Order of the Arrow (OA)
The Order of the Arrow is Scouting’s Honor Camper Society. So just what is the Order of the Arrow and does your Scout qualify for membership? Let’s take a look.
What is the Order of the Arrow and what do they do?
For over 100 years, the Order of the Arrow (OA) has recognized Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. This recognition provides encouragement for others to live these ideals as well.
Members of the OA are called Arrowmen and are known for maintaining camping traditions and spirit, promoting year-round and long term resident camping, and providing cheerful service to others. OA service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich and help to extend Scouting to America's youth.
The Order of the Arrow was founded in 1915 to serve a useful purpose: to cause the Scout Oath and Law to spring into action in all parts of the nation. To this day, the Order is dedicated to this high purpose. The Order of the Arrow has a rich history spanning 100 years, from its beginnings at a Boy Scout summer camp to its present role as a part of the Scouting program.
The Order of the Arrow has over 150,000 members nationwide. Although the Order of the Arrow is a thing of the spirit, there are several layers of organization, each with its own role.
Membership Requirements and the Election Process
The Order of the Arrow membership requirements are as follows:
If you meet these requirements you will have the chance to be elected to the OA by the Scouts in our troop. All Scouts regardless of rank can vote for as many candidates as they feel are worthy of membership. Scouts who receive 50% or more votes are then granted membership in the OA. The results of this election are not known to the Scouts until they attend Many Point Summer Camp. There will be a special OA callout ceremony to recognize the Scouts elected to the OA.
Organizational Structure of The Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow has four distinct organizational levels; chapters, lodges, sections, and regions. Lodges carry out the Order of the Arrow program at the local level and are closely tied with BSA councils. Lodges often are broken down into several Chapters. Sections consist of several lodges within a geographic region and regions in turn consist of sections within a geographic region of the United States. Lodges, sections, and regions each have a distinct set of responsibilities which ensure that the OA program runs smoothly. For Troop 283 we will focus primarily on our Lodge and Chapter.
As a troop, the OA members may meet to discuss activities they wish to offer to the troop to participate in and help with. Often times these activities will have a service to others focus. The OA members from Troop 283 will also meet with the Lake Minnetonka Chapter and also the Lodge for special OA events, service projects, and other activities.
National Order of the Arrow
Totanhan Nakaha Lodge
Lake Minnetonka Chapter
What is the Order of the Arrow and what do they do?
For over 100 years, the Order of the Arrow (OA) has recognized Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. This recognition provides encouragement for others to live these ideals as well.
Members of the OA are called Arrowmen and are known for maintaining camping traditions and spirit, promoting year-round and long term resident camping, and providing cheerful service to others. OA service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich and help to extend Scouting to America's youth.
The Order of the Arrow was founded in 1915 to serve a useful purpose: to cause the Scout Oath and Law to spring into action in all parts of the nation. To this day, the Order is dedicated to this high purpose. The Order of the Arrow has a rich history spanning 100 years, from its beginnings at a Boy Scout summer camp to its present role as a part of the Scouting program.
The Order of the Arrow has over 150,000 members nationwide. Although the Order of the Arrow is a thing of the spirit, there are several layers of organization, each with its own role.
Membership Requirements and the Election Process
The Order of the Arrow membership requirements are as follows:
- Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.
- Have experienced 15 nights of Scout camping while registered with a troop, within the two years immediately prior to the election. The 15 nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of at least five consecutive nights of overnight camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. Only five nights of the long-term camp may be credited toward the 15-night camping requirement; the balance of the camping (10 nights) must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps of, at most, three nights each.
- At the time of their election, youth must be under the age of 21, and be at least First Class rank.
If you meet these requirements you will have the chance to be elected to the OA by the Scouts in our troop. All Scouts regardless of rank can vote for as many candidates as they feel are worthy of membership. Scouts who receive 50% or more votes are then granted membership in the OA. The results of this election are not known to the Scouts until they attend Many Point Summer Camp. There will be a special OA callout ceremony to recognize the Scouts elected to the OA.
Organizational Structure of The Order of the Arrow
The Order of the Arrow has four distinct organizational levels; chapters, lodges, sections, and regions. Lodges carry out the Order of the Arrow program at the local level and are closely tied with BSA councils. Lodges often are broken down into several Chapters. Sections consist of several lodges within a geographic region and regions in turn consist of sections within a geographic region of the United States. Lodges, sections, and regions each have a distinct set of responsibilities which ensure that the OA program runs smoothly. For Troop 283 we will focus primarily on our Lodge and Chapter.
- At the local level, lodges exist to serve BSA councils and individual units. Our lodge is named the Totanhan Nakaha Lodge. The key leaders in the lodge are the youth lodge chief, volunteer adult lodge adviser, and staff adviser. Many lodges, especially large ones where additional structure is necessary, have chapters. These often align with BSA districts and execute the program of the lodge on a community level.
- Our Chapter is the Lake Minnetonka Chapter. Generally there is one chapter created in each district of the council. Each chapter has its own officers and advisers, the officers being elected by the youth OA members within the chapter, and the advisers being appointed by the Scout executive often with the consultation of the lodge adviser and district executive(s).
- Chapters provide the ability to have meetings closer to home and meetings and events can be scheduled to coincide with the district events. The chapter is central to providing quality unit visits for camping promotion, and unit elections.
As a troop, the OA members may meet to discuss activities they wish to offer to the troop to participate in and help with. Often times these activities will have a service to others focus. The OA members from Troop 283 will also meet with the Lake Minnetonka Chapter and also the Lodge for special OA events, service projects, and other activities.
National Order of the Arrow
Totanhan Nakaha Lodge
Lake Minnetonka Chapter