Welcome New Arrowmen!

As a member of Scouting's national honor society, your primary responsibility in Scouting is to help your unit.  An important way to do this is an OA Troop Representative.  This position allows youth under age 18 to act as a liaison between the unit and the OA lodge while earning time toward their leadership rank requirements.

An OA Troop or Team Representative must attend both his unit and lodge and/or chapter meetings, and act as a communication link between the two.  This opportunity allows the OA to better serve the unit, and gives members of the unit an idea of what the OA is doing within the BSA council.

JumpStart for New Arrowmen

The National Order of the Arrow created JumpStart, an online, multi-media resource to help you learn more about the Order of the Arrow.  Consult you OA Handbook or someone in OA for the password.

Events in the Lodge

OA is about more than events, and most OA events are not like the Ordeal.  Most events are designed with fun and fellowship in mind.  Leadership training opportunities and community service projects are also part of the OA.  Attending these events is a great way to meet experienced Scouts from other units, promote Scout camping, find help for your Eagle leadership service project, and have fun.  Youth can also plan the events in lodge committees and run for lodge leadership positions.

National OA Programs

The National Order of the Arrow provides several high adventure and national programs programs that benefit its members and Scouting.  The adventure programs allow youth members to give important service, form lifelong friendships, and learn about leadership.  The OA Trail Crew and Philbreak at Philmont Scout Ranch, Wilderness Voyage at the Northern Tier High Adventure Base, and OA Ocean Adventure at Florida Sea Base are amazing events for a young man.  The cost to youth participants is $100, or $125 for the Philmont Trail Crew.  You can learn more about the high adventure programs by watching the Flash Presentations online.

National Order of the Arrow Conference

About every two years, the National OA has an amazing conference of 7,000 arrowmen at a major university called NOAC.  The contingent for NOAC 2006 from Talidandaganu' Lodge won more major honors than any other lodge at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI on July 27 through August 3, 2006.  Likewise, the 2009 Conference at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana was a blast - and Talidandaganu' was well represented!  Look forward to the 2012 NOAC back at Michigan State!

Brotherhood Membership

Every arrowman is expected to continue their journey beyond the Ordeal to Brotherhood membership.  The challenges involve learning of the traditions of the Order of the Arrow, growing in service to others, and sealing your membership in the Order of the Arrow.  Brotherhood membership does not involve another Ordeal.  Study guides, ceremony information and other arrowmen in the lodge are available to help you.