United States Department of Veterans Affairs

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United States Department of Veterans Affairs

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a federal Cabinet-level agency that provides near-comprehensive healthcare services to eligible military veterans at VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country; it also provides several non-healthcare benefits including disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education assistance, home loans, and life insurance. It is the second-largest department in the U.S. federal government, after the United States Department of Defense. The VA employs nearly 377,000 people at hundreds of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, clinics, benefits offices, and cemeteries.

History

The history of the VA dates back to 1636, when Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony were at war with the Pequot Indians. The Pilgrims passed a law that stated that disabled soldiers would be supported by the colony. The U.S. Congress established the first domiciliary and medical facility for veterans in the early 19th century, leading to the foundation of what would become the Veterans Administration in 1930. In 1989, the Veterans Administration was elevated to a Cabinet-level executive department by President George H. W. Bush.

Organization

The Department of Veterans Affairs is headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The VA is divided into three main subdivisions, known as Administrations, each headed by an Undersecretary:

• Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - responsible for providing healthcare in all its forms.
• Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) - responsible for initial veteran registration and eligibility determination, and for administering the department's benefits programs such as disability compensation, pensions, education, home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, survivors' benefits, medical benefits, and burial benefits.
• National Cemetery Administration (NCA) - responsible for providing burial and memorial benefits, as well as for maintaining VA cemeteries.

Programs and Services

The VA operates one of the largest healthcare systems in the world and provides training for a majority of America's medical, nursing, and allied health professionals. Over 9 million veterans are enrolled in the VA healthcare system, which includes over 1,200 healthcare facilities, including 170 VA Medical Centers and 1,061 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics).

The VA's benefits programs are designed to provide financial and other forms of assistance to veterans, their dependents, and survivors. Education benefits are offered through the GI Bill, which provides tuition assistance for veterans and their families. The VA home loan program offers loans to buy homes, build homes, or improve homes. The VA also provides vocational rehabilitation services to help veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find, and keep suitable jobs.

Challenges and Controversies

The VA has faced numerous challenges and controversies, including long wait times for healthcare, issues with the quality of care, and problems with the administration of benefits. In response to these issues, the VA has initiated several reforms aimed at improving efficiency, accountability, and access to care.

See Also

• Veteran
• GI Bill
• United States Department of Defense
• Military veteran benefits in the United States