HashTagScouts

I could write a whole lot on this from personal experience, but to keep it brief: as @InquisitiveScouter and I have exchanged posts on in the past, being an "OA member" is a one-time occurrence, of having completed the Ordeal and being sashed within the Ordeal ceremony. Similarly, sealing Brotherhood or sitting Vigil are also one-time occurrences. Both are intended to charge the Arrowmen to continue to serve the OA and Scouting in general, but you can't go back through the ceremonies again as "candidate". Where there is a difference in "being a member" versus "being an active member" exists with those who continually pay dues to the National OA- and the only mechanism for that is through Lodges. The casual member may not know all the ins-and-outs of the OA in current events, but the changes that have been expressed outwardly that all can see (regulating the Native American theme, stopping the giving of Vigil names in Lenape, dropping adult camping requirements, etc.) have had a number of changes behind the scenes as well. There used to be numbers of adults who would attend NOAC- and that filtered down to Section and Lodges too- years ago who were not active members of BSA. That had to change, and it ticked quite a few off, but at the end of the day the OA cannot function in todays youth protection safeguards climate in what had become to some as an alumni association. Closures of camps in the summer of 2020 had a very profound effect on youth participation for many Lodges, in same manner as it did units. Lodges also saw engagement from older youth drop, in the same way units did (both from COVID and non-COVID reasons). Ultimately, the OA today is just "Scouting's National Honor Society", and the "honor camper" part was dropped long ago as part of that tagline. While many of the few who post here regularly testify that their program is active and following (if not going above and beyond) the outdoor component of the program, sadly, Lodges become reflections of the units within their councils. If the other units in your city/town or the city/town next door are pencil-whipping rank requirements, viewing the various camping experiences of Camping MB as "suggestions", and seeing all of the Scouting program as "ticking a box" then that is going to reflect in the youth in the Lodge. If youth within units don't want to accept (or actually perform) POR, then that is going to show up in youth that are in the Lodge. The OA has gone through so many revisions of the "JTE", like units have endured, over the past 10-15 years that have been trying to "strengthen the OA", but the criteria are so heavily focused on activation (how many youth got elected that year versus how many was the Lodge successfully able to get through Ordeal) and how much $$$ the Lodge was able to pass off to their Council. Actual quality of the weekend program being delivered, how many youth attend multiple events in a year, etc. went out the window long ago. As I told the current National Chief and his brother several years ago now, the youth are not the voice running this at the top, it is the adults. I appreciate thoughts on how to revitalize the OA and keep it relevant, but ultimately the success of the OA is viewed through the same lens at the National level as Scouting America as a whole is- membership, revenue, etc. To improve the OA, you have to improve what SA is turning out within its' programs. My $.02.

Well, you have to make larger donation, but yes, the OA does have knots too

If they only want you to wear it to official OA functions where only Arrowmen would be present, it doesn't seem to really help advertise to increase participation. They could have just gone with a "years of service" type pin to attach to a sash IMO, rather than whole new sash. That would be far more subtle than this.

This is so weird to me- you can drive out, but not in. If their real intent is not just have folks driving o'er hill and dale and trampling everything on the way, it would seem that the Camp staff could serve a purpose on saying "you will be accompanied by Camp Staff to drop trailers at the appropriate troop campsite". Our camp has a designated hour, before campers are to arrive, for units that wish to have a trailer at their campsite. Staff don't physically ride along with them (as they are typically the youth staff), but they will meet them at the campsite if the unit is not familiar with where to appropriately place trailers (Ranger allows in site entryway, but not within the campsite proper).

If the parent is adamant that the Scout isn't being held back on purpose, and there is nothing wrong with how the troop is operating, the only plausible scenario to me is the Scout is just not pursuing to get signed off on requirements or request a SM conference. If the Scout was doing those things, then based on what you have written, it would seem that the troop is holding them back and the parent isn't being honest to themself.

I'd encourage your son to send an email tonight to the SM asking if he could take a few minutes of the his time to have the SMC tonight, and even an offer to meet prior to the meeting if the SM is available. Might get him farther with the SM, and removes the opportunity for the SM to use an excuse of he is feeling cornered that it is "last minute" (in his mind).

Chartering Agreements to this point have had a responsibility listed for the CO to "Select a Charter Organization Representative (COR) to serve as a voting member of the council". I would presume that this change being highlighted is going to impact the 2026 chartering agreement, to remove that. Ultimately, it was a bylaw/rule/regulation of the National Organization, so only the National Board needs to vote to amend the bylaw/rules/regulations.

In my neck of the woods, we've been doing this since I was a youth. General rule is if school is closed, we do not meet (which includes days the schools close because of snow). Over the summer we meet once for summer camp prep, then summer camp, then the rest of the summer is PLC planning meeting, and a few day events (fishing derby, troop outing to an amusement park, swim night at one of our family's house or at the YMCA, movie night, a day hike, etc. - whatever the PLC agrees on, more social gathering/engagement than skill/advancement focused. Still had the PLC/Senior Scouts in charge of planning details and lead supervision at these events. While I could understand momentum loss could result, it has always been for us more of a short time of fun getting ready for the work to return for another year= understood that way by both youth and adults. Additionally, when your own kid(s) hit the age that they are working at camp all summer, and OA starts up before school does, there's enough Scouting to never really have so much of the break that others were having.

I won't respond to surveys that won't share the summary of responses with participants. Drives my employer nuts I won't respond to semi-annual employee surveys, but such is a qualifier for my participation

This is coming after they are putting a ton of work into Camp Pupukea on Oahu. New Cabin Designs Unveiled for Camp Pupukea - Hawaii Parent

Based on your previous posts, you've got ground work to go, as though you are building a brand new troop. Understandable you aren't at the ideal operations yet. Hopefully, the SM is at least using the SM conferences to instill some expectations for these youth as they move towards their next rank. Based on the one experience you've described, probably not what is going on, and that presents challenges of a whole different nature.

When programming is working as it should, this is one element that is correct to evaluate the health of the unit and make SM aware of blind spots. If younger youth are getting pencil-whipped through requirements. and older youth who should be teaching are not, the unit is not healthy.

Especially for Scouts on the younger end, you don't want a BOR to crush their spirit, so making the knots a game just makes it light-hearted. Just encourage them to keep trying later on- "that's OK [Sam], I get my fingers twisted sometimes too. But I'll do this every know and then to challenge myself". Again, the intent of BOR is not re-test and search for reason to not pass them- every BOR I saw as means to evaluate how we were doing as a program for discussion to the SM. Hopefully the SM can work that feedback into discussion with the SPL and PLC- "I think it would be good if next month we find an activity to include in a troop meeting to practice knots".

This is true- however, at least one adult sitting on the BOR should understand the program enough to be able to ask questions constructively to assess the Scout and competency on the requirements. That isn't to penalize that Scout, but is helpful to give constructive feedback to the SM if the Scout was lacking, so that hopefully there can be a course correction before the next rank. For example, Tenderfoot knot requirements: Demonstrate a practical use of the square knot. Demonstrate a practical use of two half-hitches. Demonstrate a practical use of the taut line hitch. I'd have a small rope with me, and ask the Scout if they ever timed themselves to see how fast they could do all of them, one after the other- and then proceed to do it myself with them timing me. "OK, I felt that was not my best- how about you give it a try and see how fast you can do it?" It's pretty clear pretty quick if the kid can't even get through a square knot in less than a minute he hasn't truly gained "mastery".

Hype him up that there are some cool options for patrol patches with that name!