SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A rebel Veterans of Foreign Wars post has been expelled from the national organization for opposing U.S. policy in Central America, post members said Monday.
The Bill Motto Post 5888, whose 90 members are mostly veterans of the Vietnam War, has taken a public stand in opposition to the national VFW's support of administration policies in Latin America.
Members of the Santa Cruz post said their charter has been revoked by the national organization but they will continue functioning as a post.
'We are not going to let them have our money, our belongings, our flag, and will continue to operate as a post,' post commander Richard Anderson said.
National VFW officials 'have a lot of money and a lot of influence behind them, and this post is just a little guy standing up to them ... this is going to be a long, tough, drawn-out fight,' he said.
The post asked the Santa Cruz County Superior Court Monday for an order to block the expulsion. A hearing was set for April 19.
In January, the post sent a letter to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega saying 'not all veterans in the United States agree with the Reagan administration's policy of American primacy in Central America.'
VFW national officials said there is room in the organization for dissent but only on an individual basis. Each post must follow the expressed policy of the national organization, they said.
Eric Schenk, an attorney for the rebel post, claimed the VFW does not have the legal authority to expel a post over a disagreement like this.
'This incident is a whole new resurgence of jingoism and super-patriotism' Schenk declared.
VFW spokesman Warren Maus said the Santa Cruz post 'has been removed from the national rolls. Their charter is revoked. The individual members are still members of the VFW, but the post has been expelled.'
Anderson said membership in the Bill Motto Post increased this month from 60 to 90.
The VFW, which was chartered by Congress in 1936, devotes itself to the rehabilitiation of disabled veterans and promotion of patriotism and comunity service.
