Military Order of the World Wars

The Military Order of the World War was created in 1919 at the suggestion of General of the Armies John J. Pershing as a fraternity for American military officers coming out of the Great War. Two decades later, when the USA became involved in WWII the organization name was pluralized to its current title of Military Order of the World Wars. Though the Order's title has not changed since 1945, it remains an officers’ society welcoming new qualified members in current military service, retired military service, or former military service and has members from the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan, War in Iraq, and peacetime service.
Membership.
Membership in the MOWW is open to active duty, retired and former commissioned or warrant officers of the uniformed services of the United States. This includes the US Army (USA), US Navy (USN), US Marine Corps (USMC), and the US Air Force (USAF). It also includes the US Coast Guard (USCG), United States Public Health Service (USPHS), and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Additionally, any direct lineal descendant from a qualifying officer may also join the order, which indicates that the order also serves as a genealogical society.
Famous members include:
Centennial Anniversary and Recent Projects.
In 2019 the Order celebrated its 100th birthday at its annual convention held in Simi Valley, California.
Awards and Insignia.
Multiple awards of the decorations are denoted by military-issue mini-medal sized bronze oak leaf clusters. On the membership medal, perpetual (life) membership denoted by a silver service star.
Related organizations.
These six organizations listed above are, like the MOWW, also open to direct lineal descendants of qualifying officers of their respective war(s). Only the MOWW does not require the officer to be a combat veteran.