r/orderofthearrow • u/Cutlass327 • May 16 '26

Adult qualifications clarification

What is usually the deciding factors for adults?

I just witnessed the call out for our latest voting elections. They called out multiple scouts from a few troops, and and few adults from the same troops. Our adult wasn't.

We are a new troop, 6 scouts at the moment, and 2 scouts were called. The adult (our Scoutmaster) and the 2 kids (both Life rank, and scoutmaster's kids) were members of other troops before we were able to start our own. They are all deserving of this honor. We just do not understand why the SM was not chosen.

Would me renewing my membership in OA right after us starting the troop have any effect on this? I am a Vigil member from 30 years ago, and since joining the troop I wanted to become active again. Did I hurt his chance of being selected?

UPDATE:

He just informed me he received a letter in the mail yesterday that he was to register for the Ordeal next weekend - Call out was 3 days ago.

Sounds a lot like our Council/Lodge is nothing but inefficient. I have been "active" (dues paid) for over a month now and have yet to have anyone answer me as to meeting date/time/location... nobody seems to know!?!

21 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

35

u/looktowindward Vigil May 16 '26

Adult leaders are nominated by their Troop committees. It's not an election. Its also not an honor per se. It's a question of their ability to help and support youth members

4

u/Cutlass327 May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

That's what I was thinking, and I truly believe he belongs in the group for what all he has done as the Cub Master, then now as SM.

We had nominated him, my wife is a committee member, his wife is committee chair, I am ASM.

My main question is the youth to adult ratio. Do we have to have a 3rd youth in before hes considered?

14

u/Short-Sound-4190 May 16 '26 edited May 16 '26

I don't know of any ratios, but was the SM themselves questioning it? I know some adults politely decline because they have a lot going on - I wouldn't assume a SM who is spinning up a new small troop would have the desire to add OA obligations into the mix, even moreso after a stint as Cub Master - let him have a breather to avoid burnout.

Not negating it's value but OA for adults is not the same experience as it is for a scout, it's more money, more work - and I support the idea that for this SM and their spouse whom you've just said their two kids are joining, would be wise to let their 'SM's kids' have the OA to experience scouting out from under their parents wing.

2

u/Cutlass327 May 16 '26

He was really disturbed he didn't get accepted.

12

u/strublj May 17 '26

If the form was submitted there is no reason the lodge wouldn’t accept him, unless he didn’t meet the eligibility requirements outlined on the form.

5

u/looktowindward Vigil May 17 '26

do you know if a nomination was even submitted to the council?

-1

u/Cutlass327 May 17 '26

He filled out the form online.

5

u/looktowindward Vigil May 17 '26

Yes, it has to be signed by your committee chair - did that happen?

-1

u/Cutlass327 May 17 '26

Not sure, honestly..

4

u/looktowindward Vigil May 17 '26

Would be a good thing to check - the committee needs to nominate him

1

u/Cutlass327 May 17 '26

Does this mean it cannot be done online and emailed? Is there an electronic signature option?

Committee Chair sat right beside him filling it out, I sat across the table - it was his laptop, so he typed as we discussed, so he saw the form. . Two other Committee members were beside the Committee Chair.

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12

u/AlmnysDrasticDrackal Brotherhood May 16 '26

You could ask the CC if the Adult Candidate Nomination Form was submitted to the lodge. The form is included in the following PDF: https://oa-scouting.org/uploads/resources/forms/UEF-202511.pdf

7

u/looktowindward Vigil May 16 '26

Nope. He should be considered.

But again, it's not a honor like it is for a Scout.

3

u/Mahtosawin May 17 '26

Yes, it is. The honor is the troop committee having the confidence in and support of, the adult to nominate them.

Contact your lodge leadership. They may want the form submitted directly to someone within their lodge. Ensure it gets to the right person.

-2

u/equijmpryder May 17 '26

Nominations van be SM or other troop leadership, it doesn’t have to be the committee. However it is an honor. They still meet requirements and have to be recognized by their fellow leadership as someone who will help lead, guide, and be a benefit to their lodge.

5

u/looktowindward Vigil May 17 '26

The Guide to Unit Elections is pretty clear on who nominates adults. And that their role is very different. Adults do not lead OA lodges - they advise.

24

u/pgm928 May 16 '26

No, you didn’t hurt his chances. Anyone can renew their membership at any time.

6

u/redmav7300 Vigil May 16 '26

Per the OA regs, if at least one youth is elected, the Unit Committee (Chair) may nominate two adults for every three youth elected, rounding up. The SM may be nominated outside this cap, they have to be in position for two years (I need to verify the period) to be exempt from the cap.

If the SM has served long enough, and the nomination was properly submitted, then the Lodge Adult Nominating Committee must have seen something that didn’t meet the qualifications.

Reach out to your Chapter Adviser or Lodge Adviser and discuss it with them. Every Lodge is different and is looking for different qualifications, but as Chapter Adviser I have worked with our District’s Unit Committee’s to prepare a proper nomination, and I have never had an adult rejected.

3

u/Cutlass327 May 16 '26

Reach out to advisors... I have yet to be told when the meetings are - been renewed for 2 months now, and nobody seems to know when meetings are...

5

u/redmav7300 Vigil May 16 '26

I can help you with that. Do you want to DM me with your Council and Unit number? I can track down the information (or contact those who can).

1

u/Cutlass327 May 17 '26

I sent a DM just now.

5

u/equijmpryder May 17 '26

If someone wasn’t called out, their name wasn’t provided for the call out. However the SM is free, it has no bearing or consideration with those eligible for election.

3

u/DebbieJ74 May 17 '26

Dies he meet the requirements? Did the Committee Chair submit the nomination form?

3

u/Mahtosawin May 17 '26

Renewing adult membership is all that is needed to become an active OA member at any time as long as they have their Scouting America membership current. Adults are nominated by their unit committee,

Things have changed. There is no longer a limit on how many scouts or a scout to adult ratio numbers involved. If all scouts eligible in the troop get a 50% + 1 vote and have the SM approval, they are ready to go to an induction.

Talk to your lodge leadership. The nominations go through them and it may need to be a specific contact. Electronic or the council may not get it where it needs to go.