PURPOSE The purpose of
the Order of the Arrow is fourfold:
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
170,000 members located in lodges affiliated with approximately 340 BSA local councils.
ELIGIBILITY
To become a member, a
youth must be a registered member of a Boy Scout troop or Varsity Scout team and hold
First Class rank. The youth must have experienced a minimum of fifteen days and nights of
Scout camping (including a five-night resident camp). Scouts are elected to the Order by
their fellow unit members, following approval by the Scoutmaster or Varsity Team Coach.
INDUCTION
The induction ceremony,
called the Ordeal, is conducted at Scout camp and is the first step toward full
membership. During the experience, candidates maintain complete silence, receive small
amounts of food, work on camp improvement projects, and are required to sleep alone, apart
from other campers, which teaches significant values.
BROTHERHOOD
After ten 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 fifty members registered with the lodge each year.
LODGES The local Order of the
Arrow lodge is granted a charter from the National Council, BSA, upon annual application
by the local council. The OA lodge helps the local council provide a quality Scouting
program through recognition of Scouting spirit and performance, youth leadership
development, special support resources, and enhanced membership tenure.
SECTIONS
An Order of the Arrow
section consists of local 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 and skills. All of the elected section chiefs form the conference committee for
a national Order of the Arrow event, which is held under the guidance of the national
Order of the Arrow Committee.
The region chief is the youth leader of the region elected by the section chiefs for a
term of office specified by the national Order of the Arrow Committee, which coincides
with the term of national chief and vice-chief. This election is held in conjunction with
called meetings of the section chiefs to elect the national chief and vice-chief, as well
as to plan a national Order of the Arrow event.
The regional Order of the Arrow chairman is an adult appointed by the regional director.
The professional adviser for the region is a staff member assigned to the position by
the regional director.
NATIONAL CHIEF AND VICE-CHIEF
These are Arrowmen selected by the section chiefs, who form the national Order of the
Arrow conference committee. 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. They are advised in their responsibilities by the national committee
chairman and national director of the Order of the Arrow.
NATIONAL OA COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN
This individual is appointed by the chairman of the national Boy Scout Committee. The professional adviser is the national director of the Order of the Arrow, a member of the national Boy Scout Division staff.