, Oar Tschimakan

Pale One Woaptigihilleu

Panther Quenischquney

Parent Wenitschanit

Part, One Who Takes Part Apendelluxowagan

Partridge Popokus


Patient One Papesu

Pays, One Who Pays Eenhen

Peaceable One Achwangundowi

Peaceful One Langundowi

Perplexed One Ksukquamallsin

Persevering One Tschitanitehen

Persuades, One Who Persuades Achtschinkhalan

Physician Kikehuwet

Pigeon Amemi

Pine Tree Kuwe

Pious One Welilissit

Plenty, One Who Has Plenty Wiaxowagan

Poplar Tree Amocholhe

Power, He Who Has Spiritual Power Mantowagan

Powerful, Most Powerful One Eluwak

Powerful One Allohak

Praised, One Who Is Praised Wulakenimgussin

Praises, He Who Praises Amentschinsin

Preacher Pichpemmetonhet

Prepared, He Who Is Prepared Gischenaxin

Pretty One Awullsu

Promise, He Who Keeps a Promise Wulamoen

Proud One Wulelensin

Prudent One Wewoatamowi

Puppy Allumes

QQuick One Allapijeyjuwagan

Quiet One Klamachpin

RRabbit Moskimus

Raccoon Espan

Rattlesnake Wischalowe

Reader Achkindiken

Ready, One Who Is Ready Gischhatteu

Recommended, One Who Is Recommended

Wulakenimgussin

Red Machkeu

Redbird Mehokquiman

Redheaded One Meechgalhukquot

Relates, One Who Relates Atschimolehan

Reliable One Nagatamen

Remembers, He Who Remembers Meschatamen

Restless One Alachimoagan

Rests, He Who Rests Alachimuin

Returns, He Who Returns Apatschin

Rich Man Pawallessin

Righteous One Schachachgapewi

River Sipo

River, One Who Is Along the River, Bank, or Shore

Japeechen

Robin Tschisgokus

Rock Achsin

Rock, Big Rock Ganschapuchk

Runner, Fast Runner Kschamehhellan

SSacrifices, One Who Sacrifices Wihungen

Saddle Happachpoon

Sad One Sakquelendam

Sailor, or Seafarer Pehachpamhangik

Satisfied One Gispuin

Satisfies, One Who Satisfies Others Eenhawachtin

Searches, One Who Searches Lattoniken

Second Nischeneyit

Secretary Lekhiket

Seeker Elachtoniket

Sees, He Who Sees Nemen

Sensitive One Amandamuwi

Sermon Elittonhink

Servant of the Lord Allogagan Nehellatank

Serves, He Who Serves Allogagan

Service Witahemui

Seven Nischasch

Sheep Memekis

Shepherd Nutemekiset

Silent One Tschitgussin

Single One Ngutteleneyachgat

Sings, One Who Sings Nachgohuman

Six Guttasch

Skillful One Wowoatam

Small One Tangetto

Snake Achgook

Snow Guhn

Son Quis

Sorrowful One Uschuwelendam

Speaker, Fast Speaker Lachpiechsin

Speaker, Loud Speaker Amangiechsin

Speaks, He Who Speaks Favorably Wulaptonen

Speaks, He Who Speaks Truly Wulamoc

Speaks, One Who Advocates Our Cause

Wulaptonaelchukquonk

Speaks Plainly, One Who Speaks Plainly (or Pronounces Well)

Wuliechsin

Spirits, He Who Has Good Spirits Wulantowagan

Spiritual One Achewon

Spiritual, One Who Has Spiritual Power

Mantowagan

Spruce Tree Schind

Square One Haschawije

Squirrel, Flying Squirrel Blaknik

Squirrel, Ground Squirrel Anicus

Squirrel, Red Squirrel Kuwewanik

Star Allanque

Steady One Clamhattenmoagan


Stone Achsin

Stony Achsinnigeu

Stranger Tschepsit

Strengthens, One Who Strengthens Tschitanissohen

Strong One Achewon

Stronger Tschitani

Stubborn One Amendchewagan

Sure One Bischik

Swiftly, He Who Goes Swiftly Kschihillen

Swimmer Aschowin

TTalker Wewingtonheet

Talker, Fast Talker Alappiechsin

Tall One Gunaquot

Teacher Achgeketum

Ten Metellen

Thankful One Genamuwi

There, One Who Is There Epit

Thin One Waskeu

Thinker Litchen

Thinker, Deep Thinker Achowelendam

Thinks, One Who Thinks Easily Apuelendam

Third Nechit

Thoughtful One Pennauweleman

Three Nacha

Tired One Wiquihillau

Toiler Achowalogen

Torch Carrier Nendawen

Trader Memhallamund

Traveler Memsochet

Traveler, Night Traveler Nipahwochwen

Travels, He Who Travels Alone Nechochwen

Treasurer Mawachpo

Troubled, the Troubled One Sakquelendamen

True, He Who Is True Leke

True, He Who Has Proven True Gischileu

Trusted, One Who Can Be Trusted Nagatamen

Trusts, One Who Trusts Nhakeuchsin

Trustworthy One Nageuchsowagan

Truth, Speaker of the Truth Ktschillachton

Truthful One Wulamoewaganit

Turkey Tschikenum

Turtle Tulpe

Twin Gachpees

Two Nischa

U-VUpright One Wulapejuwagan

Useful One Apensuwi

Unconcerned One Ajanhelendam

Understanding One Pendamen

Unlucky One Pallikteminak

Valor, Man of Valor Ilau

Valuable One Wilawi

Violin Player Achpiquon

Visitor Kiwikaman

W-Y-ZWaits, He Who Waits Pesoop

Walker Pemsit

Walker, Fast Walker Kschochwen

Walks, He Who Walks Alone Nechochwen

Warrior Netopalis

Wasp Amoe

Watchman Wewoapisak

Water Mbi

Water, Clear Water Kschiechpecat

Water, Deep Water Chuppecat

Water, Still Water Klampeechen

Weasel Sanquen

Well Behaved Welauchsit

Well, He Who Is Always Well Wawulamallessin

West Wundchenneu

Whippoorwill Quekolis

White Wapsu

Wide One Achgameu

Willful Ahoweli

Willing One Nuwingi

Wind, East Wind Achpateuny

Wind, West Wind Linchen

Winner Wsihuwen

Wise One Lippoe

Wise Man Wowoatammowino

Witty One Luppoewagan

Wolf Wiechcheu

Wonderful One Wulelemi

Wonders, One Who Does Great Wonders

Ganschelalogen

Wood Gatherer Natachtu

Woodcock Memeu

Woodcutter Giskhaquen

Woodpecker Papaches

Work, One Who Does Good Work Wulalogewagan

Worker, Hard Worker Achowalogen

Worthy One Elgixin

Wounded One Achpequot

Writer Lekhiket

Yellow Wisaweu

Younger Brother Chesimus

Zealous One Skattek


Index

Aactivities

committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6promoting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

ad hoc committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6administration, lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–31adult

membership qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19selection committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

adviserchapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 9, 16, 18chapter staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 16, 21lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 9, 16, 20–??region staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37, 38, 43responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 38section staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 38

alcohol policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18application, charter renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15approval, unit leader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18approved ceremonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26area director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Arrowman’s duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9associate

chapter adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 16lodge adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 22

AwardDistinguished Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39E. Urner Goodman Camping . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Founder’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39National Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Red Arrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Unit of Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

awards, special programs and . . . . . . . . . . 38–40

Bblindfolds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27body paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Brotherhood

ceremony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27membership, purpose of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

business meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Ccalendar of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7calendar policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7call-out ceremonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 27camp OA coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5camping

committee, council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6visit timetable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11

where to go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7, 10, 11Camping Award, E. Urner Goodman . . . . . . . . 38candidate

status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Vigil Honor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28–31

ceremonialcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

ceremonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25–27, ??–28approved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Brotherhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27call-out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27conducting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

chapteradviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 9, 16, 18chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 16, 18membership meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Operations Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17plan of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16staff adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 16, 21

chapters, forming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15chart, organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34charter

dropped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15chemical-fueled equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28chief

and vice chief, national . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 36, 37chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 16, 18lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 6, 9, 16, 17, 20, 29

home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Chief of the Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4committee

activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6camping promotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6ceremonial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6council, camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6inductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6leadership development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6lodge executive . . . . . . . . . . 5, 7, 14, 17, 20, 21

schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 13service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6unit elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6


committeesad hoc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

conferencecommittee, national . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36national . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Conference, Developing Youth Leaders . . . . . 36coordinator, camp OA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5council

camping committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4executive board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4newsletter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8strategic plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

custodial account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

DDeputy Supreme Chief of the Fire . . . . . . . . . . . 4Developing Youth Leaders Conference . . . . . . 36director

area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37of the OA . . . . . . . . . . 30, 31, 33, 35, 38, 39, 43

disabilities, Scouts with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Distinguished Service Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39drug policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18dues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 17

Eelected officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 17Election to Ordeal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23–25elections

outside the registered council . . . . . . . . . . . 23unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23, 40, 41

announcement of results . . . . . . . . . . . . 25electronic media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8eligibility

requirements, lodge officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4to vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 14, 18, 23, 29

equipment, chemical-fueled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28events, calendar of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7executive board, council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4executive cmte., lodge . . . . . . . 5, 7, 14, 17, 20, 21

schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Fface paint policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27fee

lodge charter renewal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13new member induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

fees and dues, lodge membership . . . . . . . . . . 13Field Operations Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 38finance committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

finances and financial records, lodge . . . . . . . . 14fire

mitigation plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

flag policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Flaps, Lodge Pocket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14forming chapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Founder’s Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39funds, lodge and chapter, policy . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

GGuidelines for Assisting Scouts and Scouters with

Special Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Hhazing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 27high-adventure bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12home lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 27honorary membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

IIndian Campership Fund, Maury Clancy . . . . . 38induction fee, new member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13inductions committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Innovation Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39international Scouting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

JJosh R. Sain Memorial Scholarships . . . . . . . . . 38Journey to Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

KKey 3

leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Team For Lodge Administration . . . . . . 20–??

kneeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Lleadership

development committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6two-deep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Lenni Lenape word list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45life memberships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23liquid fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–31adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 9, 16, 18, 19, 20–??calendar of events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7chapters, forming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15charter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

renewal fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 6, 9, 16, 17, 20, 29communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7


executive cmte. . . . . . . . . . . 5, 7, 14, 17, 20, 21schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

finances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 27Journey to Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7membership fees and dues . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4–6program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6–7

typical events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17staff adviser . . . . . . . 4, 5, 16, 18, 19, 20, 29, 43

Lodge Ledger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Lodge Pocket Flaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14LodgeMaster, OA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 14, 15, 29

MMaury Clancy Indian Campership fund . . . . . . 38meetings

business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7chapter membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

membershipcommittee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 13honorary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23meetings

chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7professional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23qualifications

adult . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 13reinstatement policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18–23

NNational

Leadership Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Service Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Service Grant program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

nationalchief and vice chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 36, 37conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Order of the Arrow committee . . . . . . . . . . 35organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33–36vice chairmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

new member induction fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13newsletter, council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

OOA LodgeMaster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 14, 15, 29OA Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9office, term of, lodge officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4officer, lodge

eligibility requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4term of office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

one lodge per council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15operating committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Order of the Arrow committee, national . . . . . 35organization

chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4–6national . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33–36regional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37–38

out-of-councilBrotherhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27call-out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Ordeals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Ppetition, Vigil Honor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Philmont O.A. Adviser Conference . . . . . . . . . . 37plan, fire mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Pocket Flaps, Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14policy

calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7chemical-fueled equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 28drug, alcohol and tobacco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18elections and inductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18–23face paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27flag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28funds, lodge and chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14hazing, kneeling and blindfolds . . . . . . . . . . 27honorary membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23life membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23liquid fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28lodge

organization and administration . . . . . . . 1pocket flap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

lodge and chapter funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14membership reinstatement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14protected species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

primary Scouting registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13professional membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23program, lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6–7

typical events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7promoting activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7promotion, camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9protected species policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28


Qquota table, Vigil Honor nominations . . . . . . . . 29

Rrecords, membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 13Red Arrow Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39region staff adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37, 38, 43regional organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37registration, Scouting, primary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13reinstatement, membership, policy . . . . . . . . . 14renewal, lodge charter, fee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13requirements, membership . . . . . . . . . . . . .18–23rules, lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Ssafety, fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28scholarships, Josh R. Sain Memorial . . . . . . . . . 38Scout executive 4, 5, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21,

23, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29, 31, 40Scouting

international . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38registration, primary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

sectionadviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 38organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37–38staff adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 38

Seminar, National Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36service committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Service Grant program, National . . . . . . . . . . . . 39social media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 8special needs

Guidelines for Assisting Scouts and Scouters with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Scouts with . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19special programs and awards . . . . . . . . . . 38–40staff adviser

chapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 16, 21lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5, 16, 18, 19, 20, 29, 43region . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37, 38, 43section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37, 38

strategic plan, council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Structure, Program, and Awards . . . . . . . . 33–40Supreme Chief of the Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 19

Ttable, quota, Vigil Honor nominations . . . . . . . 29teams, ceremonial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26term of office, lodge officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4timetable, camping promotion visit . . . . . . . . . 10tobacco policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18torches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28trail marker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28two-deep leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Uunit elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10, 23, 40, 41

announcement of results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

unit leader approval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Unit of Excellence Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Vvice chief, national . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35, 36, 37Vigil Honor

American Indian name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30camp rangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30candidates, choosing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28–31council

Boy Scout committee chairman . . . . . . 30camping committee chairman . . . . . . . . 30president . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Lenni Lenape word list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45petition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 30professional Scouter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30quota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29, 30youth-adult ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

voting eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 14, 18, 23, 29

WWebsite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 33, 37

official . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1“Where to Go Camping” booklet . . . . 6, 7, 10, 11word list, Lenni Lenape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Yyouth membership qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . 18Youth Protection guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3


BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA1325 West Walnut Hill LaneP.O. Box 152079Irving, Texas 75015-2079http://www.scouting.org Revised May 2019

Guide for Officers and Advisers - Order of the Arrow, BSAGuide for Officers and Advisers – 4 –...

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Transcript of Guide for Officers and Advisers - Order of the Arrow, BSAGuide for Officers and Advisers – 4 –...