What's the Order of the Arrow?
The Order of the Arrow is known as Scouting's National Honor Society.
Purpose of the Order
• To recognize those campers - Scouts, and Scouters - who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives and by such recognition cause other campers to conduct themselves in such a manner as to warrant recognition.
• To develop and maintain camping traditions and spirit.
• To promote Scout camping, which reaches its greatest effectiveness as a part of the unit's camping program, both year-round and in the summer camp, as directed by the camping committee of the council.
• To crystallize the Scout habit of helpfulness into a life purpose of leadership in cheerful service to others.
Membership
During your Ordeal weekend, you were inducted into the Golden Sun Lodge. Through the Ordeal Ceremony, you became an Ordeal Member. As you were told, you have all of the rights and privileges of the Order of the Arrow. The Order does not have ranks like in Scouting. It has levels of membership. However, these levels do not cause one Arrowman to be superior to another, for we are all brothers.
After you have been active as an Arrowman in the Lodge for 10 months, you are eligible to become a Brotherhood Member. This involves a ceremony similar to that of the Ordeal. The Brotherhood Ceremony builds upon some of the occurrences in the Ordeal Ceremony. This is an important step that you should plan to take. By becoming a Brotherhood member, you seal your membership in the Order. You must meet a few more challenges regarding the customs, tradition, and obligations of the Order.
Each year the Lodge honors several Arrowmen with the Vigil Honor. These individuals are Arrowmen who seem to go above and beyond what a typical Arrowman is expected to do. They have held Brotherhood membership for two years or more. These Arrowmen undergo new tests and a new ceremony before receiving the Vigil Honor. A committee meets each year to nominate the Vigil Honor Recipients. The selections are made based on continuing service and devotion to the Order of the Arrow and Scouting.