Q. Dear Ray,
The OA had elections at our last troop meeting of 2015 and they voted my son as their choice to be inducted into the OA this year. Since the election, I was informed that our family must move for work related reasons. What actions do we need to take for my son before departing our current troop so that he may still be inducted as a member of the OA? Can we do the call-out before we leave and wait for him to go through his Ordeal weekend back in the new lodge, or do we have to do them both in our current council? Please let me know what is possible.
Thanks,
Ryan
A. Dear Ryan,
All you need to do is join a troop in your new council. Present a copy of the OA election report where your son was elected to the new Scoutmaster and ask him to arrange for his induction into the new lodge. You can do the call-out before he leaves his current troop. Here is the text from the Guide for Officers and Advisers regarding call-outs and candidate status:
"Call-outs.
Newly elected candidates will be called out at the earliest possible time, either at a resident camp, a camporee, or a special ceremony. The Guide to Inductions (/pages/content/guide-to-inductions), contains information on how to conduct a call-out ceremony. Call-outs should be conducted by the OA lodge of the council in which the troop or team is chartered. This is the preferred method of call-out.
It is recognized that there is some value in holding a call-out at a summer camp. A lodge may not call out candidates from a visiting out-of-council troop or team unless the unit leader presents a letter from the home lodge chief and lodge adviser, requesting the call-out and identifying the members to be called out. A signed copy of the home lodge’s unit election report must accompany this letter. The home lodge chief and lodge adviser must receive confirmation of the call-out following the event.
Candidate status.
Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, or adults remain candidates until completion of the Ordeal and Ordeal Ceremony. If this period of candidacy exceeds one year, the candidate’s name will be dropped. To become candidates again, they must be elected/selected again. The executive committee of the lodge may extend the one-year limit if a candidate is ill or there are other unusual circumstances.
If a candidate permanently relocates to a new Boy Scout council prior to completing the Ordeal, the candidate should immediately join a troop or team in the new council. A copy of the election report must be presented to the new unit leader to arrange induction in the new lodge. The candidacy period is not restarted or extended."
I hope this helps. Good luck to you and your son in your new Scouting adventure.
Ray