Outdoors

Order of the Arrow

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Founded in 1915, it uses American Indian traditions and ceremonies to bestow recognition on Scouts selected by their peers as best exemplifying the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their daily lives. Inducted members are known as Arrowmen or brothers and are organized into local youth-led lodges for fellowship and the rendering of service to Boy Scout councils and their communities.

Purpose

The purpose of the Order of the Arrow:

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

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 15 days and nights of camping during the two years before his election. The 15 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. Scouts are elected to the Order by their fellow troop or Varsity team members, following approval by the Scoutmaster or Varsity Scout Coach.

Induction

Selected candidates participate in a weekend-long Ordeal to be formally inducted as Ordeal members of the OA. These colorful, symbolic ceremonies are considered safeguarded, as Arrowmen are strongly admonished not to reveal certain OA rituals to non-members. The Ordeal induction ceremony is often conducted at Camporee 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 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 or Scouter 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 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, development of youth leadership and service, promotion of Scout camping and outdoor programs, and enhancement of membership tenure.

Most lodges hold several annual events, often at camps belonging to the local Boy Scout council, for the purpose of fellowship, inducting new members, and service work to improve the council camp. Annually, members of lodges who are grouped into a section (an administrative grouping of anywhere from two to ten lodges) gather at a Section Conclave for fellowship, training, competition, and to elect youth officers to lead the Section.

Service Groups

For several years, the Order has sponsored special service groups to the three National High Adventure Bases. This started with the Order of the Arrow Trail Crew at the Philmont Scout Ranch, which has worked to build new trails and repair old ones. Later this expanded to the Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases with the OA Wilderness Voyage, which has repaired the portage trails in the Boundary Waters area. Most recently, the OA began the "Ocean Adventure" at the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base in the Florida Keys, which offers scuba diving certification and works to repair reefs in the Florida Keys.

In a new program of national service planned for the summer of 2008, the OA will offer ArrowCorps to both youth and adult Arrowmen. Described as "one of the largest conservation efforts in Scouting's history" by the Boy Scouts of America, more than 5,000 Arrowmen will converge on five national forests to work on various conservation projects such as building new trails and helping preserve nearly extinct species, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. Since the 1950s, the Order has fielded a Service Corps for national Scout jamborees. At recent jamborees, this has expanded with a major show and "The Outdoor Adventure Program".