83_Eagle_T148

It doesn't matter what anyone here thinks of you, just those boys who look forward to your meetings all week long. Ask away ...

Greetings all As I understand this issue it is an extension of the policy change banning flaps that denote degrees of membership in the order. To my knowledge there is no current, official policy, against what you're calling pocket rockets, but it is being discussed. For better, or worse, there has been a push to subject the Order of the Arrow to the same standardization that has been applied to the Scout Councils and Districts these past few decades. Adding to this is concern that these patches, flaps and dangles, are creating a rank/status system, something the founds did not intend. Although the founders added a second degree shortly after founding the order, and later a third, they were never intended as ranks. Dr. Goodman was always adamant that all members of the order are equals. Today the role of the three degrees is as follows (in my words): Ordeal - a full member of the Order of the Arrow. Brotherhood - An Order member who has chosen to seal his membership in the order, as demonstrated through his expanded knowledge of the order's heritage and purpose. A Brotherhood member freely obligates himself to a higher level of service. Vigil Honor - A Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow who has been honored by his lodge for exceptional, and unselfish, service. In my opinion, the use of pocket rockets to display a dues paid status is a very good thing. Although I don't see an issue with the pocket dangle, so long as they are not used to express the distinction between Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Honor members. I prefer the look of the universal arrow, or the 75th anniversary pocket dangle, but that's just personal taste. Before I go any further let me say, I've been in the order for going on thirty years, serving as a lodge and section offices as a youth and an adult. I am a Vigil Honor member, and hold those who have received that honor in the highest esteem. In as far as lodge flaps that distinguish between Ordeal, Brotherhood, and Vigil Honor members, I'm generally for them. I would add two qualifiers, thus the generally: 1. Any member of a lodge should be able to purchase any flap the lodge issues, and for the same price as any other member. 2. Lodge flaps of representing the three degrees of membership should not include an image of the sash for that degree. Honestly, I think Unami Lodge came up with a simple solution to this issues long ago - Brotherhood members have a temp patch with the lodge totem and a red border, it services as a reminder to their heightened commitment to service. Again, like all else I've said here, this is just my opinion, but the Vigil Honor should have no special device, patch, flap, ect, save the sash alone. If a special insignia is required to identify a Vigil Honor member, the honor may have been bestowed in error.