New Order of the Arrow Policy on Vigil Honor Announced
Posted in Scouting News by John E. Pannell on April 1st, 2010 at 2:00 am Please read this post first!
For years now there has been some concern among select members of the Order of the Arrow’s (OA’s) National Committee that the selection process for the Vigil Honor as practiced in many lodges is seriously flawed. It has been observed that the process is highly subjective. It often recognizes those who serve in highly visible positions of authority, or those who manage to find themselves in Scouting’s equivalent of a sinecure. In some lodges political connections or nepotism matter more than the Order’s principles in deciding who is bestowed with the Vigil Honor. Many Arrowmen who are exemplars of the Order’s principles go unrecognized.
In recognition of these flaws, and fulfilling a desire to make the Vigil Honor selection process more objective and fair two major policy changes are to be enacted. These changes are have significant implications for the Order and its lodges, so please read them completely.
First, upon final approval* the 2% of membership restriction or quota will be lifted. Also the restriction that at least 50% of the new Vigil inductees be under 21 years of age will be removed. There are to be no limits on the number of brothers who may complete the Vigil in a given year. The National Committee did not want to exclude any worthy brothers from attaining this honor, simply because there are “too many” able leaders within a lodge or “too many” active and selfless adults.
Second a committee was formed and charged with developing a list of requirements for the Vigil Honor. The committee was charged with developing requirements that reflect and recognize the history of this honor, the principles of the Order, and the ideal of Servant Leadership. The following requirements were developed and, barring significant objection*, will be approved at the December 2010 Planning Meeting and take effect on January 1, 2011.
- Be active in Scouting and your lodge for at least two years since becoming a Brotherhood member.
- Serve one year as an elected officer or committee chairman in your chapter or lodge.
- Do one of the following:
- Serve as an elangomat during a minimum of two (2) Ordeals or
- Serve as a ceremonial principal in at least two Ordeal or Brotherhood ceremonies.
- Participate in at least eight (8) service projects with your unit, chapter or lodge, not including those in item 2, above.
- Do one of the following:
- Assist a troop with its unit election or
- Help organize a new unit in your district or council
- Help organize or staff a district or council event in your home council.
- Discuss with your lodge adviser or his designee your understanding of the Ordeal and Brotherhood ceremonies. What lessons did you learn in them? What does the arrow, as revealed in these ceremonies, mean to you? What roles do leadership and service have in each?
- Discuss with your lodge adviser or his designee your plans for future leadership and service to your unit (if applicable), lodge and council.
A tracking sheet will be made available to help brothers in completing these requirements. When finished, the tracking sheet is to be turned in to the lodge’s Vigil Honor Committee Chairman or designee, who will then file the Vigil Honor petition with the Vigil Secretary. Upon approval suitable time and place for conducting the Vigil Honor ceremony will be arranged.
*Please take a look at the date this post was published. Kindly remember that when contemplating any objection or comment to this post.
Popularity: 50% [?]
It’s about time that the Vigil criteria is tracked on a checklist.
What Occoneechee cannot do a Charlie Sullivan Vigil lottery anymore?? Ah man!
I agree with Greg. My lodge has raised a lot of money selling the vigil raffle tickets after Charlie came down and spoke as a banquet speaker back in 1991 and explained the beautiful system. We have been able to repair many buildings at camp thanks to the highly successful vigil raffle. If this policy goes into effect we will have to start selling fundraiser flaps like Occoneechee just to survive.
And a happy April 1 to you John….
Actually, I think The National OA Committee should take a serious look at this…
Now if I can only get you to add the pictures I sent you to the site I would be contented….
Give my regards to the cat….
Nick
What – no FOS donation required?
[...] Pannell once again has breaking news on his site. It seems that once again he is the first to break news, this time on dramatic changes to the [...]
Good one. But I know better, considering what today is.
Jason-
Santee Lodge (I assume that is your lodge) should stick to the Vigil raffle tickets.
I find it interesting that Santee was chartered one year after Occoneechee in 1938, however only has a total of 33 flaps (43 or so if you count variations) and Occoneechee has a total of 90 (99? with variations). When you look at the numbers Occoneechee is only 72 years old so historically they issue about 1.38 flaps per year. If you start looking from 2000 on they issue 5.2 flaps per year (F4-12 and S34-S78 8 twill and 44 solid total of 52 flaps). According to OA iamges and their latest crop of patches Occoneechee has at least 490 patches attributed to it and Santee has about 243. So even though Santee is behind in the race to 500 issues (which I think 104 can crack this year!) maybe thats a good thing… do you really want to be a lodge that issues 5.2 FLAPS per year to raise money? Do you really want your Lodge to make little parrot batman and robin patches to raise money? Or do you just want to sell a few Vigil sashes and a Founders award or two to raise some extra cash? Though, if you are interested I could sketch up a Captain Morgan Parrot Bay patch for you.
Rob — They figured an FOS donation wasn’t required. That’s what they have patch collectors for.
Jason — Sell tickets for the Founders Award instead. The return to the treasury may be greater with the lower odds of “winning”.
Nick — Eventually you’ll see the images online. As you noticed, I’ve been “hiding” lately.
Mike — Santee has had their share of “fun” patches, too.
First thing I thought of when coming to work this morning – reading what John P. came up with this year! HA!
Yep, the OAImages blog was my first stop on the web this morning.
I believe Mike Hunt has given away his identity now with the Capt. Morgan parrott idea…Am I correct Absolute Thunderbirdman?
I swear this was announced last year, but for some reason I can’t remember it was pushed back to next year??
John has always been good at getting the poop prior to the official announcements… especially at THIS time of year!
I actually like the checklist. By serving as an slangomat 2x they at least have to come to a couple of events. Because Lord knows there is no favoritism or nepotism involved in the selection process
[...] over at OAImages.com had breaking news about the New OA Policy on Vigil Honor. This new policy would remove the limit on the number of Arrowman that could be selected for [...]
I’m surprised this 4/1 announcement didn’t make it to Patch-L. Usually the hysteria and hype boils over pretty quickly. I was looking for something from John this year. Only found it on the 4th. Looking forward to next year’s shocker (wink, wink).
I think a two-tier system would be in order. Earn it if you can, otherwise enter the raffle. I’m a bit conflicted about the raffle though since it doesn’t maximize the funds raised. Possibly a third tier- earn it if you can, raffle some, but auction the last spot. Goodbye deficits!!
Personally, I’m disappointed, John. The comments were so much more fun to read in past years! This year’s comments are tame by comparison, spoiled do doubt by the big “this is an April Fool’s Joke” disclaimer at the end. Has your skin become too thin to take a little heat? Chicken!
I guess I was a bit chicken.
I thought about the Centennial Series of early OA patches to be issued by National.
Another possibility was to unveil the Virtual Ordeal. There would be an accompanying program to complete the Brotherhood ceremony via Twitter.
I also still like the Order of the Fletching, an honor camper program for Webelos Scouts.