Wahunsenakah Lodge -- Membership Info

Updated:February 6, 2006

Lodge Membership

To become a member of The Order of the Arrow there are a few requirements that must be met. To become eligible for election, a Boy Scout or Varsity Scout must be registered with the Boy Scouts of America and have the approval of his unit leader prior to the election. The unit leader must certify his Scout spirit (i.e., his adherence to the Scout Oath and Law and active participation in unit activities). The unit leader must certify that the nominee meets all specified requirements at the time of this annual election.

Each year in June, the Scoutmaster and Troop Committee Chairman is sent a letter from the Lodge explaining the membership process for youth and adults. For a copy of the appropriate letter, select the appropriate link below (note, the letters are PDF files and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to open.

Youth Letter

Adult Letter

Youth membership qualifications

All members of, or candidates for membership in, the Order of the Arrow who are under 21 years of age shall be considered youth members or candidates for youth membership, subject to meeting the following requirements:

Be a registered member of the Boy Scouts of America

Hold the First Class Rank of the Boy Scouts of America as a minimum

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(6) consecutive days and five(5) consecutive 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.

Candidates for youth membership shall be elected by other youth members in accordance with the policies set by the national Order of the Arrow committee. Election of any person under 21 years of age as a candidate for membership shall be based on fulfillment of the youth membership requirements.

Adult Membership Qualifications

All members or candidates for membership in the Order of the Arrow who are 21 years of age or older and who are registered members of the Boy Scouts of America shall be considered adult members or candidates for adult membership. Individuals shall be selected as candidates based on the following:

Adult Leaders in Units: Each year, after holding a troop or team election for youth candidates that results in at least one youth candidate being elected, the unit committee may recommend one adult (2 if the number of active youth in the unit at time of recharter is 50 or greater) to the lodge adult selection committee, composed of the lodge adviser, the chairman of the council committee on which the lodge adviser serves, and the lodge staff adviser. Recommendations of the adult selection committee, with the approval of the Scout executive, serving as Supreme Chief of the Fire, will be candidates for induction, provided the following conditions are meet:

Selection of the adult is based on the ability to perform the necessary function to help the Order fulfill its purposes, and not for recognition of service, including current or prior achievement and position.

The individual will be an asset to the Order of the Arrow because of demonstrated abilities that fulfill the purpose of the Order.

The camping requirements set forth for youth members is fulfilled.

The adult leader's membership will provide a positive role model for the growth and development of the youth members of the lodge.

Adult leaders in council and district positions: The lodge adviser, district chairman, council president, or members of the professional staff may recommend adults to the lodge adult selection committee.

Recommendations of the adult selection committee, with the approval of the Scout Executive, serving as Supreme Chief of the Fire, will become candidates for induction. All requirements set forth for adult leaders in units must be fulfilled, with the exception of the camping requirements, which may be waived at the direction of the lodge adviser and Scout Executive.

Adults may be recommended for membership only one time per year as either unit Scouters or district/council Scouters, but not both. How they are recommended depends on where they maintain their primary registration.

All members of the Order of the Arrow, both youth and adult, must successfully compete the Ordeal experience and participate in the induction ceremony.