Miami Lodge 495

Troop Representative Program

The Order of the Arrow Troop Representative is a youth liaison serving between the lodge and his troop. In his troop, he will serve as a communication and programmatic link to and from Arrowmen, adult leaders, and Scouts who are not presently members of the Order. He will do this in a fashion that strengthens the mission of the Lodge, purpose of the Order, and the mission of the Boy Scouts of America. By setting a good example, he will enhance the image of the Order as a service arm to his troop .

The Troop Representative program began in 1999, and is a program of the Order of the Arrow that has been officially adopted by the Boy Scouts of America. The OA Representative is now an official leadership position within the troop, and boys can earn time towards their leadership rank requirements, just as with Den Chief, Troop Scribe, or any of the other leadership positions. Anyone in the unit who is under the age of 18 can serve as the OA Representative for the unit, provided he is a dues-paid member of the Order of the Arrow. He should be appointed by the Senior Patrol Leader, approved by the Scoutmaster, and be an OA member in good standing. He will become a member of the Patrol Leaders' Council and will attend all lodge meetings. The Troop Representative will report to the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader. As with all positions in the Order, the OA Representative should have an adult as his Adviser. This adult needs to be 21 years of age or older, a dues-paid member of the Order of the Arrow, and be appointed by the Scoutmaster. As BSA publications are revised and updated, they will include this new position. The OA Troop Representative badge of office is available from BSA National Supply. Interested Arrowmen can get them at the Scout Shop. Just ask for the "OA Troop Representative badge," BSA item #00237.

Responsibilities

There are numerous possibilities for the job description of the OA Representative. The beauty is that it is flexible enough to allow your unit to fine-tune the exact responsibilities. However, the most basic tasks of the Representative will be to coordinate service opportunities within the unit, to coordinate unit involvement with the Order of the Arrow (including Unit Elections, Camp Promotions, and Inductions), and request Lodge resources to help meet unit needs.

The duties of the Troop Representative include:

• Serves as a communication link between the lodge and his troop.
• Encourages year round and resident camping in his troop.
• Encourages older Scout participation in high adventure programs.
• Encourages Scouts to actively participate in community service projects.
• Assists with leadership skills training in his troop.
• Encourages Arrowmen to assume leadership positions in his troop.
• Encourages Arrowmen in his troop to be active participants in the lodge activities and to seal their membership in the Order by becoming Brotherhood members.
• Sets a good example.
• Enthusiastically wears the Scout uniform correctly.
• Lives by the Scout Oath, Scout Law, and OA Obligation.
• Shows Scout spirit.

Who Benefits from the Troop Representative Program?

Scouting:

• With the Troop Representative as a liaison between the Order of the Arrow and the troop, the camp promotions process will be smoother, leading to greater numbers of Scouts at summer camp.
• It creates a vehicle to strengthen the ties between the OA and the individual BSA troops. This will help with the retention of the older Scouts.
• With the organization of service projects, Boy Scouts will be seen actively helping others in their communities.

Lodge:

• With an easier camp promotions process, the lodge can increase the number of units visited, increasing the effectiveness of this program in the Council.
• It eases the unit election process by having a person in the troop whose job is to ensure that elections are held.
• With positive OA leadership on the unit level, the lodge will experience greater membership retention and higher Brotherhood conversion rates.
• A unit's OA members will have someone to organize transportation to OA events, increasing attendance at lodge functions.

Troop:

• The coordination of the OA calendar with the troop's will prevent OA members from having to choose between OA functions and unit events.
• With the organization of service projects, there will be greater opportunity for community service hours that are required for rank advancement.
• Experienced Arrowmen from other units who may be able to share their knowledge can be sought out by the OA Representative to augment their troop program.
• Creates more opportunities for leadership in the troop for both youth and adults, effectively increasing membership retention.