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OA Wilderness Voyage

The Order of the Arrow Wilderness Voyage (OAWV) was created in 1999 and was modeled after the success and service of the OA Trail Crew Program at Philmont Scout Ranch. This program operates out of the Charles L. Sommers canoe based at the B.S.A.’s Northern Tier National High Adventure Base in Ely, Minnesota. Wilderness Voyage is a 14-day trek experience broken into two distinct parts. Seven days of the journey is crew-based service on some of the hundreds of portage trails in the northern boundary waters. The second half of the Wilderness Voyage experience is a seven-day trek with the same service crew through the boundary waters. This trek is planned out by the crewmembers and can be modified to see some of the many beautiful waterfalls, rapids, landscapes, sunsets and Native American markings.

The success of this program was nationally recognized in 2003 when the United States Forest Service (USFS) awarded the program and the OA with a national award for youth support. The many miles and hours spent repairing and preserving portage trails along with Scouting’s excellent conservation record were included in the announcement of this award.

The accomplishments of the foreman, staff and participants in the OA Wilderness Voyage program would eventually lead to the development of the OA Canadian Odyssey in 2009 at the Canadian bases located within the Northern Tier family.

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National Leadership Summit

The OA took advantage of a year without a NOAC or Jamboree to hold the National Leadership Summit. The summit was held at Colorado State University, from July 31st to August 3rd, 1999. All lodge and section chiefs, advisers, and staff advisers were invited to attend. This event was the first of its kind. Never before had there been a national event targeted specifically for the 'Key Three' leaders from all the lodges in the nation.

The focus for the conference was implementing the OA Strategic Plan. Training, workshops, and discussion groups on how to implement the new plan were a part of the summit program.

The Order's key leadership was taught how the OA planned to expand its reach beyond camping to include greater focus on leadership development, membership extension, adventurous programming, and broader service to Scouting and community.

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1999 National Planning Meeting

The 1999 National Planning Meeting was devoted to planning the 2000 NOAC scheduled for the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Carey Mignerey from Egwa Tawa Dee Lodge, Roswell, Georgia was elected National Chief. Jordan Hitchens from Kittatinny Lodge, Reading, Pennsylvania was elected National Vice Chief.

For the first time the Region Chiefs elected would also become National OA Committee members during their terms. In the past the only youth members on the National OA Committee had been the current and immediate past National Chief and National Vice Chief. This change was made because of increased reliance on regions, sections and their leadership.

The Region Chiefs elected were: Jim Cheatham – Southern Region, Luke Wolfe – Central Region, Cameron Mulder – Western Region and Scott Schmidt – Northeast Region.

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2000 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 2000 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Mark Christopher Angeli, Daniel T. Asleson, Richard "Dick" Henry, John C. Bicket, Peter Arnold Cash, Benjamin Whitlow "Whit" Culver, Brandon Fessler, Michael A. George II, Joseph W. Glenski, David Golden, Brian S. Hashiro, John Isley, Kenneth R. Jenkins, Ryan King, Aaron W. Kreager, William D. Loeble, Lance McAlister, Michael P. McCrea, Seth McFarland, Mathew Milleson, Thomas Lee Moore, Hayato Nakawatase, William Glenn Parker, Michael Perkins, David M. Petrush, Terry W. "Tee" Pruitt II, Jeremy V. Pullen, Andrew S. Oh, David H. Sargent, Robert J. Sirhal, Joseph A. Shore, George William Spice, David Stowe, David Strebler, Christopher L. Wells and Roy L. Williams.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

2000 National Planning Meeting

The highlight of the 2000 National Planning Meeting was the national officer elections. Don Cunningham from Susquehannock Lodge, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania was elected the National Chief and Scott Hunter from Tatokainyanka Lodge, Casper, Wyoming was elected National Vice Chief. Region Chiefs elected were: Dominique Baker – Central Region, Jason Kemp – Southern Region, Patrick Boyd – Northeast Region and Josh Gana – Western Region.

The major planning at this meeting was for the ever-increasing role of the OA at the 2001 National Scout Jamboree.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

NOAC 1996

The Order of the Arrow returned for an eighth time to Indiana University, Bloomington, for the 81^st Anniversary Conference. The 6,265 delegates was the fourth consecutive NOAC with greater than 6,000 delegates. Conferences had grown, but this also had the result of limiting the number of campuses available that could stage a NOAC. The Conference theme selected at the National Planning Meeting by the Section Chiefs was "See the Dream, Live the Adventure." 

Keynote speaker at the Conference was former CIA Director and Future Secretary of Defense for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Robert Gates. Robert Gates was a Vigil Honor member of Hi-Cha-Ko-Lo Lodge in Wichita Kansas. When a few Arrowmen showed a little too much lodge spirit during his speech, Mr. Gates reminded them that he had been the Director of the CIA and knew whom they were and how to find them. All of this was to the great delight of the 6,000 Arrowmen.

Thirty seven Arrowmen received the OA's Distinguished Service Award (DSA). 

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1996 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1996 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Scott W. Beckett, Rob Berner, Ronald Boller, Kyle Brown, Seth Brown, Russell Cann, David Clark, Bill Claycomb, Sean Cox, Darshana DeSilva, Michael Edwards, Dennis Ellis, Josh Feigelson, David E. Halliday, Charles Haseman, Christopher Hayes, Greg Hazelhurst, Roger Honberger, John H. Jones, James Lewis, Gerald McCurley, Daniel McDonough Jr., Ryan McFarland, Branden Morris, Alyx Parker, Alex Rhodes, John Rotruck, Max Sasseen Jr., Joseph Scionti, David Shettles, James Simpson, William Scott Smith, Jack Stephens, Patrick Sullivan, Matthew Tarnow, Marty Tschetter and Charles Wasson.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

National OA Chairman Elected to Congress

Ed Pease, Chairman of the National OA Committee, was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1996 from Indiana's 7^th Congressional District. He served two terms (105^th and 106^th Congresses) all the while serving concurrently as National OA Committee Chairman.

He was a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Small Business Committee, along with extensive service as Speaker Pro Tempore.

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OA Logo Changes

The change in the OA logo was made official by the National OA Committee as part of their adoption of the 1998 Strategic Plan. In discussing actions taken to achieve the vision spelled out in the plan, it states:

We will adopt a new logo; one focused on the Arrow rather than the Indian. The Arrow is easily the most recognizable symbol that has its origin in our first ceremony. By taking the Arrowhead from the Arrow on the sash as our logo, we unify our image and strengthen the identity embodied in our name, the Order of the Arrow. 

The new logo had actually first been put into use in 1997.

The Stylized Indianhead logo (sometimes called the "MGM Indian") was a strong logo.

It is still very much associated with the period in time that it was in use (1975-1998) and the Arrowmen that used it for a generation.

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1997 National Jamboree

The 1997 National Scout Jamboree was held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, from July 28 to August 6 with the theme “Character Counts . . . Be prepared for the 21^st Century”. 36,015 Scouts participated in the Jamboree.

1997 marked another year for expansion for the OA at the Jamboree. The OA conducted four programs at the jamboree: OA Service Corps, The Outdoor Adventure Place (or TOAP), the OA Indian Village, and a new idea “Odyssey of the Law” program in addition to continuing to provide leadership service for the Youth Services Subcamp.

Approximately 150 youth Arrowmen served in the OA Service Corps providing cheerful service at the jamboree as aids, honor guards, runners, arena shows assistants, ushers and a wide variety of other assignments. At the Outdoor Skills Place or TOAP, approximately 60 Arrowmen provided Scouts the opportunity to test their camping and outdoor skills in a model campsite. The latest in Boy Scout equipment was also displayed and demonstrated. At the OA Indian Village, another 60 Arrowmen set up and staffed a Native American Indian village showing Indian culture that included nightly Indian dancing.

The Odyssey of the Law was a new area for the OA and instantly became a huge success. Approximately 125 Arrowmen worked together to create and put on an interactive show and video presentation that challenged Scouts to rely on the Scout Oath and Law when making decisions in their lives. This effort was one of the most popular attractions at the jamboree and was attended by over 20,000 participants.

In addition, approximately 18,000 Arrowmen gathered for an arena show to hear from our National officers, learn about OA programs and enjoy special entertainment.

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Philmont Trail Crew Vaca Trail

The first trail that was constructed by the OA Trail Crews (OATC) was dedicated during the weekend of August 15-17, 1997. The Vaca Trail was a new route for crews hiking in the Central Country of the Philmont Scout Ranch, hiking from Highway 64 towards Harlan Camp and beyond. Originally a one-year program, due to its overwhelming success in 1995 the program was continued to at least complete its first trail. The dedication weekend was important to commemorate the program’s first major milestone.

Over 150 Arrowmen, including many past and present participants, staff members, members of the National OA Committee, and Philmont Scout Ranch leadership gathered under a spectacular blue New Mexico sky at the trail head to dedicate the new trail. Some 595 participants constructed the total culmination of 16,901 feet of new trail.

Attendees hiked the trail from Vaca Camp and stopped at designated stops along the way to the bottom met by someone explaining the significance of the trail building construction. Once at the bottom a formal dedication occurred. OA Trail Crew Director Ryan Miske welcomed everyone gathered for the dedication followed by Catholic Chaplain Father Don Hummel, and then lunch.

National Director of High Adventure Bill Spice and National OA Committee Chairman Ed Pease formally opened the trail. A special rock, which was found from a nearby riverbank on the Cimarron River, was engraved to commemorate the trail. This rock was placed at the trailhead but later moved to base camp. A special patch was issued with a red mylar border on a cardstock backing.

Later in the evening there was a formal banquet at the Philmont Training Center followed by a ceremony performed by the OATC foremen.

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1997 National Planning Meeting

The primary purpose of the 1997 National Planning Meeting was to plan the upcoming 1998 NOAC to be held at Iowa State University. The National Elections, which are always highly anticipated, was a highlight.

Mat Milleson of Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, Albuquerque, New Mexico was elected National Chief.  Dave Petrush from Otahnagon Lodge, Binghamton, New York was elected National Vice Chief.

Region Chiefs elected were: Ryan King – Central Region, Jason Kuder – Northeast Region, Mark Angeli – Southern Region and Brandon Fessler – Western Region.

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