Military Order of the Cootie
 

Members of the United Spanish American War Veterans had a prime part in the start of the Military Order of the Cootie. In 1919 several members of the Imperial Order of the Dragon (I.O.D. - a higher degree of the United Spanish American War Veterans) had thoughts of starting a similar group for the VFW. The Past Grand Viceroy of the Dragons (Fred C. Madden) was joined by another Past Grand Viceroy, (F. L. Gransbury) and several other I.O.D. members in this effort. The VFW was nearly as old as the United Spanish American War Veterans and was due for the influx of members from World War I. This special group thought the influx of members could help with the formation of an Honor Degree with fun as a major objective.

 Membership was opened while at the Oxford Hotel in Washington, D.C. on September 17th, 1920, and about 300 VFW members signed up. Fred C. Madden became the first Supreme Seam Squirrel; and a complete list of Officers was ratified at a special meeting held in the Calvary Baptist Church in New York City. Madden developed the constitution and by-laws. F. L. Gransbury authored the rituals and became editor of the "Cootie Tickle", six issues of which were printed prior to the VFW encampment in Detroit. A committee was formed consisting of Commander-in-Chief Woodside, Past Commander-in-Chief Hartund and VFW Council Members Allen of New York, Jones of Oregon and Jones of Washington. They met with Supreme Cooties Gransbury #3 and E. S. Davis #12, to make the M.O.C. a part of the VFW. A very favorable report from this committee was accepted by the VFW National Encampment about 9:00 PM, Saturday, September 24th, 1921, making the M.O.C. a part of the VFW.

 At midnight that same day, acting Assistant Supreme Seam Squirrel Davis called the first Supreme Scratch to order, reported the result of the committee conference and VFW endorsement and conducted the first Supreme Election. William E. Eighmey was the first Supreme Seam Squirrel to be elected. In 1922, William Kime was elected Supreme Commander at Seattle, Washington and re-elected in 1923, at Norfolk, Virginia. During his term of office, the first Cootie Uniform was approved and became the official uniform of the Order. A committee was appointed to prepare By-Laws for the Order and to re-write the Ritual covering the Third Degree. The new By-Laws and change in Rituals were adopted at the Supreme Scratch in 1923.

The Military Order of the Cootie first proposed the idea of a National Home (This can be verified by the Newspaper Special Edition of Norfolk, Virginia, issued during the National Encampment) in 1923 at Norfolk, Virginia. A Copy of this edition was presented to the National Home several years after the founding of the Home. In Atlantic City, in 1924, the VFW Organization decided to approve of the National Home even though it was a "Brain Child" of the Military Order of the Cootie.

 In 1924 the official Cootie uniform was announced, according to records in Kalamazoo, Michigan, as well as the Original Drafts of Ritual and By-Laws. The “Tomb Trek” to the Tomb of the Unknowns, Arlington National Cemetery, was first inaugurated in 1934 by TNT Pulp Tent. This annual observance has continued each year since and the members attending have increased each year.

 Supreme Commander Victor B. Gallaway requested permission to build an athletic field at the National Home. This was granted by the VFW in New Orleans in 1933. Incoming Supreme Commander William J. Crehan appointed PSC Tommy Ryan as Chairman, and the Cootie Field fund was started in 1936. Construction started in 1937 and continued until dedication in the term of Supreme Commander Ashley Beck, August 1941, with Otto C. Steinberger as Chairman. The total cost for the athletic field was $15,000.00. In 1941, the Supreme Scratch at Philadelphia authorized a swimming pool fund for the National Home. It grew slowly to $16,000.00 in 1948 under the chairmanship of Joseph Stalarum, appointed by Supreme Commander Tommy Wheaton. Dedication of the pool took place on September 2nd, 1950, with Wheaton and Stalarum as co-chairmen. This was immediately after the Supreme Scratch at Chicago. The total cost was approximately $40,000.00 and donations equaled $48,836.39.

With the outbreak of World War II, the M.O.C. realized the need for Hospital visitations and entertainment for hospitalized veterans. A program of "Keep 'Em Smiling in Beds of White" was inaugurated and very soon Cooties were regularly visiting patients in VA Hospitals, and other Hospitals, through out the United States. The Hospital visitation program is one of the most outstanding programs of the M.O.C.

The VFW Booster Program was first adopted prior to 1948. This program has been a continuing, dedicated effort each year by Cooties and Auxiliary members. The Cooties and Auxiliary members have also assisted the parent organization in their membership drives. "Operation Fire Department" for the National Home was the brain child of two members of Buckeye Pup Tent #2 of Ohio (Collin Small and Charles Millard) in 1950. The drive was brought to fruition in the term of Supreme Commander Ernie Moore, resulting in a fire truck and a building to hold it. The Grand of Maryland continued the concept of a mythical Fire Dept., commissioning Fire Department "Officers" upon payment of a fee. These fees, throughout Supreme, enabled Maryland to make annual contributions of equipment and money to upgrade the Home Fire Department. The Home Fire Department is manned by boys of the Home.

In 1959, a National Home Scholarship Fund was taken over by Supreme at the 40th Supreme Scratch in Philadelphia. It had been started by the Grand Pup Tent of California. It was eventually named for its perennial Chairman, Christie Braun, and is now self perpetuating from its investments. From the start of $500.00 annually for one boy and one girl, it has grown to an annual amount of $2,500.00 each until graduated, plus lesser amounts for students attending vocational schools. The Military Order of the Cootie is the Honor Degree of the VFW. They have gathered annually for over 70 years to pay tribute to those who answered the call of our nation at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. At this event, known as the “Tomb Trek”, wreaths are presented by Cootie Units throughout the world.