1998 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Order of the Arrow being fully integrated into the Boy Scouts of America. While a concern at the time was that the OA would lose its autonomy and independence that did not prove to be the case at all. The OA had always been a complement to the BSA and had actually been run by professional Scouters volunteering their time. After 1948 primarily volunteers set the course and guided the OA.
Changes made for the fiftieth year included a change of the logo from the stylized "MGM" Indian to the arrowhead off of the Ordeal sash. This gave immediate identification as OA.
Also, the OA changed its description from “Society of Honor Campers” to “Scouting’s National Honor Society”.
As part of the 50th anniversary The Goodman Portfolio was released as well as a commemorative patch.