Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service Return to Stuttgart

Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service Return to Stuttgart

Before the first tool touched cobblestone, Arrowmen stood together in silence. It was September 11, 2026, the 25th anniversary of 9-11, and Black Eagle Lodge’s Achwon Woapalanne Chapter opened its Fellowship not with a rally, but with a moment of remembrance. What followed, over three days at the Panzer Range Complex in Stuttgart, Germany, turned out to be about far more than any single event. It was a Chapter finding its footing again.

Thirty-six attendees from four Black Eagle chapters spent the weekend centered on the three ideals at the heart of the Order of the Arrow: Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service. By the time everyone packed up to head home, it was clear the weekend had delivered on all three.

Five candidates completed their Ordeal. Five more Arrowmen sealed their membership through Brotherhood. Three received Scouting’s highest OA honor, the Vigil Honor. Each of those milestones marked an individual’s next step in the Order, but taken together, they told a bigger story: a Chapter that is active, connected, and building momentum.

One parent summed up the weekend’s impact after picking up her daughter:

“My daughter attended the Ordeal this weekend and she came home and was so excited to share everything. She had a fantastic time, she learned so much and came away with new friends and lots of excitement for what’s next. Thank you to everyone who made this weekend memorable and impactful.”

That sense of “what’s next” was one of the most encouraging outcomes of the Fellowship. Arrowman Kreg Schnell offered another perspective: “You guys put together one of the best OA events I’ve been to in 13 years. I’m glad I was part of it.”

A September 11 Memorial Observance

The Fellowship opened with something more solemn than a typical Friday-night kickoff. To mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, all participants gathered for a special memorial observance led by Chapter Chief Nick G. A short commemorative poem was read by Lilly C., followed by a moment of silence honoring those who lost their lives that day and those who responded in the hours and days that followed.

Participants also received special Star-Spangled Banner shoulder epaulets to mark the anniversary. Opening the weekend this way gave everyone a shared moment of reflection right from the start, and tied the Fellowship to values of citizenship, remembrance, and service that carry particular weight within the Stuttgart military community.

Recognizing Service and Achievement

The Fellowship weekend also gave the Chapter a chance to honor several members of the broader Scouting community for their contributions.

Nils B. received the Order of the Arrow Founder’s Award for exceptional service to the Order and its ideals. Lars Bespolka was presented with the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, recognizing his continued achievement and service since earning Eagle. Rick Galeano received the District Award of Merit for his contributions to Scouting at the district level. Several Chapter leaders with military affiliations were also presented the Military Service Knot, acknowledging their dual service to Scouting and to their country.

Different awards, different stories, but a shared thread ran through all of them: service, in whatever form it takes, is what makes the Order stronger.

Service That Reached Beyond the Order

Service wasn’t just a theme of the weekend; it was a substantial part of the work itself. Chapter organizers coordinated with leadership at the Panzer Range Complex well in advance to identify projects that would leave a real, lasting benefit for the Stuttgart community.

Arrowmen spent part of the weekend reclaiming stretches of cobblestone roadway that had slowly vanished beneath years of soil and overgrowth, restoring them to usable condition. Others turned their attention to the Garden of Eden, removing deteriorated and rotten footer boards from the building. That work carries extra weight because the facility isn’t currently included in USAG-Stuttgart’s real-property records, which means it doesn’t qualify for standard installation maintenance funding. Without volunteer effort like this, keeping the building in good repair falls almost entirely to the community that uses it.

And that community is a wide one. The Panzer Range Complex and Garden of Eden serve Scouting America troops, Cub Scout packs, Venturing crews, Girl Scouts, the VFW, and other organizations throughout the Stuttgart military community, meaning the Arrowmen’s work will be felt well beyond Chapter membership.

Craig Van Kirk, Chief of the Training Support Center Stuttgart, said as much in his message to the Chapter after the event:

“Absolutely outstanding job renovating the GoE (Garden of Eden)! It looks amazing and we sincerely appreciate all the hard work and effort your team dedicated over the past weekend to repair and improve the GoE. Thanks again for organizing everything with your Scout leadership to continue to improve the Stuttgart community.”

That reaction may be the clearest measure of the weekend’s success. This wasn’t service performed for the Order’s own sake — it was service that mattered to the people who call Stuttgart home.

A Vigil Breakfast Tradition

Early Sunday morning, four Vigil Honor members traded sleep for skillets, working together to prepare and serve breakfast for the whole Fellowship. The menu (scrambled eggs, pancakes, hash browns, bacon, and sausag) came together under their direction, and once the last plate was ready, the breakfast line opened to every Arrowman on site.

It’s a small tradition, but a meaningful one: Vigil members serving their fellow Arrowmen a hot meal, bringing Chapter and Lodge together around the same tables. The details of the Vigil experience remain, as they should, a tradition for each Arrowman to discover for themselves — but those who go through it are encouraged to embrace it with an open heart, using it as a chance to reflect on their journey in Scouting and celebrate the bonds of Brotherhood shared across the Chapter and Lodge.

A New Chapter of Leadership

Fall Fellowship also marked a leadership transition for Achwon Woapalanne. Quinny C. was elected the Chapter’s next Chief, taking the reins from outgoing Chief Nick G.

Nick’s fingerprints are all over the Chapter’s recent resurgence. His leadership, persistence, and willingness to bring Arrowmen together helped turn Achwon Woapalanne back into a Chapter that Scouts are excited to be part of, and this Fellowship, in many ways, stands as proof of the foundation he built.

Now it’s Quinny’s turn to carry that momentum forward: welcoming new Arrowmen, creating room for youth leadership, deepening Chapter fellowship, and shaping a program Scouts genuinely want to return to.

Building What Comes Next

Achwon Woapalanne held Chapter fellowships before COVID, but this weekend marked something more than a return to an old tradition. It hinted at what the Chapter can become.

Arrowmen served side by side. Five completed their Ordeal. Five sealed Brotherhood. Three earned the Vigil Honor. Outstanding Scouts and leaders were recognized for their service and achievement. New friendships took root. Youth leaders stepped up. And a facility used across the entire Stuttgart Scouting community came out of the weekend measurably better than it went in.

The challenge now is simple: keep that energy moving. Future Chapter activities will keep blending meaningful service with fellowship, fun, and leadership opportunities – the kind of experiences that give Arrowmen a reason to come back, and a reason to bring a friend along next time.

The Fall Fellowship proved the enthusiasm is there. Achwon Woapalanne is growing, the Chapter is active, and its Arrowmen are already looking ahead to what’s next.

WWW – Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, Service