Q/A: OA Troop/Team Representative Advisers
Q: I noticed that on the page of Basic Information about the OA Troop/Team Representative it states that an adviser "...should be over the age of 21." I have asked my Lodge's OA Troop/Team Representative Adviser about this, and he tells me that the adviser MUST be 21. My question is, would I be eligible for the position, being that I am only 19? I understand that policy says the an adviser must be 21, but aren't all the youth they advise in this case under 18? Is this policy waived for this new, BSA youth (not OA youth), position?
A: The adviser to the OA Troop/Team Representative is to be over 21. A role that an 18-20 year old may have is the chapter or lodge chair or liaison for the representatives.
The basic principle in the Order of the Arrow is that youth leaders are under 21 and advisers are 21 or older. This is stated in several places in the "Order of the Arrow Handbook" and the "Guide for Officers and Advisers."
You may want to consider serving as your lodge or chapter chair, or as a liaison, and support the OA Troop/Team Representatives that way. (See the How OA Troop/Team Representatives fit in the lodge structure page on this web site for details.)
We have corrected the page of Basic Information about the OA Troop/Team Representative to clarify this issue.
Revised 12/01/02
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