Can I wear a lodge flap on my Cub Scout Den Leader uniform?

Once a Scout or Leader goes through his Ordeal, he is a member of the Order of the Arrow for the rest of his life (as long as he is registered with the BSA). As he moves to new councils, he needs to connect with the local OA lodge at each place to continue his active membership. Generally, all you need to do is to pay your dues in your new lodge.

Once you have paid your dues and are an active member again, you can then wear the OA Lodge flap on your uniform. This is true for all adults registered as BSA leaders, no matter what part of the program (Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing) they are currently in.

You should contact your current council's service center. Explain the situation, and they should be able to tell you how to pay your dues and acquire a lodge flap. They can also put you in contact with the local lodge leadership, so you can become an active OA member.

What is the cutoff age for youths and adults in OA Activities?

For Order of the Arrow participation (events, elections, etc.), a youth is anyone under age 21. Adults are those 21 or older. This holds true for everything except housing status at events, where adults are defined as 18 and older (see more below).

Note that this does NOT change the BSA youth protection policies, which define Boy Scout youth as those under 18, and adults as those 18 or older. These policies still apply to all OA activities.

So individuals at OA activities really fit into one of three categories:

• Those under 18, who are youth for both OA events and BSA policies
• Those 18 to 20, who are youth for OA events, but are adults for BSA policies
• Those 21 and older, who are adults for both OA events and BSA policies

This requires careful arrangements for housing, facilities, etc.