OA requirements

[joebob]

What are the requarments for an adult to get into the OA

[optimist]

It's been awhile since I've seen the rules but I'll give it a go:

• Scout leaders in a troop must be recommended by the troop. There is a limit of one adult per year per unit but exceptions have been made for a second on rare occasion.
  
• District level leaders have to be recommended by the district, council leaders by the council, etc.
  
• All recommended leaders must meet the same camping requirements the boys meet. Once again exceptions are made on a rare basis.

[wagionvigil]

Adults 1 per 50 registered youth. So if you have a troop of 51 you may put in two adults. ADults do the same Ordeal as the youth. Adults have no say in the OA it is a strictly youth led organization. Ther are thre adults that can over ride the youth. tyhe Lodge Adv. The Professional Adv. and the Supreme Chief of the Fire aka the Council exec.

[WVBeaver05]

As I recall, a Troop must have a Scout elected to include an adult. Is that correct?

Since District/Council don't elect youth, I assume that isn't a requirement at that level.

YiS

[wagionvigil]

Yes you must put a youth in also on the unit level

[joebob]

Thanks we had a lady get nomitaded and she dose not have the campping requitrement oh well

[gwd-scouter]

Except for the rank requirement, adults must meet the same requirements as youth. The camping requirement is 15 days/nights of camping, and must include a long-term resident camp (but only one), and all the days/nights being counted must have been done within the past 2 years of a scout/scouter being nominated.

Over the years, I have seen many Scouters nominated who did not meet the camping requirements. No females in our District have ever been elected to the AO - at least not as long as I've been a Scouter (14 years). Of course, that could be due to that fact that as far as I know and have seen, I'm the only female Scouter in our District that camps.

[WVBeaver05]

WOW! That seems amazing to me.

While ladies remain in the minority, we see them frequently at Scouting events - including all camps. I believe there were 2 female Scoutmasters at our summer camp last year out of at least 10 ladies there, and I know that 2 were inducted into the OA. Our Camp Commissioner is a lady with extensive camping experience who has lead teams to Philmont (and, I think, hold the Vigil Honor in the OA, but I am not certain of that one).

Just to repeat something that I have said before. Based on my experience growing up in Scouting, I never expected to see a woman staying at Scout camps - now having seen it, I never expect it to go back.

YiS

[Mrw]

I have been to summer camp as acting SM when we had a year they wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. And I have camped with them other times as well.

It isn't really on the top of my list of things I might really Want to do, but I hate to see them miss out on something when not enough of the regular camper adults can be there.

[gwd-scouter]

I am that fairly rare female SM. Been at the job for 2 1/2 years now, but have been with the troop for about six years (was advancement chair before becoming SM). Was selected by our Troop committee for OA two summers ago, but was told when the OA Team came for our Troop elections that I was not eligible. Hmmm. I contacted our Chapter's OA advisor and was told the same thing. Hmmm, again.

I would have liked to become a member of the OA because I feel I have a lot to contribute as an adult advisor and it would be nice for an adult in our Troop to be a member. Adults in our troop in the past went through the ordeal, but never participated in anything else after that. But I certainly don't want to become a member of the Boy's Club that has been our Chapter.

So, I'll leave it to the men in our troop for nominations. My ASM husband will be the adult going through ordeal this year, that is of course if the one Scout we have eligible for election gets voted in. Would like for our other ASM to be nominated, but sadly he does not yet have the number of camping nights needed to qualify. His son is the Scout eligible for election this year. His Dad would be an excellent addition to the adult ranks of the OA and hopefully can be elected next year.

Hey MRW - I am the mother of one Eagle, now 20 years old, and my younger son (14) getting ready for his Life BOR. Also former advancement chair. Interesting coincidence.

[wagionvigil]

wagion#6 has several female Vigil Honors

[FrankJ]

Women cannot be elected to OA because only the youth are elected. Adults are nominated in one way or another. Unit level adults are required to meet the camping requirements. The camping requirements can be waived for district, council, & professional level adults.

Gwd-scouter: I would say if you had the camping, your chapter was just wrong.

Adults are supposed to be selected to help serve the purposes of the brotherhood & not for recognition. I would say this is probably the most ignored rule in scouting.

We has several women vigil members in our chapter (Egwa Tawa Dee) as well. I ones I know have certainly earned the honor.

[gwd-scouter]

Hey FrankJ. You're correct of course that adults are not elected. I apologize for using the wrong terminology. Yes, for years I've had the required camping, but have been passed over for men in the troop with less camping, most without the required long-term resident camp. Also true that our Chapter was just wrong in telling me I could not be selected.

It's not worth fighting. There are just some things in my particular District that are slow moving and acceptance of women in Boy Scouting (other than on the Committee and doing paperwork) is one of those things. The climate is changing, however, and is much better than it was several years ago.

Our Council does have many women OA members. Two in particular stand out as exemplary examples of Scouters and representatives of the OA - male or female. One works at summer camp every year because she is a school teacher and has summers off. She helps with our ceremonies team and has been integral in the making of all new ceremonial regalia for our Lodge. The other woman, among all her other contributions to our Council, has been our Woodbadge Scoutmaster for the past couple of years.

I admire both of these women and am fortunate that I can call them friends. They have helped me a great deal over the years as I took the road less traveled as a female Scoutmaster.

[FrankJ]

gwd-scouter: It I who apologize for getting too technical.

Anyway. I am glad you are able to rise above the misguided advisors & not let sour you to the more positive parts of scouting. A good example of the scout law in action.

BTW for anybody in a similar situation. The Council executive is the "supreme chief of the fire". I would go straight to him if the lodge advisor is unable to read & follow the rules.

[optimist]

Discussion on Wood Badge Scoutmasters moved to:

Can Wood Badge Scoutmasters Serve More Than Once?