NEW February Turtle Tales

Brotherhood Honor

Brotherhood Membership

From the beginning of the Order in 1915, all members have been equal. There are no ranks. As an Ordeal Member, you are entitled to all the rights and privileges of membership in the Order. Yet, so important is the induction sequence that the Order strengthened it by creating Brotherhood membership. It is an opportunity for members to evaluate their unit service since their ordeal induction.

Brotherhood membership is sought by Arrowmen seeking to reaffirm their belief in the high purposes of the Order. Before becoming a Brotherhood member, each Arrowman makes a special effort to serve his troop or team.

Each Brotherhood member commits to even more service to Scouting through the Order.

Working on Getting Your Brotherhood?

Your completion of the Ordeal sets you on the path of an exciting adventure. The Ordeal has introduced you to the mysteries of the Order. Now, during the service to your unit as an Ordeal member, you have ample opportunity to

increase your knowledge of the Arrow and to make it work for you. Now that you are an Ordeal member, there are some things to keep in mind as you work on sealing your Order of The Arrow Membership:

The main thing to remember is that you are now a member of a brotherhood of service, so it is most important that you keep serving your lodge in any way that you can. This means getting involved in your lodge, chapter, and remembering to be an active member of your troop.
Obtain a Brotherhood Progress Card from your Chapter Chief or Advisor at your next chapter meeting. Start planning out when you will complete all the requirements on it, they include attending chapter meetings, lodge functions, and serving on Camp Promotion Teams or other committees. You can also find the Brotherhood Card here.
Memorize the signs of Arrow membership. Memorize the Obligation of the Order, which you received from Allowat Sakima. Also, memorize the Order of the Arrow Official Song, the Admonition, the sign of Ordeal membership, and the Order of the Arrow handclasp. All of these may be found in the Brotherhood Questionnaire from a chapter meeting or by clicking here. You will be tested on these questions at a chapter meeting, Fall Reunion, or Spring Reunion.
Serve your unit. Maintain your registration in Scouting. During a period of at least 10 months, strive to fulfill your Obligation by continuing and expanding your service to your own troop or team.
Review your progress. When you earnestly feel that you have met the challenges above, write a letter to your lodge or chapter secretary (depending on who is administering the induction). In this letter:
1. Explain what you think the Obligation means,
2. Describe how you have been fulfilling this Obligation in your troop or team and in your daily life, and how you have used your understanding of the Ordeal to aid in your service.
3. Describe your specific plans for giving future service in the lodge program.

So You Are Brotherhood, Now What?

Brotherhood members have pledged to serve the Order. This service takes many forms. Your Scout leader encourages you on, speaks well of the lodge, and gets you a ride to Order of the Arrow events. Your Scout leader is serving the Order. Another Scout in your unit gives camp promotion talks in neighboring troops. Still another Brother is training to be an Elangomat at the next Ordeal. Your junior assistant Scoutmaster is unit elections chairman. An assistant Scout leader is a carpenter who takes tools to camp whenever he or she goes to help the camp ranger with odd jobs. All are serving the Order, each in a personal way; each as other commitments permit.

As a Brotherhood member your first responsibility in Scouting is still your troop or team. Your Scout leader relies on your example, as an older, more experienced Scout; on your willingness to teach; on your leadership. Yet as a Brotherhood member you want to take on more responsibilities in the Order. How do you reconcile this with your responsibility to your unit?

Before assuming any new task, discuss it with your Scout leader. Together, determine how it affects your troop or team life. When your Scout leader knows you are working for Scouting outside your unit, he or she can better help you plan your activities within the unit.

Start by limiting yourself to responsibilities that will not conflict with your troop or team. For example, agree to do elections for new members only on nights when your unit doesn't meet. If you eventually choose to assume a leadership role in the Order, recognize that you will have less time to spend with your unit. As a chapter or lodge officer, you will have to plan around the needs of all the Brothers, not just those in your own unit. As you plan your service to the Order, you will want to do three things.

Find ways to get involved. Understand your own needs and desires. Remember, there are many ways to serve in the Order. You will be most successful as a Brotherhood member if you match your service to your needs. Finally, if you have the opportunity, discuss possible service with a lodge or chapter officer, who will cheerfully show you many ways to serve.

The Order of the Arrow is a service organization. It serves Scouting by promoting the Scout Oath and Law and especially the principles of brother hood, cheerfulness, and service. It serves Scouting by promoting Scout camp ing and by building and maintaining camping traditions. It serves Scouting by turning your habit of a daily Good Turn into a lifetime purpose of leadership in cheerful service.

Yet the Order is not some machine or strange beast. The Order is the Brothers who strive to fulfill its Obligation, and you are a Brother. When your example promotes the principles, when your help to a fellow Scout makes that Scout a better camper, when your daily Good Turn becomes a life of leadership in service, when you remember the Admonition, you are the Order.

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