Interesting Notes: The History of the Veterans Administration
VETERAN’S HISTORY
1789 – A law was passed to give money to soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
1861 – The Civil War broke out. The number of Union veterans grew from 80,000 to 2 million!
1862 – President Lincoln started national cemeteries. This was to honor the many Union dead from the Civil War.
1865 – President Lincoln gave his second inaugural speech. He asked Congress “to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.” This became VA’s motto.
1912 – A new law called the Sherwood Act was passed. This gave pensions (money) to veterans of the Mexican and Civil Wars when they turned 62, even if they were not sick or disabled.
1930 – President Hoover signed a bill creating the Veterans Administration (VA).
1940 – Congress created a law to help World War II veterans find jobs when they came home from war.
1944 – A lot of people were hurt and killed in World War II. This left many families in need. On June 22, 1944, President Roosevelt signed the GI Bill of Rights. This helped veterans go to college and buy a home.
1946 – More hospitals were built to take care of veterans. VA was able to train and hire good doctors. VA also started research that has helped all of us.
1973 – The Army gave 82 cemeteries to the Veterans Administration. VA makes sure that veterans and family members have a respectful burial place forever.
1988 – Congress made VA a Cabinet Department. This means that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs meets with the President of the United States.
1998 – All eligible veterans could now enroll in VA’s health care system.
Visit us at www.hometown-heroes.org to learn more about Hometown Heroes, and to check out our video library of Veteran’s stories.
