Operation Arrow leadership provides staff with important logistical updates

As the #NatJamboree23 approaches, there are many questions staff have as they prepare to embark forward on their adventure at the Summit Bechtel Reserve (SBR). Below are updates in several key areas. At a later date, the Operation Arrow Staff Overview Guide will be released, which will provide a comprehensive overview of what to expect while staffing the jamboree. If you have a question that is not addressed below, please reach out to us at operationarrow@oa-bsa.org. 

Program Area Assignments

• Upon confirmation of their registration and approval on staff, Operation Arrow staff should receive a committee assignment. For most, this is either Service Corps or Summit Apex. Service Corps members will be split into chapters, each led by a section chief. Those chapters will reach out to their respective members in the near future for regular, virtual meetings to meet their team and plan to support the jamboree. If you have not received a staff assignment, we appreciate your patience. 

Staff Communications

• A robust communications strategy is being executed to keep Operation Arrow staff members informed and up-to-date on jamboree. All registered staff members will receive The Appalachian Dispatch, our one-stop shop eNewsletter. If you are unsure if you are on the mailing list, please email oparrowcomms@oa-bsa.org. The first edition can be found here. 
• In addition, follow @NatJamboree23 and @OperationArrow on Instagram, and do not forget to use the hashtag #NatJamboree23! 

Pack List and Trading Post

• Please review the Operation Arrow Essentials packing list at your convenience. The Scout shop for the 2023 National Jamboree is now open and can be accessed here. Each member of the Operation Arrow staff will receive a hat and a blue polo shirt that identifies all OA staff at the jamboree. They are a bright blue color and are often called our “zesty blues.” More information on the Operation Arrow trading post, including the opportunity to purchase additional zesty blue polos, will be available at a later date. 

Arrival and Departure

• Members of the Operation Arrow staff attending Session One or Three are expected to arrive at the Ruby Welcome Center before dinner on July 16, 2023. Session One staff members will depart any time on July 22, 2023. 
• Members of the Operation Arrow staff attending Session Two are expected to arrive before dinner on July 23, 2023. 
• Staff members staying until the end of the jamboree should plan to depart on July 28, 2023, as late in the afternoon as possible as units will be departing in the morning. 
• For those traveling by personal vehicle, plan to arrive for check-in at the Ruby Welcome Center. Afterward, staff parking will be available in Bravo 3. There will be limited in and out privileges without Operation Arrow leadership approval. If you are dropping off your child, there will be parking in the Ruby Welcome Center lot. 
• For those traveling by air, fly into Charleston’s Yeager Airport (CRW) or the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). Additional information on booking a shuttle for a nominal fee to the Ruby Welcome Center at the Summit Bechtel Reserve will be shared in the coming weeks. 
• The Ruby Welcome Center can be found by using the following address on mapping programs and GPS: JW & Hazel Ruby WV Welcome Center, 55 Hazel Ruby Lane, Mount Hope, WV 25880.
• Ruby Welcome Center hours can be found here.
• Pre-registration of all staff arrival and departure plans is required even if shuttle services are not needed. Arrival and departure plans, as well as reserving a shuttle from TMS, can be found here.

Medical Form

• In order to attend the 2023 National Jamboree, Operation Arrow staff are required to have a medical exam and submit the BSA’s required Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR). The AHMR must be dated on or after July 1, 2022. Medical forms should be completed online using the unique link sent to the email registered staff utilized when signing up for jamboree staff. Please download Section I: Jamboree Risk Advisory and Section 2: AHMR and bring them to your healthcare provider for completion. Both sections should be saved separately in either PDF or JPEG format. If you claim an immunization waiver, please also have that form completed, signed and ready to upload when prompted. You will not be allowed to staff the jamboree until both sections are completed and electronically filed. You are encouraged to review the entire medical process as soon as possible. 

Youth Protection Training

• For all staff at the jamboree, regardless if they are 18+, Youth Protection Training (YPT) must have been completed on or after July 29, 2022. You can access YPT training by logging into my.scouting.org. 

Meals

• Similar to the 2013 and 2017 National Jamborees, breakfast and dinner will be served in the staff dining hall. Lunch will be provided to go, which will allow for flexibility as staff fulfills their daily responsibilities. If you have any dietary restrictions, please reach out to us at operationarrow@oa-bsa.org and we will connect you with jamboree dining services. 

Laundry 

• Information on prospective laundry services will be available at a later date. A Scout is clean and thrifty, so be prepared! 

Tenting 

• All staff are encouraged to bring a tent. This tent must not exceed 10’x9.5′. Cots will be available to staff on loan and must be returned before departing the jamboree. Cots are 76.75” L x 33.25”W x 18.25H. There will not be electricity provided for each tent. However, there will be charging areas available. More information on tenting arrangements and basecamp assignments will be available at a later date.

Time Off 

• As part of Operation Arrow leadership’s promise to help staff see and experience more of SBR and the jamboree, and in appreciation of the dedication that each Operation Arrow staff member shows to the 2023 National Jamboree, we are committed to providing time off. More information on this, as well as prospective activities available to staff, will be available at a later date. 

Visitor Day Passes

• Vistor day passes can be purchased for attendance between Friday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 26. Ticket prices vary depending on the age of visitor and date of attendance. More information on visitor day passes can be found here. 

Recreation 

• The mental health and wellness of all staff are of utmost importance, especially after a long day. Similar to the 2013 and 2017 National Jamborees, the OA will provide an area for staff members to decompress, relax and socialize every evening. Nighttime activities will include but are not limited to, film screenings, sporting activities and campfires. 

Gatherings

• Camaraderie and the cultivation of lifelong friendships, or rekindling old ones, are important aspects of Operation Arrow. In addition to recreation, there will be several other opportunities for staff fellowship, including opening and closing gatherings, region-centric socials and a rededication ceremony at the Summit Circle. 

Envision

• Reflection on servant leadership and the Scouting program will be prominent throughout Operation Arrow. Staff will be encouraged to journal, share their experiences with their newfound friends and bond over the timeless ties of brotherhood.