Joining OA when current troop doesn't participate

[jscouter1]

Hello, I am not sure if anyone is going to respond to this but. Recently I have found the OA, seeing that I met the member ship requirments I contacted my scoutmaster about joining. He informed me that my troop does not support the OA for multiple reasons but that if I wanted to pursue this on my own I was more then welcome to pursue this on my own if I wish. I contacted my local lodge expressing my interest and the head adviser of the lodge got back to me saying that "We will have the youth in charge contact you and your scoutmaster to conduct the election. What do I do now?

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by jscouter1
didnt mean to post at first

[elitts]

I moved this into it's own thread for more specific help rather than tacking it onto an old thread.

[Eagle94-A1]

3 minutes ago, jscouter1 said:

Hello, I am not sure if anyone is going to respond to this but. Recently I have found the OA, seeing that I met the member ship requirments I contacted my scoutmaster about joining. He informed me that my troop does not support the OA for multiple reasons but that if I wanted to pursue this on my own I was more then welcome to. 

 

Are you youth or an adult?

If you are an adult, you can go through the district to get into the OA. If a youth, the Troop will need to hold an elections and vote you into the OA as a candidate.

[jscouter1]

46 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Are you youth or an adult?

If you are an adult, you can go through the district to get into the OA. If a youth, the Troop will need to hold an elections and vote you into the OA as a candidate.

I am a youth but my troop doesnt support the Order of The Arrow, but my scoutmaster said I am welcome to pursue it on my own. Unsure if that is a possibility. 

[T2Eagle]

I'm not sure what you mean by not supporting the OA.  If you mean they actively discourage troop members from being in it,  that's going to be a bigger barrier for you.  If you mean the troop just doesn't bother holding elections or otherwise encouraging interaction than a little support from your Scoutmaster should be enough to get started. 

It doesn't take a lot of troop involvement to make it possible for those scouts interested to be allowed to become members.  Basically the troop just has to let scouts from the OA come in and conduct an election.  This should be a less than 30 minute process.  You can reach out to your Council's OA Lodge and get from them all the information they would need to schedule and conduct the election, and then talk to your Scoutmaster again along with your PLC to ask them to carve out a half a meeting and invite the OA team in.

Good luck.

[InquisitiveScouter]

Option 1:  Ask your Scoutmaster if you can make the arrangements and organize a unit OA election.  If they say yes, come back here for more instructions.  Then, if you are selected and complete your Ordeal, ask the SPL if you can be the Unit OA Representative.  If your SM says No, go to option 2 or 3.

Option 2:  Become a multiple member of another unit that does use OA in its program.  Get selected (elected is the wrong word for what this is, these days...)  This could be another Troop, or a Crew.  Being a multiple is free (membership fees-wise)

Option 3:  Change Troops

Edited April 6, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter
options re-arranged

[jscouter1]

1 hour ago, T2Eagle said:

I'm not sure what you mean by not supporting the OA.  If you mean they actively discourage troop members from being in it,  that's going to be a bigger barrier for you.  If you mean the troop just doesn't bother holding elections or otherwise encouraging interaction than a little support from your Scoutmaster should be enough to get started. 

It doesn't take a lot of troop involvement to make it possible for those scouts interested to be allowed to become members.  Basically the troop just has to let scouts from the OA come in and conduct an election.  This should be a less than 30 minute process.  You can reach out to your Council's OA Lodge and get from them all the information they would need to schedule and conduct the election, and then talk to your Scoutmaster again along with your PLC to ask them to carve out a half a meeting and invite the OA team in.

Good luck.

Thank you for this information, what troop does your name refer to?

[jscouter1]

5 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Option 1:  Ask your Scoutmaster if you can make the arrangements and organize a unit OA election.  If they say yes, come back here for more instructions.  Then, if you are selected and complete your Ordeal, ask the SPL if you can be the Unit OA Representative.  If your SM says No, go to option 2 or 3.

Option 2:  Become a multiple member of another unit that does use OA in its program.  Get selected (elected is the wrong word for what this is, these days...)  This could be another Troop, or a Crew.  Being a multiple if free (membership fees-wise)

Option 3:  Change Troops

As far as the election goes, do you have to run or is everyone qualified included.

[InquisitiveScouter]

3 minutes ago, jscouter1 said:

As far as the election goes, do you have to run or is everyone qualified included.

Everyone who is qualified, and approved by the SM is on the selection list (not really a ballot).  All candidates get, basically, a Yes or No vote from their Troop.  If you get 50% Yes votes, you are in.  A few other criteria must be met, but that's down in the weeds...

Edited April 6, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter

[InquisitiveScouter]

https://oa-bsa.org/uploads/publications/GTUE-201905.pdf

pages 9-11

Edited April 6, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter

[jscouter1]

1 minute ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Everyone who is qualified, and approved by the SM is on the selection list (not really a ballot).  All candidates get, basically, a Yes or No vote from their Troop.  If you get 50% Yes votes, your are in.  A few other criteria must be met, but that's down in the weeds...

Ah I think thats what my SM is trying to avoid, he thinks the arrow steals scouts. I am willing to bet I am the only scout in a very large troop who actually knows what the arrow is. I get the sense he is okay with me joining the arrow but wants to keep it under the rug so other scouts dont try and join.

[InquisitiveScouter]

4 minutes ago, jscouter1 said:

Ah I think thats what my SM is trying to avoid, he thinks the arrow steals scouts. I am willing to bet I am the only scout in a very large troop who actually knows what the arrow is. I get the sense he is okay with me joining the arrow but wants to keep it under the rug so other scouts dont try and join.

Many adult leaders have experienced this.

If you are selected by your unit, and then you do not support your unit, and, instead, go and support only lodge functions, then you and your Troop have chosen poorly.

An Arrowman's first duty is to his unit.

To avoid this situation, many unit leaders choose not to use the Order of the Arrow in their unit program.  That is their prerogative.

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by InquisitiveScouter

[jscouter1]

6 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Many adult leaders have experienced this.

If you are selected by your unit, and then you do not support your unit, and, instead, go and support only lodge functions, then you and your Troop have chosen poorly.

An Arrowman's first duty is to his unit.

To avoid this situation, many unit leaders choose not to use the Order of the Arrow in their unit program.  That is their prerogative.

 

Thank you for your help so much, I will update the forum following my scoutmasters decision on an election.