OA Sash Questions

[ASM514]

OldGreyEagle, we have two units. a Venture crew and a Scout Troop. My son as with many of our Venturing boys are multipled enrolled into both units. Meaning they can keep their Scouting awards, rank and memberships. They can also still work on their Scout ranks and OA advancements.

 

ASM514

[DDHII]

Male Venturers can actively participate in OA activities. It's just that Crews cannot hold elections. A Venturer may be in the OA, he just has to be elected from a Troop or Varsity Team. All that is required is that he remains active and serves cheerfully with a unit. There is no reason why a Venturer should not be able to participate in OA activities, regardless of the fact that Crews cannot hold elections. The same goes for male Venturers wearing lodge pocket flaps. It's like Cubmasters or Den Leaders wearing sashes. Packs cannot hold unit elections, but the Scouter was inducted into the OA as Boy Scout or as a Troop level Scouter (over 21) and is allowed to wear sashes. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

It's true that the young men (I prefer not to call them boys) can continue to work on OA awards and advancement, along with Venturing (until age 21), but OA regalia and sashes are reserved for OA activities. Remember, wearing OA insignia is not for Troops and Teams only. It's for the arrowmen who bring service back to their units, whether that is a pack, troop, team, crew, post, or ship. Just make sure when wearing the sash, it's the BSA field uniform (Class "A").

 

WWW,

 

Dale

[keschmahalen]

Hello,

 

It is part of the uniform. Wear it. Wear it with pride. Wear it correctly. I too care. paul

[RuddBaron]

The black sash was the original one. I had one that I wore with my official red-on-white sash when in costume. Another member of the ceremony team had a fully-beaded sash with the legend down the back that he used in costume.

 

I will state that my black sash was STOLEN at an Ordeal. Scout spirit in action. "Spiriting" away the sash, I suppose.

[Chippewa29]

For the 75th Anniversery in 1990, they sold black sashes with a white arrow. Of course, these sold out immediately and a few showed up with traders basically demanding your first born child in return for one. However, I have seen very few since (in fact, none in the past ten years) and the few people I know that have them keep them very safe as a collector's item. In fact, one of our advisors in 1990 got a sash, had every member of the lodge contingent sign it with a gold pen, then framed it with some other items from that NOAC.

[scouting-nerd]

I believe that while beaded OA sashes are unofficial, if with the approval of the Lodge Adviser beaded OA sashes can be worn with ceremony regalia when around strictly OA members so as to not disclose, through beading any secrets of our order. I also believe that if the individual is in a renactment of a ceremony like I witnesed at a section conclave that the people in the ceremony should wear accurate sashes for that time period.

[9muckraker7]

Does anyone know of any website that sells unofficial black OA sashes (the 75th anniversary ones with the white arrows)? I've seen [unofficial] beaded sashes for sale online, and I believe I once came across a site that also sold the black sashes, but since then I haven't been able to locate that site. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[9muckraker7]

My lodge is thinking about doing a reenactment of the original ceremony, and the black sashes would seem appropriate...

[9muckraker7]

...Surely SOMEONE out there must know where to acquire unofficial black sashes with white arrows

[RuddBaron]

I don't know of a place that sells them. However, I'll tell you what I did when I was a wee Scout on the ceremony team. I asked mother to make a black sash for me. The sash itself is simple to construct out of black fabric (broadcloth works well)...especially using a modern sash as a guide. The arrow was done in applique (as I believe the original ones were). Cut a basic arrow shape out of white fabric and sew it down before finishing the black sash itself. The arrow should be of basic design, not the current style embroidered on the white sashes. There may even be a drawing of it in the handbook. The whole project shouldn't take more than about an hour if someone knows how to use a sewing machine.

[Kevinpenguin]

I used to be around alot of different sashes as a lodge chief.

 

In my lodge we had a debate about wearing the sash while helping with the Ordeal as a "friend" of the candidates.... People didn't want their sash to get destroyed.... We made a t-shirt for the "friends" with a sash on it so it wouldn't get ruined.

 

On black, beaded, and red sashes. I have given black sashes as a recognition piece for the OA Executive Board in my lodge as chief. Those receiving it got to wear it that night, and that night only. It was nice, but not a huge deal.

 

We have had a few members bead their own sash, and have legends on them. It doesn't really bother me personally, but the official sash is the white cloth with a red embroidered arrow on for each honor.

 

Crews deciding to make their own sash to match their Crew uniform seems overboard to me. Wearing a black sash all the time would cause confusion in the public (younger scout's eyes and non-OA members) about what the OA is. Remember it is a organization based in cheerful service and not in fancy uniforms.

 

This topic of Crews making their own sashes, reminds me of the Vigil knots I used to see on E-bay. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

[Sympleesmshn]

My lodge passed in it's bylaws the use of a white arrow on a red sash for all "friends" who have completed training and have served for 3 straight ordeals. Orginally this was only for when working at the ordeals, but the lodge changed the rule to include all lodge events. I don't think we can wear them at section or national events, though I may be wrong.(This message has been edited by Sympleesmshn)

[9muckraker7]

If wearing the "non-official" sash is with the discretion of the lodge advisor, then I really don't see anything preventing one from wearing it, especially if it's at a lodge event. Regarding national, regional, and sectional events, however, this might be some sort of "infraction," BUT, the most anyone would probably do about it would be to inform he who wears the sash that it isn't official and shouldn't be worn.

 

I've never heard of any OA member be refused participation in an OA event just because he either didn't have a sash or if he had the wrong "type" of sash.

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

Likely youre seeing historic reproductions, in as far as the white on black, white on red, felts, ect. These sashes are from the early days. Beaded sashes are something arrowmen have made for years, and contrary to popular belief are not illegal, unless a the legend, or other items are added.

 

The official sash is red on white, and made of cloth. A beaded sash may be work if it is a close representation of the official sash, no embellishment.

 

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

Likely youre seeing historic reproductions, in as far as the white on black, white on red, felts, ect. These sashes are from the early days. Beaded sashes are something arrowmen have made for years, and contrary to popular belief are not illegal, unless a the legend, or other items are added.

 

The official sash is red on white, and made of cloth. A beaded sash may be worn if it is a close representation of the official sash, no embellishment.