Frank C. Rivers, right, the Military Order of the Cootie's incoming seam squirrel, takes the oath next to his predecessor, Frank Chupko, at the VFW hall in South Plainfield, N.J. (Photo by Jennifer Hulshizer)

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, N.J. — At the annual induction ceremony of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6763 in South Plainfield, the new officers took the stage, standing straight and reciting, with great solemnity, their pledge to serve the veterans group.

Then the Cooties came out.

One inductee dressed in drag; another wore an adult-size diaper. Dancing to loud music, the Cooties shot Silly String at guests as the more reserved members of the VFW post stood in awe.

The Military Order of the Cootie, a subgroup of the venerable VFW, relishes the ridiculous. Nearly everything during a Cooties meeting is done backward — boos show appreciation, a reply of "Absent" indicates a member is in attendance, nay votes count toward passing a motion, and members must enter meetings by walking through the door backward.