Are you proud to be a Arrowman?

[Grumpy]

Very proud to be in OA. What a great concept and program. Was in Michigamea 110, now in Wipila Wiki 432. Some of my best memories from 25 years ago was in Michigamea Lodge 110 and the Order of the Arrow. I wish I had more time to give.

[567Eagle]

MD96732, I WAS living in Colorado for the past 2 years but now I'm, um, overseas. Been out of Scouting for a few years now. Never really picked it up in CO.

 

My name should give a good hint of where I'm from.

Lodge chief 93, 94. My Vigil was actually at Camp Maluhia

[maddog96732]

567Eagle,

 

So you were Lodge Chief when Lorin Kosaka was Section Chief. Lorin was my Lodge Vice Chief when I was Lodge Chief 91-93. Did you happen to go thru you Vigil with him too? I know he did his a a Conclave at Camp Maluhia also.

 

Ken

[le Voyageur]

To answer the question....I'm not really sure...seems to be something missing in being an Arrowman.

I rarely attend any of their functions, instead I prefer to focus on creating and developing high adventure programs. There's a lot more satisfaction in doing that, then the other....

[anarchist]

 

ouch...OA...sore point in my return to scouting.

our district (our council/our lodge?) has a weak OA program...may or may not show up for troop OA elections...tap outs are a joke and ordeal is not anything to brag about eather but the real downside is our OA seems to do nothing...

Oldest son, (very good scout, great skills if i do say so myself) did his ordeal and 'we' (him going me driving) went so far as to become the troop OA rep(s)...district meetings were 'on again off again, sit around and do nothings' After seeing nothing and getting nothing...and four months after paying the non prorated membership dues he gets a bill for the new years dues... Oldest son has a typical teens over developed sense of right and wrong and that really burned him up...after emails, calls to district and a visit to council he recieved no good explaination..."pay your dues and wear the sash...that's the way ist is..." so he didn't pay and tossed the sash in the trash...

In the late spring our 'district minister of education and OA leader cornered #1 son and asked why he wasn't 'participating' and while I did not witness it our SM recounted that #1 son was honest, respectful and determined with his negative response. Later when our troop 'elected' the 'ol'trouble maker' (me) for a tap out as an adult OA...I had to follow my son's principled example and decline...

As a young scout I ALWAYS looked up to our troop arrowmen but over the course of the last forty years the OA around here has seemed to fall on hard times...

but permit me a last little dig...when 'oldest son' was about to cross over to Boy Scouting we had a District webelos weekend. Complete with what was to have been a dramatic campfire with an OA dance team.... two OA boys showed up, one who could not dance and one who couldn't keep a beat (and both who could not get their bonfire lit)...remembering back to my scouting days I explained (to oldest son) that 'things some times go wrong'(stuff happens) and the OA lodge probably didn't have enough time to get a 'back up group' together...Then, Sunday afternoon, as we are pulling out of the campground we discovered that the Council OA Lodge had an 'OA weekend' (not an ordeal) right across the road with literally dozens of 'arrowmen' available to lend the District a hand...but they just couldn't seemingly get it right...go figure

so to answer the opening question...

My son wasn't and I could not...

[EagleInKY]

Anarchist - Your experience is similar to mine. While my son hasn't been elected to OA yet, we've seen a great decline in the program here from my days as a scout. I've written about this in some other posts. I'm glad that OA is thriving in some areas. If the scouting program was as poor as the OA is here, we'd be in big trouble.

[anarchist]

soory to hear about another 'on life support OA lodge(?)...or just the district chapter (I hope).

I'm thinking that like some scouting programs it's usually a district or unit problem. Here I am sure it is mostly a district 'thing' with a 'blind eye' from council (folks around here always say council looks at our district as a poor cousin)! But district politics being what they are we just keep our heads low...blow out the competition at District camporees and try to build a Troop program that in the words of a new Eagle has gone from being a 'care-less camping for older scouts' troop to truely AWESOME adventure (almost gives me tingles)

Back to OA...Councils/Lodges need to take stock...particularly of the 'out of the way districts' there seems to be a terrible waste going on...At Courts of Honor I see lots and lots of Arrow sashes...but few Arrowmen.

[Sympleesmshn]

Yes I am, but it is a thing that I only share with other brothers. I feel that even if you know about the order, You DON'T know the order. I PROUDLY serve as a "friend" at each ordeal and am one of about 5 Sea Scout/Boy Scouts in the lodge(also the only Eagle Scout/Sea Scout in the Lodge).

 

The ordeals have taught me a lot. I am proud of the title I wear and realize that I have a debt to pay back for years to come.

[BSAChaplain]

Two weeks ago was our lodges Vigil weekend. As I was getting dressed to leave I looked over and saw my uniform hanging with that white sash with a bold red triangle acroos it. I felt a swell of pride. Possibly even more than over the red, white and blue knot over my pocket.

 

But as I spent the weekend side-by-side with the others, I felt honored that someone else thought enough of me to put me in a group with these men and women of such character.

 

I'm with SemperP. There's a tremendous amount of humilty that goes hand-in-hand with the pride.

 

Yes, I am proud to be an Arrowman.

[Bolo]

Going before the Brotherhood board this weekend along with my son and several others from the troop.

Right now, this very moment, I am most proud of my arrow. Been working on it all week trying to remove 'all that is not an arrow.' I'm not very good at woodcarving and the arthritis in my ole joints makes it even worse, but I keep trying!

Yes, I am proud and humbled to be an Arrowman and will strive to live up to the Obligation in my life and my scouting work.

 

[Cutter]

Yes, I think I am. I am not the most active member. I attend the Conclave and maybe another meeting and that is about it. My son was troop rep for awhile and he goes to the monthly district meetings most months even though he is no longer the troop rep. It is at the same time and place as the roundtable, which I attend. I am the only active adult member in the troop so I go to the Ordeals to be an adult for the candidates from our troop.

[acco40]

My first exposure to the OA was when my oldest son was due to receive his AOL and crossover at our Packs B&G. My wife had arranged for the OA to do the AOL/Crossover ceremony. They just flat out did not show up - no notice or anything. Obviously, this did not make a great first impression.

 

My next exposure was when the same son was called out (I was not there, something I regret immensely to this day) at summer camp and then later had his ordeal. He was only 11 but had completed a year plus four months of Scouting and was already a Star Scout. His exposure to the older Scouts was a great benefit to him. Fast forward to a year later and I became a member. My older son sealed his membership on my Ordeal Weekend. The next year, he attended my brotherhood ceremony. He has felt great pride being first and "helping" his old man learn the things necessary to become a full member. He attends most meetings, conclaves, etc. I do not (they are held concurrently with Roundtable and as a SM, my priorities are elsewhere and he needs a Scouting "unit" with no parent present). He has greatly benefitted from his membership and has participated in ceremonies, elections, etc. Other boys in the troop have not attended anything at all since their Ordeal. They don't get anything out of it (I wonder why).

 

Like most things in life, you get out of it what you put in. Our Lodge could use better Elongomats (sp?), but all in all we have an excellent Lodge (Lodge #29, the best in all OA!).

 

To cut to the chase, I'm not so much proud of my Arrowman status but am very proud of my son's development and involvement in the OA. This summer, my younger son is scheduled to be called out (shhh! don't tell him!). I'll be there!

 

 

[ranik]

absolutely... it gives me some structure in my life...

[dodaddy]

Being tapped and inducted in 1960, having tapped both my Father and Brother in subsequent years and enjoying the OA as a family I can say yes I am proud to be and Arrowman. Both my Dad and Brother have died and I have their flaps and sashes-my son wore his grandfathers' sash until he was awarded Vigil and now keeps them under glass. OA has been and remains a family tradition and an absolute joy.

My only regret is that in our Lodge it appears many adults have a hard time getting out of the way and letting the boys control the program. Because I and several other oldtimers like me confront this attitude regularly we have been dubbed agitators and trouble makers by the adults - the youth applaud our efforts and that spurs us old guys on.

The honor I felt 40+years ago remains every time I button the sash. Our principles of service and brotherhood are strong and a fine foundation for one's life. Being half American Indian I also appreciate the efforts the lads extend in respecting our customs and traditions as well.