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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- They may have fought for this country's freedom, but some Ottumwa vets may no longer be free to take a drink.

An administrative law judge has issued a recommendation to revoke the liquor license of VFW Post 775.

The ruling comes after the club repeatedly  violated Iowa's Smoke Free Air Act.

Former Commander Denny Whitson was recently booted from his commanding position by state VFW officials for actions taken to ignore the law.

He is the club’s leader of the anti-smoking ban movement who allowed members to light up inside the club until about thirty days ago.

Since he was removed from office, he says the Ottumwa VFW has been in compliance with the law.

The new ruling, however, has the former commander up in arms.

"I think they're trying to make an example of us. I mean, let's face it. If you can take the veterans' organizations and revoke their liquor license, you have won the state. No one is going to rebuke their supremacy, welcome to communism 101," Whitson said.

A spokesman from the Iowa Attorney General's Office told KTVO that the license hasn't technically been revoked yet.

He said that the administrator of the Alcoholic Beverages Division still has to make the final decision to revoke the license.

That verdict is expected in the next couple of weeks.