Unit Leader & Parent FAQ

The Order of the Arrow (OA) is Scouting America’s national honor society. Members are Scouts and Scouters who are chosen by their own unit for living the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. The OA’s purpose is to recognize those campers, promote camping and outdoor adventure, develop leaders, and encourage a lifelong habit of cheerful service.

Wag-O-Shag Lodge #280 is the OA lodge of the Potawatomi Area Council and has served the council since 1944. Most of our service happens at Camp Long Lake.

No. The OA works alongside your troop, crew or ship and never replaces it. We encourage members to stay active in their home units and bring their leadership and enthusiasm back to them. Many units also choose an OA Unit Representative to connect the unit with the lodge; see the Unit Representative page.

Yes, it is safe, and no, there is no hazing. The OA follows all Scouting America Youth Protection guidelines, including anti-hazing rules, and the Induction Weekend follows national standards. Stories older Scouts tell to make the Induction Weekend sound scary are just stories.

The challenge is personal: candidates work hard on service projects, spend time in reflection, and keep a few promises over the weekend. We don’t keep secrets from parents. Your Scout is welcome to tell you about the weekend, though we ask members not to spoil the experience for future candidates. Parents can attend a Q&A meeting on the Friday of each conference, or contact the Lodge Adviser before or after.

Youth under 21 who:

• Are registered members of Scouting America.
• Have camped 15 nights with their troop, crew or ship in the two years before the election. This must include one (and only one) long-term camp of at least five consecutive nights, and only five nights of it count. The other 10 nights must be short-term camps of no more than three nights each. Sea Scouts may count ship nights.
• Hold Scouts BSA First Class rank, the Venturing Discovery Award, or Sea Scout Ordinary rank or higher.
• Are approved by their Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor or Skipper.

Full details are on our Elections page.

Wag-O-Shag holds unit elections from January 1 through April 30. Request your election at least two weeks ahead and include a couple of backup dates. Schedule through the link emailed to your unit’s online OA Unit Portal, or by emailing electionschair@wagoshag.com.

A team of trained youth OA members and an adult adviser from outside your unit runs the election, usually at a regular unit meeting in about 30 minutes. They explain the OA, and then the unit’s youth members vote by secret ballot on the eligible Scouts. The team reports the results to the unit leader.

Yes. If your unit elects at least one youth, the unit committee may nominate adults. The number of adults can be up to two-thirds of the number of youth elected (rounded up). The committee may also nominate the current unit leader if he or she has served in that role for at least 12 months. Adults must meet the same camping requirement and are nominated for the example they set for youth, not as a reward.

Adult nominations are accepted only through the online OA Unit Portal. Unit leaders receive the link after their election is approved.

Newly elected candidates are recognized at a call-out ceremony, often at summer camp. To become a full member, each candidate must complete the Induction Weekend within one year of election, or be elected again. Extensions are granted only for extenuating circumstances; send a written request to the Lodge Chief.

The Induction Weekend takes place at our Spring Conference or Fall Conference, both at Camp Long Lake (N4350 Boy Scout Dr, St. Cloud, WI 53079). The next one is the 2027 Spring Conference, June 4–6. Fall Conference 2027 is August 13–15.

Candidates must stay from Friday night through Sunday morning. Registration opens at 5:30 PM on Friday; candidates need to arrive by 7:00 PM to set up before the 7:30 PM start. No food is served Friday night, so eat dinner before you arrive.

Candidates sleep outside without a tent on Friday night, so pack for the weather.

• Sleeping bag
• Tarp
• Tent (for Saturday night)
• Toiletries
• Scout uniform
• Water bottle
• Rain gear
• Flashlight
• Spare clothing

For the service projects, also bring:

• Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt
• Boots
• Safety glasses
• Work gloves
• Old clothes that can get paint on them

Phones and other electronic devices may not be used from Friday night through Saturday evening. If your Scout brings one, it should stay put away until then.

For Fall Conference 2026, the induction fee was $55 per candidate, including first-year lodge dues. Prices for 2027 conferences will be posted on each event page and may change.

After the Induction Weekend, members pay yearly lodge dues to stay in good standing. Dues can be paid through your unit at recharter or online at members.oa-scouting.org. See Dues.

Registration for most lodge events is through the OA member portal at members.oa-scouting.org. Each candidate needs an account. Registration for Spring Conference 2027 opens soon and will be announced on the Spring Conference page.

Every candidate needs a current Scouting America Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR), Parts A and B, completed within the last 12 months. A parent or guardian must sign Part A for youth under 18. Part C (a physical exam by a medical provider) is not required for a weekend conference. Blank forms are available from Scouting America.

Upload the completed form to pac.campvitals.com before the weekend. Make sure it lists any allergies, medications and dietary needs.