What’s the Order of the Arrow about? 🏹

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the Scouts BSA National Honor Society. The OA was founded by Urner Goodman and Carroll Edson in 1915. Founded on the principles of Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service. The OA is NOT a secret society. “Discreetness helps enhance the experience.” Youth Protection is always in effect. Everyone in the OA is referred to as “brothers” regardless of gender. The order is a Brotherhood of all honored scouts. The Order of the Arrow is youth lead. Adults fulfill an advisory, mentoring, and non-voting role. Depending on your location, elections are held with all scout troops and venture crews once a year. The adult leadership of each unit is contacted by the OA lodge or chapter youth to make election arrangements. Elected candidates go through a voluntary “ordeal” to start the membership process. Later ordeal members can complete their membership by going through brotherhood. Many unit leaders are concerned that the OA will distract the older scouts away from their unit. OA membership helps retain the interest of older scouts and keeps them involved in the unit leadership.
🎬 I’ve Been Elected to the Order of the Arrow... Now What?: • I’ve Been Elected to t...
🌎 Order of the Arrow Website: oa-bsa.org
▶ OA KZbin Channel: / oabsa
🌐 Wiki Link: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_o...
⚜️ ScouterStan Website: scouterstan.com
🎧 ScouterStan Podcast: anchor.fm/scouterstan
🛒 ScouterStan Merch: my-store-7088227.creator-spri...
😍 ScouterStan Patreon: / scouterstan
🅿 PayPal Tip-Jar for ScouterStan: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...
⏱ Time Stamps & Video Jump List:
0:00 Startup
0:09 What is the Order of the Arrow about?
0:25 Who founded the Order of the Arrow?
1:01 Is the Order of the Arrow a secret society?
1:59 How do I get elected into the Order of the Arrow?
2:25 What is the Order of the Arrow "Ordeal"?
3:05 How do Ordeal members complete the membership?
3:31 Are there other Order of the Arrow Lodges?
3:43 Scoutmasters don't like the Order of the Arrow?
4:21 Is the Order of the Arrow a Youth lead organization?
4:55 The Order of the Arrow just takes my Scouts away?
5:50 Will a youth will be calling to arrange a unit election?
6:19 After Ordeal is everyone including girls called brothers?
#scouts #scoutleader #scouterstan ‪@ScouterStan‬ © 2019, S RICHARDS LLC

[@Firefighter53]

Thank you for this one. I get this question from parents of scouts and will likely show them your explanation going forward.

[@jesuschristo379]

I became a member of Sanhican Lodge #2 in 1980. Ultimately became a Brotherhood member, and was Kichkinet, as part of the indoctrination team. My son became a member of the lodge in around 2015. I gave my original sash to the Ceremony Team to put on him during the induction. It caused a slight pause in the ceremony, as these fine OA members were kind enough to grant my request. My son didn’t know what was going on at the time, but was so pleased afterwards. I was over the moon! I think the OA is a terrific part of the SERVICE end of scouting. I am proud and pleased to have been a member of such a wonderful and committed group of scouters! WWW

[@ScouterStan]

Sorry for not replying right away. KZbin's algorithm had flagged your comment because I believe it did not understand the name you used in your message. It ended up in a flagged area that takes 48 hours to clear. The OA is a wonderful tradition, rich with family traditions that are passed on for generations. I remember when my son crossed over with his Arrow of Light at an OA ceremony for the Cub Scouts. Later, I was there at his Call-Out and Ordeal. Participating in the background, I was able to witness his ceremonies. The passing of the sash is a sweet tradition that should be encouraged. Many generations of Scouts have taken the obligation and to have ties to family, reinforces its importance. YIB ⚜

[@nepats001]

Being in the order and the ceremonies were some of the most incredible times of my life.

[@ScouterStan]

That's awesome! Membership is permanent and memorable to many. Keep looking for the arrow. YIB🔺

[@johnmadden5536]

Hello this is John Madden miss seeing your video I'm having moved back to Florida and know I been in Gainesville and joining troop 125

[@seanking6314]

Hello from an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member Noquet Lodge in Michigan. Very nice Video

[@ScouterStan]

Thanks brother, Tipisa Lodge of Central Florida. YIB ⚜

[@brodis66]

Oa was one of the most fun parts of scouting, also some of the most challenging parts of scouting. 100% worth it

[@rolandedrummer9723]

Did mine in 1982. Great stuff to build character. One of the best things I ever did in scouting. Kind of makes up for that whole pot of pancake batter I spilled at boy scout camp the summer before. haha

[@timscarborough7575]

Been 40 years since I went through it.

[@johnmadden7092]

Hello it been all most one year since i have been in the OA I'm loving it so far and can't wait to move on the next OA

[@ScouterStan]

That's awesome! Did you see the "Retiring From Scouting?" video? I covered your question about LDS leaving Scouts BSA. YIB, ⚜

[@The.ARCHIT3CT]

"This is not a secret society." Just a society of secrets.

[@ScouterStan]

"All aspects of the Scouting program are open to observation by parents and leaders. The BSA does not recognize any secret organizations as part of its program. Hazing and initiations are prohibited and have no part during any Scouting activity." - Youth Protection Training (YPT) [ www.scouting.org/health-and-safety/gss/gss01 ] YIS⚜

[@scouter2023]

As a parent of a scout that has been elected by his troop to be called out (confirmed by scoutmaster) at summer camp of 2023 I was so proud. BUT, now I have reserves because my son has chosen to participate in a out of state trip during the week his troop will be attending and going as a "provisional youth" 6 weeks before his troop attends their week we the parents were informed by the Scoutmaster that our child would not be able to be called out unless attending summer camp with his troop. We the parents are very nervous and reserved now.

[@ScouterStan]

Getting elected is the hardest part and that has been accomplished. The next step is ordeal with your local lodge. Most lodges have opportunities outside of summer camp for the ordeal. I highly recommend that you contact your local Council Service Center and asked to speak with someone about your concerns. Where I live we don't do ordeal at summer camp, we do it during the winter in Florida. Your Scout will need to do ordeal with your Council/Lodge where you live or at least where the unit is registered. You cannot do ordeal at some other Council/Lodge outside of your area because you were not elected there. Most Order of the Arrow Lodges honor the election for two years. Again I highly recommend contacting your Local Council Service center to get the actual answers to your questions. I hope it all works out. YIS⚜

[@atkron95]

I am happy to know some of you found it rewarding. I cant tell you how exclutionary and cliquish it felt not being selected for OA was. I was pulled into a cerimony and pointedly not selected amonst my peers. not told why or how. scouting and camping in the backwoods of wisconsin was a highlight of my youth. Thereafter not allowed to be a part of the group and held back like I had done something wrong. It remains a painfull memory

[@ScouterStan]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. Unfortunately, the bullying you suffered was unjustified in any way. In the video, you now see that members are elected by their peers. That can be a cruel situation to be put in. I was not elected 4 times in the very small troop that I was the senior patrol leader of. Only in the very last year was it possible for me to be elected, did it finally happen. I turned 18 only days after my ordeal was completed. So as a youth I never got to really participate In the order. Bullying like you experienced we hope never happens again. Only by shining a light on this cruelty is it possible to abolish it. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. YIS⚜

[@TheFifthWallz]

The ordeal is secret, it was for sure, I’ll never forget the day I was selected, what an honor, 20 years ago

[@ScouterStan]

(Please read other reply... Thanks)

[@sorendillinger6594]

Good video Brother. Brotherhood Member, Echockotee Lodge 200.

[@ScouterStan]

Thanks. I hope this was informative for non-brothers too. My lodge is Tipisa 326 of La-No-Che in Central Florida. YIB, ⚜

[@stephenmulligan1811]

Greeting Scouter Stan, I am a Brotherhood OA member. I'm also a UC in my council. I enjoyed this video. WWW Steve Mulligan

[@ScouterStan]

Hey fellow OA Brother, let me know if you have any questions or need help. YIB ⚜

[@robertburke2749]

There is definitely something under the radar here I don't know what it is but there is something weird going on

[@ScouterStan]

I don’t know the reference this has with the video. Could you be more specific? YIS⚜

[@dashurii7460]

if you’re talking about the ceremonies then technically yes, the details being safeguarded and all, but as he mentioned in the video if you are a concerned parent you’re welcome to ask anything - Bloom Dawson, neic lodge 40

[@sachinsyal7318]

Great video! :)

[@ScouterStan]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for subscribing to our community. YIS⚜

[@sachinsyal7318]

@@ScouterStan Yup, I’m a SPL! Showed your video to my Troop yesterday!

[@cookiewoke1899]

I'm just here because I randomly remembered the Order of the Arrow, but stopped doing scouts (due to personal reasons) before I was ever allowed in. And wanted to know what is was about.

[@ScouterStan]

Thank you for viewing. Hopefully, it sparked your interest in getting back involved with scouting. Thank you for subscribing. YIS ⚜

[@jadenstarr4366]

I’m here because I really want to understand what my boyfriend is talking about when it comes to Boy Scouts. Great video.

[@ScouterStan]

Awesome! Thank you! YIS⚜

[@johnmadden7092]

Hello I am going for my order of the arrow this Friday

[@ScouterStan]

Congratulations on your election. Just remember that the ordeal is not the only thing that the order has to offer. This is the beginning of your membership prosses. Please, let me know how your ordeal goes. Welcome, Brother. YIB ⚜

[@johnmadden7092]

Think you tonight was not a good night for troop 302 we have find out that we have lost a family in our troop that have taken his life

[@ScouterStan]

Tragic news. My sympathy and prayers go out to you, your scouts, and families.

[@johnmadden7092]

Think you so much and god blessed you

[@ScouterStan]

You'er Welcome, God bless my friend. ⚜

[@dashurii7460]

I got my brotherhood this summer and I am part of the ceremonies team for next week’s ordeal!

[@ScouterStan]

That is awesome! Please let us all know what you think of ceremonies. My lodge is big on the ceremony thing. We redid the brotherhood ceremony a few years ago and invented Elangomat back in the 60s. YIB⚜

[@ArtOliveri]

I have an old OOA knife with a stag horn handle FCF for camping fellowship/ of royal rangers/ OOA of order of arrows. with the wood Sheath

[@ScouterStan]

That truly is a unique knife. However, I'm pretty sure that it is a Royal Rangers knife and not BSA. The two organizations both have an Honor Society. The BSA has the Order of the Arrow, which has always used the acronym OA. The Royal Rangers has Frontiersmen Camping Fellowship (FCF) which in some ways is similar to the Order of the Arrow, but not affiliated. The Royal Rangers is a similar group started in the 1960s and it is not a member of the World Organization of the Scouting Movement (WOSM). My recommendation is to keep it clean and sharp. Treat it with respect like all knives. I hope this answers some questions of course, running some Google searches could help explain more. Thank you so much for sharing. YIS⚜

[@ArtOliveri]

@@ScouterStan yes it has FCF on it

[@brendanthescienceman6506]

I am an arrowman from Kittan Lodge!

[@ScouterStan]

Tipisa Lodge, Central Florida. YIB⚜

[@rong1924]

Managed not to explain what the Order of the Arrow is about. I guess the first rule of OA is "don't talk about the OA".

[@ScouterStan]

That’s a part of the obligation. “Observe and preserve the traditions of the Order…” YIB⚜

[@rong1924]

@@ScouterStan my son is about to do his ordeal.

[@patefutch6168]

It taught me a lot and coming from a long line of masonry it helped me and continues to help me in my travels today

[@ScouterStan]

The brotherhood of cheerful service has lots of life lessons that our youth and adults need. As Scouts, we are sworn by our Oath “to help other people at all times”. Helping others and our communities gives our lives purpose and meaning. With the combination of the Scout Law when questionable things happen. This is more than any school of higher education has ever taught to anyone. Somethings in the message that all people, of all nations, need to hear. Something to truly live a fruitful and happy life. YIB⚜

[@adolfoochoa265]

Im on O shot Caw lodge, O shot co chee . Im glad i kept my O/A old logo

[@ScouterStan]

O shot Caw is the lodge of the Miami area here in Florida. Is that the same lodge that you're from? I go to lots of OA events for my lodge Tipisa here in Central Florida. YIB⚜

[@adolfoochoa265]

Yes @ miami. SFC

[@bricethompson1922]

Great video Stan, what lodge are you a member of, I am a meeting of the nentico lodge 12 which is apart of the Baltimore area council

[@ScouterStan]

As a youth, I was originally inducted into the OA by the MA-KA-JA-WAN Lodge 40 up in Wisconsin, back in the early 80s. In 2003 I renewed my membership in Tipisa Lodge 326 in Central Florida. Both of our lodges are still bound in brotherhood. I hope to meet someday brother until then keep looking for the arrow. YIB⚜

[@bricethompson1922]

@@ScouterStan do you intend on coming to noac next year?

[@ScouterStan]

I don’t think I will be available to go to NOAC this year. I will let you know if things change. YIB⚜

[@gamingwithmadden3548]

Hello this Friday I'm going to camp comer Alabama for the OA member

[@ScouterStan]

Camp Comer in Northern Alabama (1bsa.org/summer-camp-at-camp-comer/), I believe that the Coosa Lodge (coosa50.org/) is the Order of the Arrow Lodge at that camp. It’s a big council up there with 20+ counties. YIB⚜

[@shakyarcher]

Our neighboring councils have "The Tribe of Mic-O-Say", which many in our council are members in addition to OA. Are you familiar with this organization? I would very much like to hear your thoughts & opinions about this.

[@ScouterStan]

Good question. The Order of the Arrow is the Scouts BSA Official National Honor Society. Since its founding in 1915, the Order of the Arrow is very similar in many ways and predates the founding of Tribe of Mic-O-Say in 1925. Two councils have the Mic-O-Say tribes. Hart of America Council has the Order of the Arrow Tamegonit Lodge and the Mic-O-Say. Today only the Pony Express Council has Mic-O-Say. At the 100th OA anniversary at NOAC, I remember them honoring the tribe of Mic-O-Say. I remember seeing many members of their contingent at the event. They stood out because they did not have sashes like everyone else. I think it's wonderful that there are options in different parts of the country for honor societies within the scouting program. It's also nice to know that our two organizations get along so well. I think that there are less than 1000 members of the tribe of Mic-O-Say. I personally have only met one member of the tribe. When I ask them about it they said it's identical to the Order of the Arrow. My personal knowledge beyond that is very limited. YIB⚜

[@TheFifthWallz]

You shouldn’t say so much about it, I knew nothing besides that I wanted to be part of it, when I was selected, It was surreal, Not sure what it’s like now but it ABSOLUTELY WAS SECRET, no one tells you what your ordeal will entail

[@ScouterStan]

Every Youth Protection Training will tell you that there are NO SECRETS in any part of Scouting. The Order of the Arrow is not exempt from this mandate. However, we seek to observe and preserve the traditions of the OA. You will notice that I only talked about it in generally positive terms. At no point did I get into specifics of the ceremonies or principles. Spoilers cheapen the meaning and importance of the moment. Scouts and Scouters should go to Ordeal with an open mind and a positive attitude. I hope this clarifies my position on the issue. Thank you for subscribing to our community. YIB ⚜

[@TheFifthWallz]

@@ScouterStan thank you I like how you said “spoilers cheapen the meaning” you hit the nail on the head there, that’s how I feel too, thank you!

[@Name-sq7my]

My dad was on the order of the arrow we still has his badge

[@ScouterStan]

I hope the video was informative. I'm glad you enjoyed it. YIS ⚜️

[@PhiTonics]

Uh.. it's not clear by what your saying, but OA came before boy scouts, as in boyscouts were born Out Of OA.. kina misleading how you present it as it stands now. The history is important I'd say. Or do I have that wrong?

[@ScouterStan]

I'm not sure what you are referring to but I believe “it's the cart before the horse”. Order the Arrow is the Honor Society of Scouts BSA. Scouting predates the Order of the Arrow. The OA was invented at a Scout Camp, so it would be very difficult for it to predate Scouting. I hope this clears things up. YIB ⚜

[@PhiTonics]

@@ScouterStan well that is interesting, as I understood it was the OA first, reasons being you can find OA material, patches and documents that predate scouts founding, so.. that's what I thought. Interesting, I'll defer to you, as I'm not a scout, or expert.

[@ScouterStan]

Just thinking back on it, and it dawned on me that you may be confusing two organizations that predated Scouting in the US. Ernest Seton in 1902 founded “Woodcraft Indians” or Daniel Beard in 1905 founded “Sons of Daniel Boone”. Check out my video on ‘How Did Scouting Start in America?’ kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6HcooaQe6ZrftU YIS ⚜

[@anthonyyershov4156]

I'm from the streets yo

[@ScouterStan]

Welcome to the ScouterStan Channel... yo ⚜

[@robertburke2749]

Sounds like the Freemasons to

[@ScouterStan]

I don’t know the reference this has with the video. Could you be more specific? YIS⚜

[@SLEIWSS]

36

[@ScouterStan]

...and the computer calculated the answer, and it was "42". YIS⚜

[@SLEIWSS]

@@ScouterStan ?

[@ScouterStan]

What is 36? I replied with the answer from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy... and 42 has more meaning the 36.