Philmont Trail Crew Vaca Trail

The first trail that was constructed by the OA Trail Crews (OATC) was dedicated during the weekend of August 15-17, 1997. The Vaca Trail was a new route for crews hiking in the Central Country of the Philmont Scout Ranch, hiking from Highway 64 towards Harlan Camp and beyond. Originally a one-year program, due to its overwhelming success in 1995 the program was continued to at least complete its first trail. The dedication weekend was important to commemorate the program’s first major milestone.

Over 150 Arrowmen, including many past and present participants, staff members, members of the National OA Committee, and Philmont Scout Ranch leadership gathered under a spectacular blue New Mexico sky at the trail head to dedicate the new trail. Some 595 participants constructed the total culmination of 16,901 feet of new trail.

Attendees hiked the trail from Vaca Camp and stopped at designated stops along the way to the bottom met by someone explaining the significance of the trail building construction. Once at the bottom a formal dedication occurred. OA Trail Crew Director Ryan Miske welcomed everyone gathered for the dedication followed by Catholic Chaplain Father Don Hummel, and then lunch.

National Director of High Adventure Bill Spice and National OA Committee Chairman Ed Pease formally opened the trail. A special rock, which was found from a nearby riverbank on the Cimarron River, was engraved to commemorate the trail. This rock was placed at the trailhead but later moved to base camp. A special patch was issued with a red mylar border on a cardstock backing.

Later in the evening there was a formal banquet at the Philmont Training Center followed by a ceremony performed by the OATC foremen.

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1997 National Planning Meeting

The primary purpose of the 1997 National Planning Meeting was to plan the upcoming 1998 NOAC to be held at Iowa State University. The National Elections, which are always highly anticipated, was a highlight.

Mat Milleson of Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge, Albuquerque, New Mexico was elected National Chief.  Dave Petrush from Otahnagon Lodge, Binghamton, New York was elected National Vice Chief.

Region Chiefs elected were: Ryan King – Central Region, Jason Kuder – Northeast Region, Mark Angeli – Southern Region and Brandon Fessler – Western Region.

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Goodman Portfolio Produced

In honor of the 50^th anniversary of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America declaring that the Order of the Arrow (OA) is officially a program of the BSA, the National OA Committee in 1998 produced the E. Urner Goodman Portfolio. This very nice collection of historical items was first released at the 1998 NOAC, the Goodman Portfolio includes:

• A unique and beautifully bound History of the Order of the Arrow book by Kenneth P. Davis, Ph.D.
• A framed signature picture of Dr. Goodman including a mounted special cast medallion
• A new printing of The Building of a Life book authored by Dr. Goodman
• A 16 page Goodman Biography by Nelson Block
• A video tape of Dr. Goodman; a cassette voice tape of Dr. Goodman's remarks and comments on the Order
• A personalized numbered Certificate of Authenticity
• A special imprinted carrying and storage case for all portfolio items suitable for bookcase display.

This portfolio was produced as a keepsake for Arrowmen interested in our Orders rich history, and also to serve as a valuable resource to add to lodge and personal libraries.

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1993 National Jamboree

The 1993 National Scout Jamboree was held at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, from August 4 to 10 with the theme “Scouting . . . A Bridge to the Future”. 34,449 Scouts participated in the Jamboree and heard singer Louise Mandrell and again from Lee Greenwood and the popular “Up With People” group.

The OA continued to expand its service to the Jamboree with a number of support activities. Over 150 Arrowmen served at the Jamboree including 129 Arrowmen in the OA Service Corps. The service corps provided service for program areas, arena shows and logistical support during the Jamboree.

The OA also constructed a Native American Indian Village that provided daily native American dance demonstrations, classes on costume construction and a model campsite. It also includednative American culture such as food and crafts. Jamboree participants completed more than 175 Indian Lore merit badges.

As in past years, a number of National OA Committee members provided valuable leadership to the Jamboree including leadership for the Youth Services Subcamp. The tradition of a special OA Jamboree rendezvous in the main arena to hear the latest OA news and for a rededication to Arrow work also continued with over 15,000 Arrowmen in attendance.

In addition, the OA created and operated it’s first “model campsite”, to demonstrate proper backcountry camping techniques (the predecessor to TOAP). It was set up entirely with official BSA camping and outdoor equipment to serve as an example for all Scouts and leaders of how to properly use the best equipment available.

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Eighth National Director of OA

Clyde Mayer is appointed the 8th National Director of the OA.

During G. Allen Mossman’s tenure as the OA’s lead professional, the position’s name was changed from National Executive Secretary to Director of the Order of the Arrow. Under Mossman the position increased in responsibility and the new title was indicative of these responsibilities. Mossman retired in 1993, after serving for eight years.The new appointed National Director was Clyde M. Mayer. Mayer brought 19 years of professional Scouting experience with him including serving as an Assistant Scout Executive and Scout Executive in Illinois.

Clyde Mayer has served with distinction and longer than any other Professional with the OA, reaching the twenty year milestone in 2013.  Mayer was presented the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, a rare honor for a Scout professional, at the May 2011 National OA Committee meeting.

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1993 National Planning Meeting

The 1993 National Planning Meeting primary objectives were to plan the 1994 NOAC to be held at Purdue University and to elect the national officers. Scott Beckett of Nebagamon Lodge, Las Vegas, Nevada was elected National Chief. Kyle Tanner from Inali Lodge, Knoxville, Illinois was elected National Vice Chief. Region Chiefs elected were Kyle Brown – Central Region, Rob Berner – Southern Region, Jim Lewis – Western Region and Ryan “Zieak” McFarland – Northeast Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

NOAC 1994

The 1990 National Order of the Arrow Conference was the first to break the 6,000-delegate attendance standard. In 1994 the first NOAC at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, had broken that standard for the third consecutive conference. There were 6,012 delegates.

The theme for the 1994 conference was "A Journey for One, An Adventure for Many". Even though the NOAC acronym had been in usage for over twenty years, the 1994 Conference patch was the first to actually have “NOAC” on it. Virtually all Nationally issued conference memorabilia since has used the term.

New at the 1994 NOAC was “TOAP,” Total Outdoor Adventure Place. This was building off the success and popularity of this model camping idea exhibited at the 1993 National Jamboree. TOAP is about the outdoors, adventure, and the promotion of such activities in the OA. Continuing in the tradition of Honored Campers, TOAP provided information, demonstrations, and instruction at NOAC for Leave No Trace, High Adventure, camping, and alternative cooking methods.

Thirty six Arrowmen received the Order's Distinguished Service Award (DSA).

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1994 DSA Recipients

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The following were presented the DSA at the 1994 National Order of the Arrow Conference - James B. Arriola, Justice "Jody" Baird IV, Raymond N. Batchelor, Brian M. Beaverstock, Nelson R. Block, John Norman Brown, Steve M. Burinsky, James F. Campbell, Michael Celano, Hewitt Blair Dickens, Frank S. Dingwerth, Douglas C. Fullman, C. Michael Hoover, Dameon C. Hutto, J. David Konopka, John P. Larney, Todd A. Leonard, Ronald K. Mahabit, Loren Bennett Meinke, J. Todd Metcalf, Jeffrey G. Middendorf, Carl Ernst Miller, Earl Thomas Moore Jr., Robert H. Morrison, Thomas E. Murray, Sean Oldroyd, James William Rhodes, Raymond J. Ridgway Jr., Craig B. Salazar, Michael A. Salazar, Joel S. Shapiro, Charles P. Taylor, Bryant Deleron Webster, Richmond C. Wilkins, Sheldon Mark Wimmer and John A. Young.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

John Brown

John Brown grew up in the West Woodlawn community located on the South Side of the City of Chicago and has been a lifetime leader in the BSA. Brown grew up during the time when Chicago Council was segregated and as an African American he became part of Chicago’s segregated Douglas Division when he joined the Boy Scouts in 1945. Brown earned Eagle Scout in 1949 and became a member of Owasippe Lodge in 1950. He received his Brotherhood Honor in 1964 and kept his Vigil Honor in 1972. In 1994 Brown received the OA Distinguished Service Award (DSA). He received the Silver Antelope Award in 1999 and the Founders Award from Michigamea Lodge 110 in 2007.

As a youth John Brown attended the segregated summer camp, Camp Belnap and was a member of the segregated Takodah Chapter of Owasippe Lodge. John Brown is perhaps the foremost living authority of what Scout life was like during segregation in Scout camps and in OA chapters during the late 1940s / 1950s. Brown has gathered information and recordings of his personal recollections have proven invaluable to the understanding of this sensitive period in Scouting and our nation’s history.

John Brown served as an OA Service Corps Scoutmaster at the 1973, 1981 and 1993 National Jamborees. Mr. Brown attended the 1965 National OA Conference, and subsequent NOACs throughout the 1970s through 2009. Brown is a frequent visitor at NOACs to the OA museum and always takes the time to talk to any Scout who wants to learn more about OA history.

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1994 National Planning Meeting

The 1994 National Planning Meeting called ”Assembly of Chiefs,” was held in West Lake, Texas. Their job was to plan national activities for the “Year of Service,” to plan the OA Philmont Training Retreat and to elect national officers.

Josh Feigelson of Allohak Lodge, Ann Arbor, Michigan was elected National Chief. David Clark of Nentigo Lodge, Wilmington, Delaware was elected National Vice Chief. The Region Chiefs elected were: Joe Scionti – Western Region, Alyx Parker – Central Region, Dan McDonough, Jr. – Northeast Region and Russell Cann – Southern Region.

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Year of the Lodge

In late 1990, a plan began to take shape for a year of emphasis that would give new attention and resources to lodges and a refocus on the basic principles and purposes of the Order.

It had been decided that the young men who would attend the National Planning Meeting in December would help set the plans for the year. Under the direction of National Program Vice Chairman Dabney Kennedy, the chiefs would develop a program called “Focus ’91: The Year of the Lodge.”

With no NOAC to plan, the Order was going to make developing ways to make lodges better the 1991 program of emphasis. Six task forces, under the direction of the newly elected Region Chiefs developed ideas, programs, and activities to focus on and strengthen lodges throughout the nation. The areas of concentration included: leadership, lodge program, membership, national program, outdoor program, and service. Before the end of the year, a “mega-box” of new resource materials were developed which were subsequently delivered to each lodge at the 1992 National Order of the Arrow Conference.

3, OA, Scouting

NOAC 1992

The OA returned to the site of the 1977 NOAC, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. 6,680 delegates made this event the second most attended NOAC yet. Only the 75^th Anniversary NOAC in 1990 had been larger. The Conference theme selected at the National Planning Meeting was "Many Fires, One Great Light."

New in 1992 was WOA-TV, the first daily television broadcast at a Conference. There were fireworks and an ice cream extravaganza. The Founder’s Day festival was held on the grounds of the Knoxville World’s Fair ending in a huge outdoor barbeque. 7,000 pounds of food was collected for the needy of Knoxville.

In a program change, traditionally the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) and Red Arrow award (with the exception of VIPs such as Chief Scout Executives) had been presented at the closing ceremony. This did not allow a lot of time for the recipients to be congratulated as most Arrowmen were preparing for travel home that day. It was decided to present these awards earlier in the Conference and this proved to be a superior method.

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