In case you missed it, the 2026 Campfire Chat offered Arrowmen an update on what to expect as we look ahead to the coming year. Led by the 2026 National Chief Joshua Nero and joined by the National Chair Chris Grove and Member Journey Subcommittee Chair David Heimann, the Campfire Chat provided an overview of the Operation Arrow program and the rollout of the new Inductions Experience. While the full recording of the livestream is available on the OA Youtube channel, this recap highlights the key takeaways from the discussion.
Operation Arrow
As with every National Jamboree, the Order of the Arrow will form a service corps to support the jamboree experience for over 40,000 Scouts and Scouters. Additionally, the OA is offering three new programs during the 2026 National Jamboree: the Sunday OA Rendezvous, the OA Legacy Experience, and the Summit Circle Experience.
The Sunday OA Rendezvous will bring together every Arrowman in attendance at the National Jamboree—not just those on OpArrow—for fellowship and inspiration. The OA Legacy Experience is open to all Scouts, showcasing the history of the OA and unveiling a new permanent Order of the Arrow display at the Summit. The Summit Circle Experience will bring the Summit Circle to life for a unique ceremony and a chance to connect with fellow Arrowmen from across the country.
There are still opportunities to join the OA at the National Jamboree. Whether you’re interested in supporting these great programs, or simply helping out with admin or base programs, Arrowmen are encouraged to learn more about joining the OpArrow staff here.
Inductions Experience
The National Order of the Arrow Committee voted to update the Inductions Experience, with the purpose of creating a welcoming new member experience. This is designed to build connections between Scouts, and ensure every new Arrowman experiences our values of brotherhood, cheerfulness, and service.
Last year, the Order of the Arrow inducted almost 37,000 Scouts into the OA, and yet membership still dropped by 5.7%. This means the OA lost nearly 39,000 Arrowmen in the last year. This trend, despite a largely consistent Inductions Experience in recent years, has highlighted the need for change.
“Society’s changed. Young men and women have different needs, different pressures, and different resources than we had 20 years ago. It quickly became apparent to us that we need to change how we approach things. In 2019, we realized this and that we needed to start looking at ways to update and modernize our ceremonies” - Chris Grove
With the passing of the new Mission, Vision, and Purpose in 2024, it became clear that not only did the OA need to look at updating the ceremonies, but the whole Inductions Experience to better retain Scouts. This is reflected in the new vision for the OA, to be the reason Scouts stay in Scouting. Eight out of ten Arrowmen do not return to an OA event after their Induction. In an effort to address this challenge, the new Inductions Experience is designed to ensure a new Arrowman’s experience reflects the OA’s promise and values. The OA is built on brotherhood, cheerfulness, and service, but if that is not reflected in their first experience, the OA is not living up to those values.
In the coming months there will be six National Inductions Experiences being offered to train lodges on how to successfully conduct a new Induction. Each section will identify an exemplar lodge who will attend, with that lodge expected to host an Induction for the other lodges in their section, passing the flame from lodge to lodge. Each lodge will then host an Inductions Experience for their current members to practice before offering it to new Arrowmen. More information on the new Inductions Experience is available here.
Future of the OA
The future of the Order of the Arrow has never looked brighter. We highly encourage watching the recording of the livestream to hear from these leaders why they believe this change is important. This year will be one of the biggest in OA history, and we encourage you to take time to understand where the OA is headed and to find a place where you can best help your lodge succeed.