Officer Job Descriptions

Arapaho Chapter Officer Job Descriptions

Chapter Key 3

Chapter Chief, Chapter Adviser, and District Executive

Why Lead?

Taking on a leadership role within the Chapter is a wonderful chance for you to gain leadership experience that can be transferred to things you do with your troop as well as everyday life, along with the pride you feel knowing that yes, you are a part of this group and thanks to you (along with the rest of the leadership team) things for the Chapter are hopefully running smoothly. While having these experiences on your resume are good things to have, the importance of them is more about the community and those who you impact during your term. For the Chief it’s his ability to organize Chapter meetings that draw people’s attention, for the Vice Chief of AIA it’s to properly show off the American Indian portion of the OA as well as helping make sure that members and candidates have a great experience in ceremonies, for the Camporee Lead it’s to plan and execute an awesome Camporee alongside the District, and so on….

I hope that you at some point during your OA journey think about and actively try for a position within the Chapter to try new things, further yourself, and give yourself in cheerful service to your Chapter and Lodge.

YICS,

Walter Stagaman

Arapaho Chapter Chief 2018-2019

For all of these positions one must acknowledge the time commitment, while it doesn’t/shouldn’t have to be an all day every day commitment, when you are needed in your position you should answer the call accordingly, remember, you are a part of something bigger than yourself and you are working with and for those Arrowmen that elected you into your position. Also, we’re supposed to have fun, be cheerful, and partake in fellowship with each other, but when it comes time to be serious, seriousness is needed so that things go on track. Please remember this when you think about being an elected official for the Chapter, as well as any other leadership role you plan on taking in the present and future.

Elected Positions

Chapter Chief

They are THE leader of the Chapter. The Chief supervises and delegates the work of the other Chapter officers and has a seat on every committee the Chapter has currently or will create in the future. They attend the necessary training required of them by the Lodge (Mikanakawa Lodge) as well as any meetings the Lodge calls such as Lodge Executive Committee meetings (LEC). In addition to the Lodge meetings, they also attend any meetings with the District (Northern Trail) that are needed, including but not limited to, District Commissioner’s meetings and Roundtable meetings. They are also in charge of keeping up with the Chapter’s JTE requirements, which can be assigned to/assisted by the Vice Chief of Administration.

The Chief is also in charge of delegating a youth lead to work with the District (Northern Trail) to plan and execute that year’s District Camporee in the Spring, to then be approved by the Chapter Adviser. If one cannot be delegated then he must assume the position and work with his officers and planning committee to fulfill the job.

They’re required to attend all Ordeals that there are Chapter (Arapaho) members in attendance, especially new members/candidates, and he is encouraged to do so even if there are none present. If for some reason they are unavailable it is the Chief’s duty to make sure a representative for the Chapter is present for Chapter Orientation at the Ordeal.

The Chief is also highly encouraged, but not required to get his Vice Chief’s involved with their Lodge counterparts and their committees. Along with the Vice Chiefs, the Chief is also encouraged to get involved in Lodge activities, so long that they remember they’re an elected official of the Chapter first. With the new Area Chief Program, it is also noted that the Chapter Chief should stay in regular contact with their service area’s Area Chief.

Vice Chief of Inductions

The VC of Inductions promotes and participates in Chapter attendance at all Ordeals, in addition, they keep the Chapter’s Brotherhood eligible candidates informed on their status, and promote Brotherhood conversion throughout the year.

If the Chapter arranges a brotherhood walk/ceremony at a District Camporee or other event, the VC of Inductions is the Brotherhood Warrior for that event unless they or the Chief otherwise delegates it. In this case, they should make sure that the Brotherhood Warrior is trained properly by following the Guide to Inductions and if he needs help and cannot find it within the Chapter he should contact the Lodge and ask them for assistance.

They are also encouraged to join the Lodge’s Induction team to assist in the planning of Induction events, such as Ordeals.

Vice Chief of Program

The VC of Program promotes Circle 10 Council Camps for Summer Camp, Winter Camp (TRJ), Section Conclave, Fall Fellowship, Winter Fellowship/Powwow, as well as other OA events and camp to the District (Northern Trail)workdays. They keep track of where troops within Northern Trail District are attending Summer Camp, specifically those who are doing so within Circle 10 Council. The VC of Program is also in charge of planning/organizing and either running or delegating any Scouts Services ran at any event where Arapaho Chapter is asked to lead it. If a troop does not request an election during election season then they are responsible for going to that troop, or organizing someone else to, and giving them a Camping Promotions visit unless the troop wishes against such a visit.

For Camporee, unless otherwise delegated with the approval of the Chapter Chief and Adviser, the VC of Program organizes the morning and afternoon events and what troops will staff them, keeping in constant contact with them. They are also responsible for making sure all events that need a scoresheet to have one and that it is all logged properly before awards at Camporee. This can be done by the VC of Program and another working together if needed. All of this will be done alongside the Camporee Planning Committee under the Camporee Planning Lead.

Vice Chief of Service

The VC of Service is in charge of promoting service projects within the Lodge (Mikanakawa) and District (Northern Trail) as well as planning and leading the Chapter’s service project for JTE. For all of this, they make sure that all of the service hours of each Chapter member who participates in these service projects are logged and taken into account. For any service projects (Lodge, Chapter, District) the VC of Service is encouraged to attend as many as they can to work alongside their fellow brother and have easier access to accurate numbers.

For District Camporee, if it is arranged to have a Chapter Service Project it is his responsibility to communicate with the Ranger of the respective camp and organize/promote and lead it. The VC of Service also serves on the Camporee Planning Committee under the Camporee Planning Lead helping organize it and day of they run the Service Crew.

For the Lodge (Mikanakawa Lodge) the VC of Service is highly encouraged to get in touch with their Lodge counterpart and help them at Ordeals or at other events that they are needed.

Vice Chief of American Indian Activities (AIA)

AIA is one of the most visible parts of the Order of the Arrow, as such this role is key to the Chapter’s success. The person who runs for this position must acknowledge that it will be a commitment that can’t simply be shrugged off.

The VC of AIA is in charge of organizing ceremonies teams/ceremonialists for the Chapter. This includes rehearsal schedules starting long before an event they will work at such as Powwow and Section Conclave if the team chooses to do so. As well as leading up to District Camporee. In addition, they are also responsible for managing the Chapter’s regalia, meaning: keeping it clean/in shape, stored properly, and build any new regalia (recruitment and Lodge assistance can help with this) that the Chapter acquires. For assistance with this, it is encouraged to get in contact with the Lodge.

For Camporee, the VC of AIA is to be the Ceremonies Lead unless delegated and approved by the Chapter Chief and Adviser. Along with the preparing of the ceremonies teams (he may be a part of one) they must make sure that the ceremony sites are prepped and regalia is present on the day of the ceremony(s).

For the Lodge (Mikanakawa Lodge), the VC of AIA should keep in contact with their Lodge counterpart and is advised to join the AIA Committee for the Lodge. They should also advise their ceremonialists to get in touch with the Lodge so if another Chapter is in need of a ceremonialist/ceremony team they may go and help out. It will also be helpful to come to an Ordeal to know who in the Lodge knows what ceremonies and what parts.

Vice Chief of Administration

The VC of Admin maintains and updates the Chapter’s records and operates registration at all Chapter events. What this means is that he takes attendance at Chapter meetings and for any events where Chapter members staff under the Chapter he is in charge of handling attendance. If the Chapter were to have a stand-alone Brotherhood Walk/Ceremony he would work alongside the VC of AIA to make sure whoever is eligible is there etc…

For Camporee, while it is technically the District’s job to handle registration the VC of Admin expected to at least offer their assistance with the management of registration and check-in, working with the Brotherhood Warrior to handle the Brotherhood Walk check-in. If they are unable to attend Camporee it is their job to appoint and train someone to cover for them.

Vice Chief of Technology and Communications

The VC of Comm/Tech gathers and provides content for the Arapaho Chapter email newsletter. They also coordinate with the webmaster regarding content on the Chapter webpage and social media sites. They are also in charge of managing the whereabouts of any and all Chapter A/V equipment (PA system, Projector, etc…) logging who has what and when it was checked out, etc… The key aspect of their job, which is also the biggest is keeping an up to date log of all of the troops/Crews/Ships in the District along with the contact information (Name, Number, Email) of all Scoutmasters/Adviser/Commodore, SPL/President/Skipper, and OA Reps for each one.

For the District (Northern Trail), it is the VC of Comm/Tech’s job to come up with blurbs and other items needed for the District newsletter as they are needed. For example, District Camporee will need at least 2 blurbs sent out separate from the newsletter, those will be their job to make (Approved by ⅔ Chapter Key 3).

For the District Camporee as stated above it is the VC of Comm/Tech’s job to make sure that it is properly promoted through the Chapter’s and District’s social media, newsletters, and websites (Approved by ⅔ Chapter Key 3). At Camporee if any A/V equipment is to be used it is their responsibility to make sure that it all gets to where it needs to be and then that it is returned after the fact (PA system, Projector,etc..)

For the Lodge, it is encouraged that the VC of Comm/Tech takes on one of the appointed positions by the Lodge VC of Comm/Tech. They are also to submit an addition to the Lodge newsletter for JTE (approved by Chapter Chief and Adviser).

Appointed Positions

Unit Elections Lead

They are a key member of the success of the Chapter. Once Unit Election Season hits their work should be well underway. It is their job to form the Election’s Committee with some input of the Chapter Chief and Adviser. They should be available to attend most if not all of the Unit Elections within the District, having other members of the committee run the election if they’re absent. All elections are to follow the Guide to Unit Elections which can be found in the Guide to Inductions and by itself online (oa-bsa.org). Working with the Webmaster of the Chapter’s website they should have access to the Chapter’s election signup form to get information on what troops want to have elections. After an election takes place, it is their job to make sure all Youth and Adult candidate information is collected and sent to the Lodge Admin team. Also, if the troop wishes to let the elected candidates be revealed/called out at the meeting, it is their job to fulfill the request. This will default to the Vice Chief of Admin if no one is selected or the Unit Elections Lead is for whatever reason removed.

Camporee Lead

They’re the backbone of the Program side of the Camporee that takes place during the term of the most recent elections. It is their job to work alongside the District Executive and the District Camping Committees to plan, execute, and lead the Program side of Camporee (organization of flag ceremony, events, campfire, Callout [with AIA], Brotherhood Walk+Ceremony [With AIA], etc…) They may seek assistance from past year’s Camporee Leads, Chiefs, and Advisers in the planning process. They’re the Chair of the Chapter’s Camporee Planning Committee. This will default to the Chapter Chief if no one is selected or the Camporee Lead is for whatever reason removed.

Concessions Lead

This position, unless otherwise decided will be filled by an adult, appointed by the Chapter Adviser. It will be their job to manage the Chapter’s Trading Post/Snack Shack at any event where it is present such as District Camporee, Webelos Woods, Twilight Camp, etc…

Committees/Teams

Unit Elections Committee

The Unit Election’s Committee is in charge of working with the troops within the District (Northern Trail) and the Lodge (Mikanakawa) Admin team under the Unit Elections Committee Lead (Delegated by Chapter Chief and Adviser, if none is delegated VC Admin is requested to lead) and Election Committee Adviser (Delegated by Chapter Chief and Adviser, if none is delegated ACA Admin is requested to lead). This can be and has been lead by youth and youth alone.

They meet at least once before election season to train themselves and go over how the elections will be run, it is expected of all members of the committee to participate in at least one election per season. The Election Committee Lead will come up with a schedule with the Committee Members as to who will go where and when. If they come upon a troop that ends up wanting to run their own election let the troop do so, appropriately stepping in if something important is missed or stated incorrectly. They might even advise/offer a sample script for the troop to use if the troop wishes.

Camporee Planning Committee

The Committee consists of –

Voting and Decision Makers: The Camporee Lead, Program Lead, AIA Lead, Brotherhood Lead, Service Lead, Comm/Tech Lead, their respective Advisers, and their respective staff members.

The Program, AIA, Service, and Comm/Tech positions are default the Vice Chiefs for those areas, if one cannot fulfill their job on the committee, it is their duty to find a proper replacement for their position.

Members without voting power, but hold veto power: Chapter Chief, Chapter Adviser, District Executive. (unless they hold a voting position on the committee)

The Chapter Chief, Chapter Adviser, and District Executive are not required to be at every Camporee Planning meeting. Also, they have no voting power on matters (unless they are in one of the areas, such as Chief as Camporee Planning Lead, and Adviser as Camporee Chair), but they do have veto power over all decisions made to keep the program within Scouting and OA guidelines.

Members without voting or veto powers: Members of the District Camping Committee

These members may provide input into decisions but have no voting or veto power in decisions made by the Camporee Planning Committee. (Unless a decision involves a committee member).

The Camporee Planning Committee meets at a time designated by the Camporee Planning Lead to organize the program side of the District’s (Northern Trail) Spring Camporee which normally takes place in March. This ranges from the games/events during the day, along with any Call Out or Brotherhood Ceremony done at Camporee in addition to the campfire program… These meetings will cover who (troop volunteer, OA staff, etc…) will do certain items, when things will happen, building the schedule, etc…

For descriptions of the Lead positions scroll up to the Vice Chief Descriptions and find where they discuss Camporee duties.

This Committee is imperative to have an amazing Camporee and for it to run it must have active, interested, and dedicated Arrowmen.

Ceremonies Teams

As a ceremonialist you take upon yourself one of the biggest parts of the OA, in doing so you must be aware of who/what you are portraying and be respectful of the culture you are using. That being said, being a ceremonialist can be one of the most satisfying and fun jobs within the OA. In Arapaho Chapter there are in total 2 ceremonies that we do regularly, the Call Out ceremony and the Brotherhood ceremony. Each ceremony requires 4 Arrowmen to represent the 4 principles and 2-4 others to do other miscellaneous setup and tasks. These are normally done at Camporee but on occasion, there is a Brotherhood ceremony done at a different date and place. In addition to those ceremonies, there is also the Pre-Ordeal ceremony and Ordeal ceremony which are both done at Ordeals. If you are interested in starting out as a ceremonialist you are highly encouraged to go staff an Ordeal as a ceremonialist to learn where to start.

For any and all chapter ceremony business, the ceremonialists answer to the Chapter Vice Chief of American Indian Activities (AIA) or the Associate Chapter Adviser of American Indian Activities (AIA), if one or both are either unavailable or there is no one in the position a ceremonialist would answer to the Chapter Chief/Adviser