Duty to Country

The Order of the Arrow has always served as one of the pinnacles of service to our country, not because we are asked to, and most definitely not because we are told to, but rather because it is our duty as Arrowmen. Dr. E. Urner Goodman, in his 1966 address at the Area 2C conference, talked to Arrowmen about the founding of the Order. He said to them that the Order of the Arrow was not founded on Treasure Island. Rather, it was founded many years beforehand. In 1776 a nation was founded, one that spoke of freedom and liberty.

These principles stayed with the country through hundreds of years, and men who exemplified these traits were those who went through that particular ceremony of the Ordeal. The Arrowmen of today are no different. There are Arrowmen from coast to coast who volunteer to our country and volunteer to our communities. Their dedication to others and to this country has been amazing in the past 93 years.

This year, Arrowmen have a new opportunity. As the summer approaches, thousands of Arrowmen from all over will be joining shovels in our national forests. They will be preserving hundreds of years of human impact, while ensuring the future beauty that enthralled so many people about our country. It is estimated that the volunteering will provide millions of dollars of work to the five national forests, proving to be the largest service project that the Boy Scouts have ever undertaken.

So as you go out into the woods, tools in hand, remember Dr. Goodman's message. We have always answered the call to our country. This summer will be the perfect opportunity to answer that call once again. The Order has and always will be the pinnacle of our nation's founding principles. ArrowCorps⁵ will always be remembered as an excellent testament to our dedication as Arrowmen, not only to the founding principles of Dr. Goodman, but the founding principles of our country.

Yours in Brotherhood,

Benjamin L. Stilwill
2008 National Vice Chief