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From National Annual Meeting: OA Eligibility Updates


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On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, the National Order of the Arrow Committee approved some exciting updates to the Order of the Arrow program!

Beginning February 1, 2019, unit elections will be permitted in Scouts BSA, Venturing and Sea Scout units. The new Order of the Arrow membership requirements are as follows:

• Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America.

• Have experienced 15 nights of camping while registered with a troop, crew, or ship 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. Ship nights may be counted as camping for Sea Scouts.

• At the time of their election, youth must be under the age of 21, hold the Scouts BSA First Class rank, the Venturing Discovery Award, or the Sea Scout Ordinary rank or higher, and following approval by the Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor or Sea Scout Skipper, be elected by the youth members of their unit.

• Adults (age 21 or older) who meet the camping requirements may be selected following nomination to and approval by the lodge adult selection committee.

Read more about the election requirements and FAQs at https://oa-bsa.org/about/membership

Edited by John-in-KC
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On Wednesday, May 23, 2018, the National Order of the Arrow Committee approved some exciting updates to the Order of the Arrow program! Beginning February 1, 2019, unit elections will be permitte

big open field + tent city + few actual unit leaders + adolescent male and female "Arrow-people" mixing freely....

On the contrary, I can understand @Chris1's concerns in light of my previous remark; I am happy to address it.  I went through my Ordeal 21 years ago when I was 14. I didn't understand what I was

Disappointing.  Opening it up to girl Scouts would make sense, but it's very much a "Boy Scout (as in program, not umbrella company)" organization, not an Explorer org, Air Scout org, Sea Scout org, etc and I feel like it should have been kept that way.  I really wouldn't be surprised if the Lenni Lanape Lore that is at the foundation of the Order is dropped entirely in 5 years.  

Edited by Gwaihir
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I have heard rumors of this change for several months and was wondering how they would handle the rank requirements.  Girls will be in OA next year, so I’m curious how the lodges will adjust.  Perhaps this can breath some new life in dormant ones but I’m curious how the vibrant ones will react.

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posted this over in the OA forum... 

 

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Disappointing.  Opening it up to girl Scouts would make sense, but it's very much a "Boy Scout (as in program, not umbrella company)" organization, not an Explorer org, Air Scout org, Sea Scout org, etc and I feel like it should have been kept that way.  I really wouldn't be surprised if the Lenni Lanape Lore that is at the foundation of the Order is dropped entirely in 5 years. 

 

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Once upon a time, Sea Scout Ships and Explorer Posts cold hold OA elections. That ended sometime in the mid-late 1980s. So I am not to concerned about that.

What concerns me is the Lenni lanape Lore as I have been told that chapters are to no longer do Arrow of Light and Cross Over ceremonies,  nor are they to wear Native American regalia.  I think the OA will lose alot as a result.

 

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This is incredibly disappointing. 

Plus the whole backdoor approach to allowing previous years of experience and camping to retroactively count rubs salt in the wound.

I keep hearing rumors that National Lodge is going to "forbid" use of Native American regalia in ceremonies soon. In less than 5 years it'll be a meaningless "honor club."

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2 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Once upon a time, Sea Scout Ships and Explorer Posts cold hold OA elections. That ended sometime in the mid-late 1980s. So I am not to concerned about that.

What concerns me is the Lenni lanape Lore as I have been told that chapters are to no longer do Arrow of Light and Cross Over ceremonies,  nor are they to wear Native American regalia.  I think the OA will lose alot as a result.

 

Where did you hear that?  The OA isn't the OA anymore if you drop the Lenni Lanape Lore.  

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3 minutes ago, Gwaihir said:

Where did you hear that?  The OA isn't the OA anymore if you drop the Lenni Lanape Lore.  

Several posts on the Vigil Honor facebook page comment on that, as well as comments on a ceremonies FB group, and my lodge chief,  who is  heavily invovled in AIA on the section level.

That annoucement is suppose to be made at NOAC this summer from all indicators above. I know a lot of folks who will be ticked off.

 

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2 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Several posts on the Vigil Honor facebook page comment on that, as well as comments on a ceremonies FB group, and my lodge chief,  who is  heavily invovled in AIA on the section level.

That annoucement is suppose to be made at NOAC this summer from all indicators above. I know a lot of folks who will be ticked off.

 

I won't renew my dues with my lodge if that becomes reality.  

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5 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Several posts on the Vigil Honor facebook page comment on that, as well as comments on a ceremonies FB group, and my lodge chief,  who is  heavily invovled in AIA on the section level.

That annoucement is suppose to be made at NOAC this summer from all indicators above. I know a lot of folks who will be ticked off.

 

I am hearing all of this through the grapevine as well. Word on the street also is an announcement at NOAC.

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5 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said:

The Seminoles are supportive of our efforts. 

Houma of Louisiana are also supportive of the OA. Heck, several of the lodges down there have helped the Houma in their appeal for Federal recognition.

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I have a feeling that the scouts in this area will just keep on doing AoL ceremonies for the cubs.   Just without the sashes.    The cubs love it thats why we do it.

As to announcing the no regalia rule at NOAC,  I think it might go well past "ticked off" .   I would be very tempted to walk down to the stage and throw my sash at the speakers feet.    Proper decorum be dammed

Edited by Oldscout448
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