Q. Does a scout have to be elected again if he is unable to attend the Ordeal? Does he have to be called-out before an Ordeal?
A. Thank you for your question. You might want to read page 23 of the Guide for Officers and Advisers. But, in summary form, here are the salient points:
Once elected, a candidate has one year from the time of his election to complete the Ordeal.
Beyond that time they must remain qualified and stand for election anew.
It is not absolutely necessary that a candidate be called-out at all; the Scoutmaster may just announce the election results.
Called-out or not, the elected candidate receives an invitation to the Ordeal; one does not depend on the other.
If he can't attend the Ordeal, he needs to reschedule within the one year period; he can't just show up without prior arrangements.
And there's no limit, on the OA's part, on how many times a scout may be called-out.
There MAY come a point when the scout, the troop, or the Scoutmaster realize that the scout simply has other priorities that are more urgent or important than attending his Ordeal.
There WILL come a point at 18 when the scout is too old to enter the OA as a scout if he has not received his first class rank. He must then wait until being qualified & selected as an adult. After turning 18, prior to turning 21, he could still be elected as a scout if he meets all the on-going camping requirements and has the first-class rank.
Refer to the Membership Requirements and Unit Requirements section of the Guide for Officers and Advisers for more information.