Order Of The Arrow Requirements

[christineka]

Just curious if requirements have changed (I found them for 2009) or where one can find the real requirements.  My husband looked at wikipedia, thinking that would be most up to date.  What I read said the boy must have 15 boy scout camp day/nights, 6 of which can be consecutive.  Wikepedia just said 15 nights.  Which is right?  Curious because 3 of the 12 year old boys in son's troop did Order of the Arrow at camp.  They've had 3-9 boy scout camp nights.  (My boy was too busy practicing his rifle shooting to go for Order of the Arrow.  I told him that was fine- he can do that later, whenever or if he wants.)

Edited July 19, 2015 by christineka

[Southpaw]

http://www.oa-bsa.org/pages/content/membership-and-induction

 

• After registration with a troop or team, have experienced 15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the two-year period prior to the election.  The 15 days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America.  The balance of the camping must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps.

[Twocubdad]

(My boy was too busy practicing his rifle shooting to go for Order of the Arrow.  I told him that was fine- he can do that later, whenever or if he wants.)

 

'Atta girl!

[christineka]

Part of me wants to ask the parents about the "secret" boy scout campouts their boys have been going on, so maybe my son can be invited.  

[oddball]

Part of me wants to ask the parents about the "secret" boy scout campouts their boys have been going on, so maybe my son can be invited.  

Like anything else, it's up to what the boys and leaders come up with.  An organization to which I belong has hosted several OA functions on our grounds.  Looked pretty boring to tell you the truth.

[SSScout]

There are "requirements" and requirements. 

OA cannot be "earned"  like First Class.   I have not seen the "elected" part of this here.

 Christineka 's post mentioned boys "doing" OA, but questioning the overnight camping requirement.  I would too, given what she mentioned.    The SM and ASMs cannot, correctly, pass a boy in his OA requirements.  That ,if done right (and we here have heard of  incorrect episodes , yes?) , takes time, experience and an earned reputation. 

A Scout cannot , if done correctly, "go for"  OA.

[christineka]

Like anything else, it's up to what the boys and leaders come up with.  An organization to which I belong has hosted several OA functions on our grounds.  Looked pretty boring to tell you the truth.

 

Looks boring to me, too.  I only looked up the requirements because I'd never seen a boy so young get into the Order of the Arrow.    I am not very knowledgeable about this boy scout stuff.  I googled the OA and looks like there's some sort of initiation process.  

 

I just wanna know how these boys are getting all those boy scout campouts in, so my son can camp with them.  

Edited July 19, 2015 by christineka

[SSScout]

Christineka:  Ultimately, from this distance, all I can recommend is go to the boys SM or ASMs and ask them how their Scouts fulfill the requirements as you read them , and it sounds like you have read them correctly. You can even show the Scout Leaders the books etc. and ask 'em about it.   15 nights and an election, officiated by the local OA Chapter,  to qualify for the OA.   20 nights for the Camping MB.  There they are, in black and white, your local Scout store should have the Camping MB book and also the OA manual.  Ask your DE who your local OA chapter advisor is.  Better yet, let your Scoutson do it!  

And you can encourage your boy to continue to be "Trustworthy", and follow the rules.   He will appreciate your appreciation! 

 

OA boring?   Only if the boys allow it.  OA is , by definition, boy run.  Like Boy Scouts, only more so.  Yeah, the adults have to drive and sign the checks, but it should be up to the boys to plan their camps, service projects, and ceremonies to reinforce the ideals and raison d'etre  of the BSA and OA.  Movie and pizza night?  Hike to the caverns?  Hang out with the buds?  Yep, up to them.   OA is, by definition an "honor" to be admitted to, and is, by definition, a service organization . It is not a rank to be earned, or a skill to be mastered. :  It is a way to perform  Service to the local Troops, to the Camps, to any local worthy institution, and find satisfaction (and  fun, believe it or not) from such.   If the Scouts in OA don't see it that way, well, there are other problems. 

 

Stretching of the requirements?   How far does a Scout SM stretch things and why should he/she?

[christineka]

I'm glad my son was too busy with rifle shooting to go along with his comrades.  He doesn't have time for Order of the Arrow!  (Now that I know what it is they're supposed to be doing.)  

 

I'm really curious if there are campouts happening that my family isn't being told about.  In the meantime, however, I am again looking into the other community troops.  Perhaps we can make one work.  Son will have to visit and make the decision whether or not to join, if I approve the time/day of meetings.  Maybe he'd get this real boy scout experience that you all write about.  It sounds fantastic to me.

[NJCubScouter]

Christine, do you really think there are secret campouts going on, or do you think these Scouts are being inducted into OA without meeting the eligibility requirements? And when you are counting the nights, are you including the (one) week-long camp (6 days, 5 nights) for those that went?

[Hedgehog]

Curious because 3 of the 12 year old boys in son's troop did Order of the Arrow at camp. 

 

Just a question as to what "did" means.  At our summer camp, there is an Order of the Arrow campfire that all scouts are invited to attend.  I don't think that elections can be held at camp but the campfire is the "call out" honoring the boys that have been elected.  The initiation is called an "ordeal" and is not done at summer camp but over a weekend.

 

As others said, to get into OA you need to be voted in by a majority of your troop at an election held by the OA after meeting the requirements (which includes the camping).  I would be surprised if any 12 year old could be elected to OA.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Hedgehog

[christineka]

Just a question as to what "did" means.  At our summer camp, there is an Order of the Arrow campfire that all scouts are invited to attend.  I don't think that elections can be held at camp but the campfire is the "call out" honoring the boys that have been elected.  The initiation is called an "ordeal" and is not done at summer camp but over a weekend.

 

As others said, to get into OA you need to be voted in by a majority of your troop at an election held by the OA after meeting the requirements (which includes the camping).  I would be surprised if any 12 year old could be elected to OA.

 

 

When I went to pick son up at the meeting place, the three boys were wearing OA sashes.  I don't know what's involved to get those, other than they did the day of silence thing.  Son reported that they "did" oa the day he was getting in extra rifle practice.

[christineka]

Christine, do you really think there are secret campouts going on, or do you think these Scouts are being inducted into OA without meeting the eligibility requirements? And when you are counting the nights, are you including the (one) week-long camp (6 days, 5 nights) for those that went?

 

Probably not, but hey, I don't know.   Maybe there are campouts every month only we're not told about any of them?  

 

Son has 5 nights from last year's camp and 1 for the one in March in his records.  I don't know why his 3 campouts from 11 year old patrol aren't in the system.  I assume they count, since he was camping with scouts.

 

One of the 3 boys is a month older than my son.  The other two turned 12 in June and yesterday.  (So he was actually 11 at camp.)  The 11 year old has been double-timing scouts for the past year, since his dad's a leader and he's was allowed to do everything with the older scouts.  I only paid attention to their scout trips recently.  I know they went ice fishing in winter before my son turned 12.  That boy might actually have 15 nights of camping with boy scouts.  

Edited July 20, 2015 by christineka

[jpstodwftexas]

I have seen plenty of troops elect young members into OA...Easily done when The Older Members are all already Elected into OA...and In New Troops where They are voting in their eligible Scouts for the First Time. At the Time I joined my Troop 6 me and 1 other scout was the only Non-OA Members in the troop..It was another full year before we had another youth join the Troop..Lodge Wanted to Know why we did not Elect anyone that year.We told them Our only Non-OA member just joined  the troop he was 11 and had been registered 2 Days .. and In our troop which has 12 Monthly Camp outs...Plus 2 Weeks Summer Camp..He had his Camping requirements the Following Year. And we had Quarterly Camporees also. And as the Only Eligible OA Member of the Troop we elected him...It was 2 years before another Youth joined our troop.

 

Yes our troop was always very Small and we loved it that way. 

[NJCubScouter]

I don't know why his 3 campouts from 11 year old patrol aren't in the system.  I assume they count, since he was camping with scouts.

They should count from the BSA's and OA's perspective. Whether it counts differently in LDS, I don't know. Maybe your son should ask the records-keeper in the troop why the nights aren't in the "system." And besides, your son's handbook has a place to keep his own camping records.