OA sash for Scout Sunday

[BrentAllen]

2008 OA Handbook

 

The sash is worn at Order of the Arrow functions and special Scouting activities, when members need to be identified as Arrowmen rendering special services.

 

None of our Scouts asked about wearing the OA sash to Scout Sunday. If they had, I would have advised against it, except for our OA Rep. Several Scouts did wear their MB sashes.

[fgoodwin]

I swear, you give folks a little wiggle room and they'll drive a Mac truck through it.

 

NO, you DON'T wear an OA sash at Scout Sunday. Just because you're *IN* OA isn't sufficient justification for wearing the OA sash at non-OA events. Is Scout Sunday a "special occassion"? Yes of course it is. Does it mean an OA member is necessarily *REPRESENTING* OA in the performance of *SPECIAL* SERVICE? NO!

 

Good grief, how much clearer can it be?

[Horizon]

Arrowmen from my Troop will be handling the bridging ceremony and AOL ceremony at a Pack meeting - is that OA service? There will not be a dance team, but there will be cheerful service.

 

Based on some of the posts here - it is allowed IF this is considered OA service. However - I thought I would ask for input from the campfire attendees.

[emb021]

Horizon- you kind of answered your own question.

 

If they are there just as members of the troop, then no.

 

If they are there as representatives of the Lodge (as Arrowmen), then yes.

 

That's kind of the guideline.

 

For instance, if I attend a Scout Show (or council banquet or event), do I wear my sash? Am I there specifically as an Arrowmen, doing service in that capacity? Then yes. If I am there as yet another scouter who just happens to also be an Arrowmen, then no.

 

[Eagle92]

Not as simple as that Emb. One of the problems we had as a chapter was lack of visibility. Yep we did ALOT of service, but it was the type of service that made OA sashes inadvisable, except the crossovers, camppromos/electios, and call outs. The rest of the year, we were there working our butts off, but without the sash no one knew.

 

One of the things we did as a chapter was the CC proclaimed all district functions: banquet, camporees, etc as OA functions. It was so bad that I had a monther go on a 1.5 hour tirade against the OA, learning considering whether to allow her son to go or not. HEck she didn't knwo that not only was her son's SM an Arrowman, but a past LC and Section officer! about the OA. This one thing has increased the OA's visibility in the district and has made a dramatic improvement. This past weekend, we had 2 youth at the district banquet with OA sashes on, those in Venturing uniforms as there is no MB sash, and a bunch of adults. It really made aan impression with the OA display, local award presentations, and the DAM presentation.

[Eagle92]

I need to edit that last post, but with 3 kids couldn't do it in time.

 

The lack of visibility, combined with all the crap that is out there that is false about the OA, had caused serious problems in my neck of the woods, esp with one troop. This was despite the fact that the the Sm was a past LC ad section officer.

[83_Eagle_T148]

Is the AOL ceremony at a Blue and Gold, if so sash wear is permitted, just like a COH.

[83_Eagle_T148]

I didn't read all the posts prior to my replay, ao let me add a bit more. If the Lodge, Chapter, of a Committe of eitehr, id performing the AOL ceremony, the sash should be worn.

 

The newest publication of the OA Handbook has the latest policy on sash wear, which is more liberal than those of the past. However, whenever the OA is officially part of any program the sash should be worn.

 

 

[Chadamus]

Resurrecting an old thread to ask a similar question without starting a new one:

 

Merit Badge sashes during a Scout Sunday service: yay or nay?

I cannot find any official answer.

Thanks in advance!

[F-P]

Yes have them wear as much bling as they can.  Awards, temporary patches, sashes - wear them all.

[HelpfulTracks]

I if you are serving in an OA capacity hen wear it, if not I would say no. 

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2014/01/27/ask-the-expert-when-should-scouts-and-scouters-wear-their-oa-sash/

[Stosh]

I do believe that one is not to wear the MB sash while wearing the OA sash.  With Boy Scout Sunday being a non-OA event, I'd go with the MB sash.

[HelpfulTracks]

I do believe that one is not to wear the MB sash while wearing the OA sash.  With Boy Scout Sunday being a non-OA event, I'd go with the MB sash.

True and agreed.

[Oldscout448]

I do believe that one is not to wear the MB sash while wearing the OA sash.  With Boy Scout Sunday being a non-OA event, I'd go with the MB sash.

one would cover up the other anyway

[NJCubScouter]

I think we're getting our sashes confused here, or at least, I seem to be.  The original post from 2010 asked about wearing the OA sash at Scout Sunday.  Chadamus resurrected the thread 7 years later to ask about wearing the MB sash at Scout Sunday.  Some of the posts after that have seemed to be about the OA sash.

 

If we are talking about the MB sash, I don't think there is any doubt that it can be worn at a Scout Sunday service.