Terms and Style Items - "O"

oath
See "Scout Oath or Promise."

office
Council service center and "regional service center" are preferred to "council office" and "regional office." "National office" is correct; the national office does not perform services of the type offered at local council and regional service centers.

officer
(1) The National Council, each region, and each council have elected volunteer officers who act on behalf of the executive board between board meetings. (2) In Venturing the elected youth officers typically are president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. (3) In Sea Scouting the elected youth officers (called "petty officers") typically are boatswain, boatswain's mate, yeoman, purser, and storekeeper. (4) In Sea Scouting, the Skipper and mates, who are adult leaders, are called officers.

official
(1) One who holds or is invested with an office. (2) An adjective used to describe BSA equipment and uniforms approved for use in the program.

OK, OK'd, OK'ing, OKs
Do not use "okay."

Okpik (pronounced OOK-pik)
The Okpik Cold Weather Camping Program is offered by the Northern Tier National High Adventure Program. Cold-weather camping, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, ice fishing, snowshoeing, expedition travel, and shelter building are featured. Okpik is derived from the Eskimo word for "snowy owl." See "Kanik" and "National Cold-Weather Camping Development Center."

olympics
Capitalize all references to the international athletic contests held every four years: "the Olympics," "the Winter Olympics," "the Olympic Games," "the Games," "an Olympic-sized pool" (which is 50 meters long by 25 meters wide). Lowercase other uses: "a pizza-eating olympics."

online
Use one word, no hyphen, for the computer connection term.

open house
A special meeting held by each Venturing crew, usually in the fall, to recruit new members. Formerly called a "firstnighter."

Operation First Class
Obsolete term; see "Scoutreach Division."

Ordeal membership
The induction phase of membership in the Order of the Arrow. A candidate becomes an Ordeal member upon completion of the Ordeal and Ordeal ceremony.

Order of the Arrow
Scouting's national honor society. Youth members (Arrowmen) must hold First Class Scout rank; they are elected by all youth members of the troop, based on their Scouting spirit and camping ability. The aim of the OA is to promote the outdoor program and service to Scouting.

Ordinary
The rank in Sea Scouting above Apprentice and below Able. Combinations: "Ordinary Award," "Ordinary rank," "Ordinary requirements," "Ordinary Sea Scout."

orienteering
A cross-country contest to reach a specific destination and/or certain checkpoints with the use of compass and map.

Outdoor Code
As an American, I will do my best to-

Be clean in my outdoor manners. I will treat the outdoors as a heritage. I will take care of it for myself and others. I will keep my trash and garbage out of lakes, streams, fields, woods, and roadways.

Be careful with fire. I will prevent wildfire. I will build my fires only when and where they are permitted and appropriate. When I have finished using fire, I will make sure it is cold-out. I will leave a clean fire ring, or remove all evidence of my fire.

Be considerate in the outdoors. I will treat public and private property with respect. I will follow the principles of Leave No Trace for all outdoors activities.

Be conservation-minded. I will learn about and practice good conservation of soil, waters, forests, minerals, grasslands, wildlife, and energy. I will urge others to do the same.

outdoor program
The total scope of outdoor activities offered by the Boy Scouts of America, in which youth members' differing skill and experience levels are accommodated. Includes Cub Scout overnighters, day camp, council-organized family camps, and resident camp; Webelos Scout overnight camping; Boy Scout overnight, resident, and long-term camping; Venture and Varsity activities; jamborees; council and national high adventure; and wilderness camping.

outdoor skills
Skills for living in the outdoors: using shelter for protection, building fires for food preparation, knowing the skills of field sanitation, and properly using woods tools. Not "campcraft," "Scoutcraft," or "woodcraft."

overnighter
See "Webelos Scout overnighter."