Chief Scout Executive Receives Distinguished Service Award Jere B
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OA’s Strategic Plan. Haunted Fund- Learn more about Raising. Lodges the OA’s new scare up scholar- course for the ship funds.. future. see page 4 see page 2 Service to America. National Bulletin Check out the lat- Access. Check out est information the OA web site for available for pro- current informa- motion and receiv- tion. ing recognition. see page 6 see page 3 Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts of America Volume L, Issue 4 December 1998 - February 1999 Chief Scout Executive Receives Distinguished Service Award Jere B. Ratcliffe, Chief Scout over a period of years. The Order Executive of the Boy Scouts of presents a limited number of these America, was presented the awards each year, and only Distinguished Service Award at the Arrowmen whose record of service National Executive Board meeting is truly exemplary may qualify. in Irving, Texas, on October 14, The Distinguished Service 1998. Ratcliffe has been an active Award is a unique recognition in supporter of the Order of the Scouting as it is the only award Arrow since his early days in that may be presented to youth Scouting, and he has continued to members and adult volunteers and support the Order throughout his professional Scouters. In the 58 professional career as Scout execu- years since it was first presented, tive, regional director, and now as only about 500 Arrowrnen have the Chief Scout Executive. been selected to receive the award The national Order of the and this is out of more than one Arrow committee presents the million members who have served Jere Ratcliffe, center, with OA National Chief Mat Milleson, left, and the Distinguished Service Award only in the Brotherhood of Cheerful newly elected national Venturing president, Jonathan Fulkerson, right. to those Arrowmen who have con- Service. tinued to give outstanding service The focal point of the with another arrow running comes suspended from a white to Scouting and to the Order on a Distinguished Service Award through it, aimed upward over the neck ribbon adorned with red sectional, regional or national basis medal is a sterling silver arrowhead wearer’s left shoulder. The medal embroidered arrows. Leadership National Service New Lodge Summit Award Created Recharter The Order of the Arrow Deadline by Ryan Miske program in the council. Every lodge has received its will hold a National Each lodge also will be asked Leadership Summit at 1999 recharter packet. To be Beginning in 1999, the to provide a detailed description Colorado State University in eligible for Quality Lodge national Order of the Arrow com- of the largest and most meaning- Fort Collins, July 31 to August recognition, all recharter fees mittee will recognize two lodges ful service project it completed 3, 1999. The purpose of the and paperwork must be in each region that provide out- summit will be to introduce during the past year. This will received by the national office the Order’s new strategic plan standing service to their local allow the national selection com- by December 31, 1998. to its key lodge, section and council. The winners will be mittee to base its decision upon region leadership. Training selected based upon the service factors other than just the number and workshops for participants performed. Lodges will be asked of hours of service a lodge has on how to implement the new to provide a detailed record of rendered. During the evaluation, Revised OA plan in their home council will their service on the National the size of the lodge will be be part of the four-day sum- Guide for mit. Every lodge, section and Service Award application they taken into account, as will the region Key 3 will be encour- will receive. Lodges will impact of the project and the Officers and aged to attend and participate describe each service project, the number of hours provided to the in the summit. number of hours dedicated, and local council. Advisers Section chiefs, national the date the service was per- For more information about The new printing of the Order officers, national committee formed, along with any addition- this new National Service Award, of the Arrow Guide for members and other invited al information that would be be sure to look in the Lodge Officers and Advisers, No. participants will develop the helpful to the selection commit- Support PAK that all lodges will specifics of the summit during 34997A, will be available tee. Service for this award will receive after they have rechar- the 1998 OA national planning from the national Supply meeting in December. be defined as any project that has tered for 1999. Division after April 1, 1999. directly benefited the Scouting Get Your Ideabook, page 2 Chiefly Speaking, page 2 OA & Council Camping Committee, page 5 Go on the OA Voyage, page 3 Arrow Tech: Training, page 4 Burning Issue-OA’s new Logo, page 6 Philmont OA Trail Crew, page 3 Around the Nation, page 4 National Bulletin Distribution, page 6 Training Corner, page 5 Goodman Scholarship, page 5 OA’s Strategic Plan The National Bulletin recently spoke with national OA committee- man Randy Cline, who gave leader- ship to development of the OA’s new strategic plan. Implementation of the plan, which was announced publicly at the 1998 National Order of the Arrow Conference, will be the focus of the National Leadership Summit next summer in Colorado. The complete plan is posted on the OA web site at: http://www.oa- bsa.org. National OA Committeeman Randy N.B.: Randy, what exactly is a Cline strategic plan? Cline: Strategic planning is a long-range visioning process. We took a good look at ourselves and our situation, what we do well and what we could do better. We developed a vision of the Order of the Arrow of the future--and then we detailed specific strategies and actions necessary to Fellow Arrowmen, move toward that vision. It would be impossible to say that this past year has been anything N.B.: Why develop a strategic plan? but an overwhelming success. The fire of the Order is clearly burning as Cline: The plan will serve as our road map over the next five years. The its 50th anniversary as an official BSA program draws to a close. We path will lead us to provide greater service to Scouting in the coming cen- reflect fondly on the many wonderful memories from visiting with you tury. Increased service to Scouting is central to our strategy. We devel- at conclaves, fellowships, National Leadership Seminars, and, of course, oped our plan to support the Boy Scout Division’s 21st century initiatives at the 1998 National Order of the Arrow Conference. We thank you for as well as the BSA’s National Strategic Plan, released this past summer. having extended us your friendship and the honor of serving as your national officers. Each of you will forever remain in a special place N.B.: When did work on the plan begin? Who has been involved? within our hearts. Cline: Development of this plan has been one of the national commit- The past year witnessed historic and profound changes within our tee’s priorities since Ed Pease was appointed chairman in 1993, but we Order. The strategic plan outlined at the national conference is blazing a did not start work on it until 1996. About 150 people have been involved clear path to the next century every day as we become known as youth and adults, section chiefs, lodge advisers, Scout executives and Scouting’s national honor society. Remember that the success of our other professionals, as well as national OA committee members. visions for the future lies with you! We must continually reexamine what the OA sash means to each of us--is it a burning desire to serve N.B.: Part of the plan was the introduction of a new logo, replacing the and a thing of the spirit, or is it merely another decoration? Indianhead with the arrowhead from the OA sash. Are there other We leave you with the closing challenge presented at the national changes planned that will affect the American Indian component of the conference. Let us dream, let us endeavor, let us imagine, but most of OA’s program? all, let us live out our admonition! Cline: Absolutely not. In fact, the plan does not change any aspect of our American Indian programming. These activities and our ceremonies are Your friends and brothers, among the most appealing, enriching and colorful aspects of the Order. Yet, through our discussions we realized that the symbolism of the old logo was limiting. It did not represent significant aspects of our program Mat Milleson that we intend to emphasize in the years ahead--service, leadership devel- 1998 Order of the Arrow National Officers opment, camping and high adventure and development of the individual. The arrow symbolizes these aspects much more effectively, as articulated Do you have an so eloquently in our ceremonies. N.B.: Will camping continue to be emphasized? IDEABOOK? Cline: You bet. The OA has no intention of reducing its focus on camp- by Josh Souza ing or the out-of-doors. The plan calls for rather dramatic expansion of Imagine a book filled with tons of our efforts in this area. great program ideas for your section, lodge or chapter. At the 1998 National N.B.: What happens next? When will lodges receive more information? Order of the Arrow Conference, the Cline: Early in 1999 a packet about the plan will be released to the Key 1997 national officers introduced the 3 of every section and lodge.