Controversies - Member Removals & Threats

Introduction
During Harley Coon’s tenure as national president of the Korean War Veterans Association, former KWVA president Nick Pappas was suspended from the executive council; former board member Oreste (Rusty) Tramonte was expelled as a member of the organization; and C.J. "Skip" Rittenhouse was removed as a director. In addition, Lynnita Brown was removed as an Associate Member by "Executive Order", effective January 01, 2004.  Other members and have been threatened with expulsion from the organization by President Harley Coon, especially during his third, illegal term of office. The common thread in the removals and the threats of removal, according to those removed and threatened with removal, is that each person opposed Harley Coon’s leadership methods. Skip Rittenhouse was removed as a board member based on his "poor attendance" record. Rusty Tramonte was expelled from the membership for calling an Executive Committee meeting in St. Louis. Nick Pappas was suspended from the executive council for failure to retrieve financial records from CPA Stan Myrda. Threats of legal action and expulsion directed at members and associate members were the result of those members’ determination to take a stand against improprieties taking place on the executive council during the Coon administration.