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The Arrowman Service Award is a national award made available by the Order of the Arrow for youth and adult members of the OA to use in rededicating themselves to the purposes and principles of the Order.  It may be earned once a year in 2001, 2002 and 2003.  The following information is provided to help lodge leaders to implement this award and interpret the requirements.

Implementation Information

Delegation

Signatures for the requirements of this award may be signed off by the Arrowman's Scoutmaster, the Lodge Chief, and the Lodge Adviser.  Signature authority can be delegated to Chapter Chiefs and Advisers if the lodge desires.  Oversight and further interpretation is to be handled by the Lodge Chief or Vice Chief(s) and their Advisers.

How tough should we be?

While this award is difficult enough that everyone would not be expected to earn it, credit for requirements should not be so difficult to obtain that only one in a hundred can earn it.  The purpose of the award is to encourage Arrowmen to rededicate themselves to the OA and to carry out a series of actions and activities to show their additional commitment to OA principles.

Requirements for Adults

Interpretation of the requirements for adults should be as close as possible to the stated criteria, but tailored to what is a reasonable expectation for adults.  In general in the OA, adults serve as advisers to youth, so any place that an adult is an adviser to an activity listed, he should get credit for the requirement.

Time Frame

This award may be earned once per calendar year. If the award is not completely earned in one year, requirements completed may be carried over to the next year for purposes of completing the award.  All awards must be completed by December 31, 2003.

Awards for 2001 must be fully completed by December 31, 2001. Lodges have until March 1, 2002 (postmark date) to submit the lodge order form for the 2001 awards.

Awards for 2002 must be fully completed by December 31, 2002. Lodges have until March 1, 2003 (postmark date) to submit the lodge order form for the 2002 awards.

Awards for 2003 must be fully completed by December 31, 2003. Lodges have until March 1, 2004 (postmark date) to submit the lodge order form for the 2003 awards.

Administration

Each lodge needs to determine how the completed sign-off forms and costs should be turned in, and the awards presented.  The cost of the award depends on if it is for first or second time recipients. Currently, the award for first time recipents (the white ribbon with the gold compass) costs $4.50. The award for second time recipients (the silver compass rose attachment to place on the ribbon) costs $2.00.

In some lodges, the sign-off forms and checks may be given to the Lodge Chief or Lodge Adviser.  In others, the completed forms may be mailed to the Lodge Staff Adviser or handed in at the council service center.  Large lodges may wish to have Chapter Chiefs or Chapter Advisers collect the forms.

Only the lodge can submit the actual Lodge Order Form for the awards to the national OA office.  The order form must be signed by the Lodge Chief, Lodge Adviser, and Staff Adviser or Scout Executive.  Copies of this form may be sent in multiple times during the year, as Arrowmen complete the award.

The awards may be presented at a lodge or chapter function, or may be presented at other appropriate occasions.

Forms

Copies of the individual Sign-Off Form and the Lodge Order Form were distributed in the lodge program packet.  Copies are also available on the National OA Web Site on the Arrowman Service Award page.

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Specific Criteria Interpretations

AREA I - PERSONAL  (Complete All Four)

A: Remain active in the unit.
This should be based on a count of all activities; that is 75% of all meetings, campouts, etc., over a period of at least three months.  For adults registered at the district level, district events and meetings should be counted.

B: Help someone obtain Brotherhood.
This includes any assistance such as coaching them, recruiting them to take the conversion, assisting with a ceremony, serving as an official at a weekend where the Brotherhood was held, etc.  The point is, this person did something consciously to help one or more members obtain Brotherhood.

C: Mentor a Scout or Scouter.
This can be mentoring for any purpose related to Scouting or the Order, but must cover at least one month in duration and require several face-to-face sessions with the person being mentored.  The mentoring should have a focused outcome or tangible result, as in counseling for a merit badge or to help a Scout achieve Eagle.

D: Rededicate to OA principles through discussion.
This discussion can be held one-on-one or in small groups and can be led by and certified by any lodge officer or adviser. (Larger lodges may wish to allow chapter officers and advisers to also lead and certify this requirement.)

AREA II - CHAPTER/LODGE ACTIVITY (Complete three)

A: Serve on a camping promotions or unit elections team.
Self-explanatory - either you have done it or not.

B: Serve in a leadership role in two functions.
This includes chapter and lodge functions.  What constitutes leadership is left to the interpretation of the lodge and chapter leaders, but could certainly include leading the cook crew, serving as an Elangomat, handling registration or running the trading post, etc.  In other words, the person stepped forward and took on a job that was needed by the chapter or lodge.

C: Serve as an officer or committee chairman.
This includes all standing chapter positions as well as ad hoc committees and appointments.  Adults qualify when acting as an adviser to any of these positions.

D: Attend a Section Conclave, NLS or National OA Conference.
Self-explanatory - attend at least one.

E: Serve as an OA trainer.
This includes leading training at any OA event, such as a chapter meeting, training for election teams, training for Elangomats, etc.

AREA III  SERVICE (Complete one)

A: Participate in a council, chapter or lodge service project.
Self-explanatory - you must help on a project.  Helping carry out the service work at an Ordeal weekend would count as long as work on the project was actually done.

B: Serve as an Elangomat.
This should be counted for those who serve as Elangomats working with clans and for the Elangomat Chair / Chief Elangomat.

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This page based on information provided by Billy W. Walley, Vice-Chairman of Recognition & Awards and Carey Miller, Associate Director of the Order of the Arrow.

Revised 9/05/02.