How many adults can a unit recommend for OA membership?

The information in Operations Update 01-1, January 2001, is correct. The change announced in that Update, and effective February 1, 2001, was to allow larger troops to recommend additional adults. Units are now allowed to recommend one adult per every 50 Scouts. As the Update says:

" Troops or teams having more than 50 registered, active youth members may nominate an additional adult for every 50 registered, active youth, or fraction thereof. (As an example, a troop having 51 to 100 registered, active youth may nominate two adults each year if at least one youth has been elected.) "

The rest of the adult nomination process, including the membership requirements, review by the lodge adult selection committee, approval of the Scout executive, etc., did not change.

Some publications may still have the old wording that limited a unit to recommending just one adult no matter what the unit size. These documents are being corrected as they are updated. Because of publication schedules, some documents may have the old wording even if their print date was after January 2001. These will be corrected in the future.

What are the requirements for an adult to become a member of the OA?

The requirements for adult membership are given on page 21 of the "Guide for Officers and Advisers," #34997A, Revised 1999.

In general, the adult qualifications are different from the youth requirements. Adult selection is based upon their ability to perform the necessary functions to help the Order fulfill its purpose, and is not for recognition as an honor. Selected adult Scouters must be an asset to the Order because of demonstrated abilities, and must provide a positive role model for the youth members of the lodge. Read the section of the guide mentioned above for details.

A copy of the adult requirements can also be found in Appendix 1 of the OA Troop/Team Representative Support Pak.

Where may resident camping occur for OA eligibility?

The exact wording of the camping requirement can be found in the current printing of the Guide for Officers and Advisers (#34997A, revised 1999). This book sets forth the official policy of the Order of the Arrow on this topic. The pertinent passage, on page 20, says: 

"... 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."

It does not say that the resident camp must be at a Boy Scout owned or operated facility. If the national Order of the Arrow committee had wanted to say that, they would have. The language used was very carefully composed. If a troop runs their own long-term resident camp, "under the auspices and standards" of the BSA, it qualifies. The BSA does have very explicit standards for a resident Boy Scout camp, requiring much more than just a week long campout. Your local council camping people can provide more information on what the current standards are.

Some of the confusion may be caused by an error in the current Boy Scout Handbook, which stated the camping had to be at "a local or national council facility", but that is incorrect.

Who decides what camping activities qualify for OA eligibility?

With the camping requirement, as with all other eligibility requirements, it is the Unit Leader's job to interpret whether a Scout has met the requirement.

As stated in the Guide for Officers and Advisers (#34997A, 1999 revision, page 20):

"Unit Leader Approval.  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 also certify that the nominee meets all specified requirements at the time of this annual election."

Other than defining the length of time needed for a camping activity to be considered a long-term camp*, the National Order of the Arrow Committee leaves the interpretation of the camping requirement to the unit leader.

* A "long-term camp" is one consisting of at least six consecutive days and five nights of resident camping. A "short-term camp" is anything less than that.