The
OA Organization
The Order of the
Arrow is Scouting's National Honor Society.
Purpose
The purpose of the
Order of the Arrow is fourfold:
- To recognize
those Scout campers who best exemplify the
Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives
- To develop and
maintain camping traditions and spirit
- To promote Scout
camping
- To crystallize
the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life
purpose of leadership in cheerful service to
others
History
The Order of the
Arrow (OA) was founded by Dr. E. Urner Goodman and
Carroll A. Edson in 1915 at the Treasure Island
Camp of the Philadelphia Council, Boy Scouts of
America. It became an official program experiment
in 1922 and was approved as part of the Scouting
program in 1934.
In 1948 the OA,
recognized as the BSA's national brotherhood of
honor campers, became an official part of the
national camping program of the Boy Scouts of
America.
Membership
The OA has more
than 176,000 members located in lodges affiliated
with approximately 327 BSA local councils.
Eligibility
Scouts are elected
to the Order by their fellow unit members,
following approval by the Scoutmaster or Varsity
team Coach. To become a member, a youth must be a
registered member of a Boy Scout troop or Varsity
Scout team and hold First Class rank. The youth
must have experienced fifteen days and nights of
Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior
to the election. The fifteen days and nights must
include one, but no more than one, long-term camp
consisting of six consecutive days and five nights
of resident camping, approved and under the
auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of
America. The balance of the camping must be
overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps.
Adult selection is
based on their ability to perform the necessary
functions to help the Order fulfill its purpose,
and is not for recognition. Selected adult
Scouters must be an asset to the Order because of
demonstrated abilities, and provide a positive
role model for the youth members of the lodge.
Induction
The induction
ceremony, called the Ordeal, is the first step
toward full membership. During the experience,
candidates maintain silence, receive small amounts
of food, work on camp improvement projects, and
are required to sleep alone, apart from other
campers. The entire experience is designed to
teach significant values.
Brotherhood
Membership
After 10 months of
service and fulfilling certain requirements, a
member may take part in the Brotherhood ceremony,
which places further emphasis on the ideals of
Scouting and the Order. Completion of this
ceremony signifies full membership in the OA.
Vigil Honor
After two years of
service as a Brotherhood member, and with the
approval of the national Order of the Arrow
Committee, a Scout may be recognized with the
Vigil Honor for outstanding service to Scouting,
his lodge, and the community. This honor is
bestowed by special selection and is limited to
one person for every 50 members registered with
the lodge each year.
Lodges
Each local Boy
Scout council is encouraged to have an Order of
the Arrow lodge. Each lodge is granted a charter
from the National Council, BSA, upon annual
application. The OA lodge helps the local council
provide a quality Scouting program through
recognition of Scouting spirit and performance,
development of youth leadership and service,
promotion of Scout camping and outdoor programs,
and enhancement of membership tenure.
Sections
An Order of the
Arrow section consists of lodges within a
geographic area of the region. Once every year,
representatives of lodges in the section come
together for a conclave to share in fellowship,
skills, and training. A section is lead by three
youth officers, the Section Chief, Section
Vice-Chief, and Section Secretary, who are advised
by an adult Section Adviser and professional
Section Staff Adviser. All of the elected section
chiefs are invited form the conference committee
for a national Order of the Arrow event, which is
held under the guidance of the national Order of
the Arrow Committee.
Region Leadership
The region chief is
the youth leader of the region elected by the
section chiefs in his region. This election is
held in conjunction with called meetings of the
section chiefs to elect the national chief and
vice-chief, as well as to plan a national Order of
the Arrow event.
The region Order of
the Arrow chairman is an adult appointed by the
region director. The professional adviser for the
region is a staff member assigned to the position
by the region director. All three of the OA region
leaders serve as members of the national Order of
the Arrow Committee.
National
Leadership
The national chief
and vice-chief are Arrowmen elected by the section
chiefs during the annual national planning
meeting. They serve as members of the national
Order of the Arrow Committee, providing the
opinion of youth on national OA policy. They also
serve as the presiding officers for the national
OA event. Their term of office is specified by the
national committee, and is currently one year.
They are advised in their responsibilities by the
national committee chairman and national director
of the Order of the Arrow.
The national OA
committee chairman is appointed by the chairman of
the national Boy Scout Committee. The professional
adviser is the director of the Order of the Arrow,
a member of the national Boy Scout Division staff.
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419 Members and Rising! 
