Osceola564.org - Brotherhood

Order of the Arrow		Boy Scouts of America		Southwest Florida Council

Brotherhood

This page will help Ordeal members understand the requirements and commitment necessary for Brotherhood Membership.

What is Brotherhood Membership?

Brotherhood Membership is the second level of membership in the Order of the Arrow, after Ordeal membership and before the Vigil Honor. Arrowmen who complete the challenges of Brotherhood membership and become Brotherhood members are said to "seal the ties of Brotherhood." A Brotherhood member is primarily denoted by the red bars on the ends of the arrow on his or her sash, but the absence of the Vigil triangle in the center of the arrow.

What are the challenges of Brotherhood Membership?

Brotherhood membership is characterized by five requirements or challenges:
1) Memorize the signs of Arrow membership.
Memorize the Obligation of the Order, the Order of the Arrow Official Song, the Admonition, the sign of Ordeal membership, and the Arrow handclasp.

2) Advance in your understanding of the Ordeal.
Gain a thorough understanding of the Ordeal through which you have passed.

3) Serve your unit. Retain your registration in Scouting.
During a period of at least 10 months, strive to fulfill your Obligation by continuing and expanding your service to your own troop and team.

4) Plan for service in your lodge.
Retain your registration in your Order of the Arrow lodge and keep your dues paid. Be aware that acceptance of Brotherhood membership involves a pledge of service to the lodge. Develop a concrete idea of how you plan to fulfill this pledge.

5) Review your progress.
When you earnestly feel that you have met the four challenges above, write a letter to the Lodge Secretary. In this letter:

Explain what the Obligation means.
Describe how you have been fulfilling this Obligation in your troop or team and in your daily life, and how you have used your understanding of the Ordeal to aid in this service.
Describe your specific plans for giving service in the lodge program.

Osceola Lodge strives to conduct our Brotherhood induction process at every regular lodge event. That is, any eligible Arrowman can seal his or her ties of Brotherhood membership at any of our regular lodge events. When registering, be sure to notify the Council Office that you wish to complete the Brotherhood induction. Upon arrival at the event, you will need to pay $12 at registration. This money should not be sent to the Council Office, as the purchase of Brotherhood sashes is done through the lodge. Candidates for Brotherhood membership must arrive at the event by noon on Saturday at the latest.

The Brotherhood Committee certifies each candidate's knowledge in a one-on-one conference, if possible. This can be done at any lodge event after an Arrowman's induction. We encourage you to meet with a member of the Brotherhood Committee before the completion of your first ten months. If the Brotherhood Committee recommends you review the information and come back, you will still have ample time to complete Brotherhood in your first year.

Brotherhood candidates gather Saturday afternoon for the final steps of the Brotherhood induction. Each candidate's letter to the Lodge Secretary is due by this time. The candidates depart for what is known as the Brotherhood Walk, followed by the Brotherhood Ceremony in the early evening.

This explanation was largely created with the help of the following source, which you should consult to learn more:
The Order of the Arrow Handbook 17th edition