About Us

The Military Order of the Cootie of the United States is a Veterans Service Organization. Established on September 17, 1920 in Washington D C, the MOC specializes in bringing humor to veterans with a special emphasis on hospitalized veterans. Organized by World War I veterans shortly after the war, our members tried to find something that everyone that served in the trenches of Europe had in common. The lack of adequate sanitary conditions and close quarters while in the field created perfect conditions for the infestation of body lice among the troops. So common was the condition that legends were told of the size of any one person’s “critters” and the heroic measures that the pests would go to protect their hosts. Tales of how, sensing an enemy bullet, the cootie would bite the soldier, causing him to stoop to scratch the offender and keeping the round from hitting the host, thus saving his life. Since the founders of our order were looking for something to build a comedic organization around, the Cootie was determined to be ideal. We would adopt the ideals of:

COMRADESHIP- anytime you would find one Cootie, there were always a dozen more nearby.

INDUSTRY- a Cootie is always trying to find a way to accomplish his task of bringing a smile to veterans.

PERSEVERANCE- once a Cootie and his comrades decide on a task, they keep working at it until the job is done.

We developed our slogan of “Closer than a Brother, busier than a Bee” and began seeking any veteran who had served outside the United States. We awarded our members a medal with attachments showing countries that our members had “infested” during their service. In 1923 we were invited by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. to become their official Social Degree, and in 1924 we officially became an auxiliary of the VFW. We changed our by-laws to specify that our members from then on would first be members of the parent organization in good standing. Also in 1924 the MOC developed what would ultimately become the VFW National Home for Children located on what was a large farm in Eaton Rapids, Michigan.

Today, the Military Order of the Cootie is represented throughout the United States as well as in several countries in Europe and the Far East. Our members consist of active members and officers on all levels of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. We have been given the designation of “The Honor Degree of the VFW” and we strive to live up to that distinction by supporting our Posts and communities as well as our outstanding hospitalized veterans programs that amount to Millions of Dollars in volunteer service credit. We believe that our duty is to “Keep ‘em Smiling in Beds of White.” We also support our “kids” at the VFW National Home for Children through our various fund-raising activities as well as our visits to the home to let them know that we care. Our national headquarters is located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. This Supply Depot provides uniform items, jewelry, flags and other novelties, the profits from which goes towards the furthering of our programs.

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