History of VA and its administrations

How did VA start? Department of Veteran Affairs has not always been its name. The origin story of the modern VA includes many previous entities and names dating back as far as the American colonies. You’ll find all that on this site! National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Veterans Bureau, Bureau of Pensions, War Risk Bureau, and Veterans Administration. So. Many. Names. Our team of historians have untangled this lineage and provided it in a chronological format for you to learn. VA’s history is also complemented by the backstory of the three VA Administrations.

National VA History Center

The National VA History Center is the forthcoming museum and archival center for all things historical in the VA mission and is located at the Dayton VA Medical Center campus — itself a designated National Historic Landmark. While the idea of the history center is not new, recent actions to make it a reality are. Ceremonies marking its official establishment – and the start of renovation work on two historic buildings to house the collection – were held in August 2020. The public opening of the facility isn’t expected for several years, but fascinating work is ongoing behind the scenes. Look for monthly updates in the Curator Corner, illustrating the multi-faceted steps that go into establishing a museum and collection from scratch! This will be the GO-TO home for the History Center and the VA history collection.