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The Military Order of the Cootie, V.F.W. is a subsidiary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). The fraternal order's services include supporting the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Home for Children and visiting veterans at hospitals. The group was founded in 1920 and joined the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization in 1923. Membership in the Military Order of the Cootie, V.F.W. is the "honor degree" of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; a VFW member must be invited to join the group, and group membership has been decreasing as a result.
History
The Military Order of the Cootie, V.F.W., originally known as the Military Order of the Cootie, U.S.A., was established on September 17, 1920, in Washington, D.C., by Fred Madden and F. L. Gransbury. It was modeled after the Imperial Order of the Dragon, an auxiliary to the United Spanish American War Veterans. The name "cootie" is a reference to a bug or lice that plagued soldiers in World War I. Cooties were credited with keeping soldiers' heads down in the trenches. A meeting of cooties is called a "scratch", the local chapter a "Pup Tent", the state affiliate a "Grand", and national headquarters at Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, "The Supreme."