broken down into chapters, which correspond to districts within a council. Members wear identifying insignia on their uniforms, most notably the pocket flap that represents their individual lodge and the sash worn at official OA functions. The national organization sponsors several events, awards, and training functions in addition to lodge programming.

Scouting America maintains that the Order of the Arrow is not a secret organization. It instead utilizes the "attractiveness of the unknown" in its ceremonies to create a perception of