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, US Navy, US Marine Corps, and the US Air Force. It also includes the US Coast Guard, United States Public Health Service, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. 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:
In 2019 the Order celebrated its 100th birthday at its annual convention held in Simi Valley, California.
Recent notable projects in 2019 included the design, purchase, and placement of a $100k Augusta-CSRA Vietnam War Veterans Memorial, in Augusta, Georgia, by the Augusta Chapter of Region V, MOWW, earning Chapter leaders a Gold Patrick Henry Award and National Citation.
Awards and Insignia
Gold Patrick Henry Award - awarded by the national chapter annually to nine companions of the Order for exceptional achievement.
Silver Patrick Henry Award - awarded by local chapters to companions for superior service, lifesaving, and more. Can also be awarded to non-companions for service to the Order.
Bronze Patrick Henry Award - awarded by local chapters to exceptional youth for patriotic achievement.
Outstanding Service Medal - awarded by local chapters for holding a key leadership role in the Order for at least three years.
Outreach Service Medal - awarded by local chapters for exceptional participation in the various MOWW outreach programs.
Youth Merit Medal - awarded by local chapters and individual companions to youth for achievement.
Membership Medal - worn by companions as the badge of the Order, which consists of the emblem suspended from a mini rainbow ribbon of reversed colors from the WWI Victory Medal.
Multiple awards of the decorations are denoted by military-issue mini-medal sized bronze oak leaf clusters. On the membership medal, perpetual membership denoted by a silver service star.
Awards presented to other organizations
JROTC Award of Merit: presented to the best first year, second year, and third year cadet in a JROTC battalion each class year. Multiple awards denoted by silver service stars.
ROTC Award of Merit: presented to the best first year, second year, and third year cadet in a ROTC battalion each class year. As there is a different ribbon for each ROTC program year, multiple awards to the same cadet are not possible.
These six organizations listed above are, like the MOWW, also open to direct lineal descendants of qualifying officers of their respective war. Only the MOWW does not require the officer to be a combat veteran.
