Lodge flap

[ManyHats]

I've heard/seen conflicting info on lodge flaps. Could someone explain how you become a member?

[John-in-KC]

From your posts, I assume you are an adult, and a ASM/Committee member in a Troop.

 

1) There are three sources of adult OA nominations:

- A Boy Scout Troop

- A Varsity Scout Team

- District/Council

 

2) There are two major criteria for adult OA membership. There are other criteria, but I do not have a current OA HB or Officers/Elections Guide near to hand:

- Have camped 15 days and nights

- Be able and willing to add value to the youth in the program, for which them is an Honor Society.

 

3) Undertake the Ordeal at your Council's designated place.

 

4) Maintain dues currency. The 1st year dues are built into your Ordeal fee.

 

 

HTH, and In Cheerful Service...(This message has been edited by John-in-KC)

[ManyHats]

I'm a Cubscout Treasurer. My husband is the CM. Two leaders in the Pack have the lodge patch. I assume they earned it as boy scouts.

[fgoodwin]

Manyhats, welcome to the Forums.

 

Cub Scouters may wear an OA Flap if they are paid-up members of the Order.

 

To become a member, adults (who weren't members of OA as a youth) must be nominated, as John explained. Its not something you can join by simply filling out a form.

 

If an adult was in OA as a youth, they just need to pay their current dues to be considered a member of the local Lodge and thus wear the Lodge flap.

 

OA members are not supposed to wear flaps from an old Lodge where they are no longer resident, but I don't know anyone who goes around looking for such things.

 

My understanding is, that once you're a member of OA, you're a member for life, paid dues or not. But "lapsed" members may not wear a Lodge flap.

 

Probably TMI, but just wanted to put that on the record . . .

[ManyHats]

Thanks for all the info.

[scoutldr]

Have to get the last word...

 

As cub scouters, the ONLY way to join the local lodge is to have been elected to the OA as a youth (boy scout). Then you just pay your dues and sew on the flap (and hopefully participate in the OA actively!) Packs do not have OA elections, nor do they nominate adults to become members. Since you are a female leader, you will have to become an adult Troop Scouter leader to become eligible. District and Council Scouters can also be nominated. So, you have something to look forward to!!!

[Gold Winger]

"As cub scouters, the ONLY way to join the local lodge is to have been elected to the OA as a youth"

 

It is possible that a Cub Scouter could be nominated by the district, not likely but possible.

 

 

[Kimo]

If they were chosen to become members when they were Boy Scouts in their youth, they are members of OA for life which entitles them to wear the red and white ribbon with the little silver arrow hanging from their pocket button.

 

To be entitled to also wear a Lodge flap one must be a current member of a Lodge with dues paid up for that year. You can only belong to the Lodge of the Council through which you are registered - each Council has one Lodge - and you are then entitled to wear the flap of that Lodge. If you were inducted into one Lodge as a youth and later moved to another Council, you would need to become a member of the Lodge of that Council where you are now registered and you would wear the flap of that Lodge in which you are currently a dues paying member.

 

 

[Secret DE]

'"As cub scouters, the ONLY way to join the local lodge is to have been elected to the OA as a youth"

 

It is possible that a Cub Scouter could be nominated by the district, not likely but possible.""

 

What about the guy like me works for the BSA? I was nominated for membership by the Supreme Chief of the Fire. WHat if I leave my job. I still want my son to be a Cub Scout? That would mean I would be involved in the PAck. There are lots of adults in the cub program that were not youth OA members. THere are also lots of scenarios for that possibility.

 

SDE

 

 

[Gold Winger]

"What about the guy like me works for the BSA?"

 

You guys have that special "in."

[Secret DE]

"You guys have that special in."

 

That is a load of puckey. The Scout Executive can do that for anyone, not just a professional. In fact the Guide for Officers and Advisors lays out in plain english that all members of the professional service are ad hoc members of the OA Lodge in their council just because they are professionals.

 

So what about the adult leader who volunteers with Scouts and builds a career before in Scouting and the OA before he or she 1) had kids or 2) their kids were old enough to be cubs? That is just one more scenario where a cub leader is an OA member as an adult and could then later become a cub parent.

 

All I am saying is that there are lots of scenarios out there that could allow a registered Cub leader to be an OA member without having done so as a youth. Another would be a Cub Camp Director. Because the OA does so much service to Council Camps, it would make sense for the Council or District to nominate them for OA membership.

 

SDE

[Gold Winger]

"That is a load of puckey. The Scout Executive can do that for anyone, not just a professional."

 

But he doesn't, does he? Maybe he can but in ten years I've never heard of one in my Chapter or Lodge.

 

 

[kahits]

District nominations are between either the District Chairman or the District Executive to make the nomination. The Chapter Adviser approves the nomination, by signing the nomination form.

[Secret DE]

""District nominations are between either the District Chairman or the District Executive to make the nomination. The Chapter Adviser approves the nomination, by signing the nomination form.""

 

That is not true. The District Chairman and District Executive have the abilitiy to nominate District Level Scouters for the OA, each in their own right. There is no either or. All Council professionals are allowed to nominate adults to OA membership in thier own right. The District Chairman and the Council President are also afforded the ability to nominate adults for OA membership because of thier positions. Also all professionals are "ad hoc" members of the lodge in the Council where they work even if they have never taken an Ordeal. The Lodge Advisor or Lodge Adult Selection Committee approves those nominations. This is spelled out in the Guide for Officers and Advisors.

 

My Chapter Advisor and I are very close, like family close, and we often talk about which District level volunteers would be best suited to help the Lodge, but when I nominate someone, I sign my forms and they go straight to the Lodge Advisor. In my two years as DE I have only submitted one nomination and my District Chairmen have submitted none.

 

As for professionals being the only adults to be nominiated by the Supreme Chief of the fire, that is not true. That process is usually reserved for board members, council level scouters and new professionals as a way for them to better develop relationships with volunteers and youth within their Council and Districts. I cannot nominate someone who is a unit Scouter. As a general rule you only nominate at the level of your participation. The Supreme Chief of the Fire is a Council Scouter so it makes sense that they would only nominate the people I have mentioned..

 

SDE(This message has been edited by Secret DE)(This message has been edited by Secret DE)

[kahits]

I was only referring to district nominations and what the form states. I'm sure there are many ways to nominate at the council/lodge level.