Service Grant Program Announced

In 1999, the National OA Committee announced a new program to encourage lodges to give service to their councils and camps. This program was designed to help lodges deliver the fourth part of the OA’s purpose, “to crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others”. The OA Service Grant program provides up to $5,000 in matching funds for a camp or service center project. More than 100 service grants have been awarded to date. Lodges are required to submit an application to receive a grant and are required to be at least a bronze level Journey to Excellence lodge at the time of application.

2, OA, Scouting

2000 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 2000 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Mark Christopher Angeli, Daniel T. Asleson, Richard "Dick" Henry, John C. Bicket, Peter Arnold Cash, Benjamin Whitlow "Whit" Culver, Brandon Fessler, Michael A. George II, Joseph W. Glenski, David Golden, Brian S. Hashiro, John Isley, Kenneth R. Jenkins, Ryan King, Aaron W. Kreager, William D. Loeble, Lance McAlister, Michael P. McCrea, Seth McFarland, Mathew Milleson, Thomas Lee Moore, Hayato Nakawatase, William Glenn Parker, Michael Perkins, David M. Petrush, Terry W. "Tee" Pruitt II, Jeremy V. Pullen, Andrew S. Oh, David H. Sargent, Robert J. Sirhal, Joseph A. Shore, George William Spice, David Stowe, David Strebler, Christopher L. Wells and Roy L. Williams.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

2000 National Planning Meeting

The highlight of the 2000 National Planning Meeting was the national officer elections. Don Cunningham from Susquehannock Lodge, Dillsburg, Pennsylvania was elected the National Chief and Scott Hunter from Tatokainyanka Lodge, Casper, Wyoming was elected National Vice Chief. Region Chiefs elected were: Dominique Baker – Central Region, Jason Kemp – Southern Region, Patrick Boyd – Northeast Region and Josh Gana – Western Region.

The major planning at this meeting was for the ever-increasing role of the OA at the 2001 National Scout Jamboree.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

Arrowman Service Award

The Arrowman Service Award was an active Order of the Arrow (OA) award from 2001 through 2003. The purpose of the award was to increase service to the Boy Scouts of America by Arrowmen. To earn the award, Arrowmen had to complete tasks oriented towards three overarching goals:

1. Personal
2. Chapter/Lodge Activity
3. Service.

Arrowmen had to remain active in their unit, earn Brotherhood, attend certain lodge or chapter events, and either serve as an Elangomat or work on a chapter, lodge, or council service project. The award was a white ribbon with a red arrowhead attached on the bottom. The arrowhead had a compass face affixed to the front. Arrowmen earning the award subsequent times would be awarded with a device to wear on the ribbon. The award was worn as a temporary device on the field uniform.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

2001 National Planning Meeting

The National Planning Meeting was held in Dallas, Texas with the principal task for the Section Chiefs of planning the 2002 NOAC scheduled for the Indiana University.

Of the 47 Section Chiefs, 25 of them were candidates for national office. After hours of voting Clay Capp of Wa-Hi-Nasa Lodge, Nashville, Tennessee was elected National Chief and Riley Berg of Tah-Heetch Lodge, Fresno, California was elected National Vice Chief. The four Region Chiefs elected were: Brian Favat – Northeast Region, Nathan Finnin – Southern Region, Brian Herren – Central Region and Dominic Pascucci – Western Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting

2002 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 2002 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Dominique F. Baker, Justin P. Boren, Patrick S. Boyd, Steven D. Bradley, James Houston Cheatham, Kenneth L. Connelly, Michael Devlin Cooper, Don Cunningham, Donald G. Diaz, Joshua G. Gana, Carl E. Head II, David B. Heaton, Chad F. Heflin, Jordan A. Hitchens, Mark F. Hogan, J. Terry Honan, Jeffrey J. Jones, Jason Wayne Kemp, Kurt A. Kuhlmann, Bobby Kunstman, Jason Holmes Laney, C. Sage Lichtenwalner, Don McChesney, Carey Joseph Mignerey, Carey L. Miller, Kevin P. Moshier, Cameron Mulder, Samuel Nitz, Benjamin Pharr, Scott A. Schmidt, Dale Edwin Siefker, Thomas D. Slaughter, Dustin J. Thomas, Bruce Walcutt, Jay I. Widby, Luke Wolfe, David Yoder and Andy V. Zahn.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

50th Anniversary of OA in BSA

1998 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Order of the Arrow being fully integrated into the Boy Scouts of America. While a concern at the time was that the OA would lose its autonomy and independence that did not prove to be the case at all. The OA had always been a complement to the BSA and had actually been run by professional Scouters volunteering their time. After 1948 primarily volunteers set the course and guided the OA.

Changes made for the fiftieth year included a change of the logo from the stylized "MGM" Indian to the arrowhead off of the Ordeal sash. This gave immediate identification as OA.

Also, the OA changed its description from “Society of Honor Campers” to “Scouting’s National Honor Society”.

As part of the 50^th anniversary The Goodman Portfolio was released as well as a commemorative patch.

2, OA, Scouting

1998 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 the1998 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Jason Accola, John L. Alline, Jeremiah J. Arnold, Joseph D. Barton Jr., John K. Berry, Gregory D. Buckler, Devang Desai, Phillip M. Dullock, Rees A. Falkner, Anthony J. Fiori, Clyde B. "Bud" Harrelson III, Marcus Haubenstricker, John W. Hess, Brett M. Higgins, Edgar J. LaBenne, Joseph M. Marsicano, Clyde M. Mayer, Justin D. McCarthy, Barry P. McFarland, Brian S. McGrath, Dr. Richards Miller, Terrel W. Miller, Richard L. Mills, Ryan R. Miske, Jeremy J. Mo, Roger A. Ohmstede, Jason E. Peoples, Kenneth A. Peterson, Ryan J. Pitts, Jere B. Ratcliffe, Christopher T. Rogers, James A. Schwab, Josh Souza, Dr. Mark Stolowitz, Kyle E. Tanner, Todd A. Turner and Marty Zvonar.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

1996 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 1996 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Scott W. Beckett, Rob Berner, Ronald Boller, Kyle Brown, Seth Brown, Russell Cann, David Clark, Bill Claycomb, Sean Cox, Darshana DeSilva, Michael Edwards, Dennis Ellis, Josh Feigelson, David E. Halliday, Charles Haseman, Christopher Hayes, Greg Hazelhurst, Roger Honberger, John H. Jones, James Lewis, Gerald McCurley, Daniel McDonough Jr., Ryan McFarland, Branden Morris, Alyx Parker, Alex Rhodes, John Rotruck, Max Sasseen Jr., Joseph Scionti, David Shettles, James Simpson, William Scott Smith, Jack Stephens, Patrick Sullivan, Matthew Tarnow, Marty Tschetter and Charles Wasson.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

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

1992 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 1992 National Order of the Arrow Conference - Charles W. Beard, Christopher S. Belden, David Brittain Bone, David Lloyd Briscoe, Donald K. Chilcote, Craig Stephen Donais, William C. Evans, David P. Fabie, Dean M. Frommelt, Jeffrey H. Goldsmith, Matthew David Hoag, Grant Michael Howe, David E. Larkin, James B. Laycook, Ryan Mecham, John Meckley III, Kevin Brent Mefford, C. Mark Miller, Louis G. Monville III, Cort A. O'Neil, Donald S. Oplinger, Jeffrey Posey, Ashley C. Rose, J. Patrick Ross, Lawrence A. Ruh, Charles D. Scales Jr., Theodore E. Shelton Jr., Jack Shumaker, N. Anthony Steinhardt III, Thomas J. Stephenson, Arthur D. Stevens, William Story, Clint E. Takeshita, Scott A. Valcourt, Skip Van Bloem, Mick M. Walker and W. Worth Wharton.

3, Awards, OA, Scouting

1992 National Planning Meeting

The 1992 National Planning Meeting was called the Assembly of Chiefs. With no NOAC to plan, efforts were directed toward improving quality of lodge operations and planning the Arrowman Gathering at the 1993 National Jamboree. Brian Beaverstock of Tisquantum Lodge, Foxboro, Massachusetts was elected National Chief and Dameon Hutto from Tiak Lodge, Ellisville, Mississippi was elected National Vice Chief. New BSA region designations changed the number of region chiefs from six to four. The Region Chiefs elected were, Jeff Middendorf – Northeast Region, Joel Shapiro - Central Region - Mike Salazar, Southern Region and Ron Mahabir - Western Region.

3, Elections, OA, Scouting