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Q/A: Restarting Active OA Membership


Q: When I was a Scout as a boy, I was in the OA and went through my Ordeal and Brotherhood. I am now an adult leader in my son's troop. Am I automatically in the OA (in other words, is OA a lifetime membership)? Or do I have to start all over with another Ordeal, and so forth?

A: Once a Scout goes through his Ordeal, he is a member of the Order of the Arrow for the rest of his life. OA membership does require a person be registered with the BSA, so if you left the Scouting program for a while, your OA membership would lapse as well.

However, once you renew your BSA membership, even in another council, you can also resume your OA membership at the same level you left it. In your case, you would still be a Brotherhood member.

You will need to connect with the local OA lodge to pay your dues and continue your active membership.

You should contact your current council's OA lodge adviser. (If you do not know who that is, contact your council service center and ask them for his name and number.) Explain the situation, and you will probably be able to establish your membership based on the information you have and any other items that you may have (such as an old OA sash, pocket flap, etc.)

If necessary, you may have to contact your former council to see if they can forward any records they may have of your membership.