The Military Order of the Cootie is the "Honor Degree of the Veterans
of Foreign Wars of the United States”.
The Military Order of the Cootie is an organization within an organization. Much like the Rangers, or Airborne, or Special Forces are all part of the Army, the Cooties are a part of the VFW. It is a distinction reserved for "active" members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; those who have succeeded as an officer on any level, or who have demonstrated ability as a leader of a major Post committee or function.
The prime directive of the Military Order of the Cootie is to Have Fun. It is the Preamble of our Supreme By-Laws. It is the glue that holds us together and makes us special. It is what helps us to hang on and give that last push to get us over the top for a program when things get tough. Our hat, our uniform, even our name is designed to bring a smile to those who come in contact with us. As our hero, The Great Blue Louse instructs us, "A smile is the one thing that you can give that you will always get back," we strive to bring humor to our efforts, to our fellow veterans and to those less fortunate than us.
As a small assembly who at times acts a little off-beat within a larger, more serious organization, we are always looking to Increase and Multiply. If what you've read here has piqued your interest, we have more information for you. If this sounds like something you might be interested in doing, we want to know about you.
