Freedom 250 Veterans Affairs Virtual Exhibit
VBA: Benefits for the Nation's First Veterans
The United States has recognized its responsibilities to Veterans from its earliest days as a nation. In August 1776, within weeks of adopting the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress approved the first national pension law for soldiers and sailors disabled in the Revolution. The last men of the Revolution, 1864 (Photos copyrighted by N. A. & R. A. Moore)
Joseph Plumb Martin
Published anonymously in 1830, Joseph Martin’s autobiography offers an indelible account of the Revolutionary War from the perspective of a common soldier in Washington’s army. Martin enlisted in 1777 as a 16-year-old private and weathered the hardships of the winter encampment at Valley Forge and fought in the Battles of Monmouth and Yorktown. In 1819 Martin was awarded a lifetime pension of $8 per month.
Memoir of a Revolutionary Soldier, 1830 (Glazier, Masters & Co.)
NCA: National Cemetery Visitation
Maintaining a welcoming environment for the visiting public and mourners was, and remains, a key mission of national cemeteries. A reception area was maintained in the office exclusively to accommodate visitors. A table with a leather-bound visitor register was required. Visitors’ Register; Fort Scott National Cemetery, c. 1898 (NCA History Collection)
Major George W. Ford
One of the most compelling stories to emerge from the early years of the national cemetery system is that of Major George W. Ford, a Buffalo Soldier who became the first Black Veteran appointed as a cemetery superintendent. Ford was born on November 23, 1847, near Alexandria, Virginia, to free Black parents. In 1867, George enlisted in the 10th U.S. Cavalry and served on the western frontier. He was honorably discharged in 1877 at the end of his second enlistment.
Shortly after the end of his Army service, Ford served a probationary six-month appointment as assistant superintendent at Chattanooga National Cemetery in Tennessee. Upon successfully completing the assignment, he was appointed on November 9, 1878, as superintendent of Beaufort National Cemetery in South Carolina. He remained at Beaufort for 15 years, marrying and starting a family there. In 1894, the Fords were transferred to Fort Scott National Cemetery in Kansas. While there, George took a leave of absence from his cemetery service to serve as major of the 23rd Kansas Volunteers. After his military service, Ford returned to Fort Scott where he spent several more years as superintendent. In 1904, he was sent to Port Hudson National Cemetery in Louisiana. Ford and his family stayed only two years before moving to his final post at Camp Butler National Cemetery near Springfield, Illinois. Ford served as superintendent there until he retired on October 20, 1930, after more than 50 years of service. He continued to reside in the area and died on June 30, 1939, at 91 years old. Ford, his wife, two Veteran sons and their spouses, and a daughter with her Veteran husband are all buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery.
National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (NHDVS): Honoring Sacrifice
The National Home system was created in 1865 to honor the sacrifices of Union soldiers to preserve the United States. The first home opened in Togus, Maine, on November 10, 1866. The system expanded to include 11 homes that spanned from coast to coast. Initially only Union soldiers with service-connected injuries could live at the Homes. Eligibility was later expanded to include Veterans of other wars including those who could not provide for themselves due to disability Map of the Dayton Soldiers’ Home, 1891 (Henry Howe & Son)
Evolution to VA
The NHDVS experienced a large increase in Veterans requiring care following World War I and saw the concept of care change itself due to the nature of injuries and advances in medicine. Demand in residential care decreased, while the need for specialized rehabilitative care increased. The Veterans Administration (VA) was created in 1930 and took over the NHDVS system. The National Homes became part of VA and facilities evolved as VA adjusted to meet the needs of Veterans.
Major Paul E. Divine
After his military service in the Spanish-American War, Paul Divine served Veterans by working for the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. He was first the treasurer for the Mountain Branch from 1903 to 1909 before being appointed to the National Homes Board of Managers in 1928. He served in this capacity until the formation of VA in 1930.
VHA: Innovating Independence
VA has become a leading force for breakthroughs in medical innovation, fostered by partnerships with medical schools and grounded in service to Veterans. These collaborative efforts have yielded advancements in mobility aids and prosthetic devices that have enabled Veterans to lead more independent lives. Many researchers are Veterans themselves and today VA holds over 600 medical patents representing numerous fields including mobility.
Veteran Focused Design
The Seattle Foot, developed in the early 1980s by the Prosthetics Research Study at the Seattle VA Medical Center, was built around a flexible light-weight keel made from synthetic material that served as a spring, propelling the individual forward. The prosthesis enabled amputees to engage in almost any kind of physical activity or sport.
The LUKE/DEKA prosthetic arm was the first prosthetic arm capable of performing multiple simultaneous powered movements. An initial study by Providence VA Medical Center and Brown University fitted 37 Veterans with these advanced arms. Subsequent studies have included over 10,000 hours of testing and involved nearly 100 amputees.
Doctor Rory Cooper
Dr. Rory Cooper is a VA Biomedical Engineer whose innovations have transformed the lives of people with disabilities. As the Founding Director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), Dr. Cooper has led groundbreaking research in wheelchair design, robotics, and other assistive technologies to help individuals regain their independence.
In 1980, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, he was struck by a semitruck and paralyzed from the waist down. He started building an ultralightweight chair in his family’s auto repair shop and used the G.I. Bill to pursue an engineering degree.
In addition to his scientific contributions, Dr. Cooper is also a decorated athlete. He has over 150 National Veterans Wheelchair Games medals, plus a 1988 Paralympics bronze medal for the 4x400 meter wheelchair relay. He was also a participant in the early years of the National Winter Sports Clinic as a sit-skier and has completed multiple marathons.
Over the course of his career, Dr. Cooper has been awarded over 25 U.S. patents with more on the horizon. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2023. Currently, Dr. Cooper is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research for STEM-Health Sciences Collaborations and Distinguished Professor at University of Pittsburgh as well as a VA Senior Research Career Scientist. Right: Wheelchair with Adaptive Hand Grips, Human Engineering Research Laboratory (NVAHC Permanent Collection)