A concise history of America’s relationship with its veterans, from the Revolution and Civil War to Vietnam and Afghanistan.

Millions of veterans live among us and are part of one the largest social groups in America. They have redefined civil rights, activism, and public policy for our entire history. Their stories are our stories.

Veterans and America: From the Revolution to Today examines four hundred years of military service, social recognition, activism, and public policy. Michael D. Gambone addresses the evolving nature of military service from the colonial era to our contemporary global contingency operations and the concurrent relationship between veterans and American society as a whole. He illustrates the nature of military service and its impact on veterans, from the American Revolution to Vietnam and the “Forever Wars” of today, and explores veterans’ social standing in American society to understand its impact on how the country sees and recognizes military service.

Highlighting veterans’ relevance to politics, culture, social reform, economics, and more, Gambone ultimately argues for public policy reform to understand how military service is compensated and to mitigate the impact of that service on individual veterans. From the first piecemeal efforts of individual colonies to the massive national safety net first constructed by the 1944 G.I. Bill, the country must do better for those who have nobly served it. An essential read for anyone interested in veterans’ affairs and their evolving struggles through centuries of American history.

Author Biography

Michael D. Gambone, PhD, is the author of eight books, including Long Journeys Home: American Veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam (2017) and The Greatest Generation Comes Home: The Veteran in American Society (2005). He is currently a professor of history at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and a veteran of the 82nd Airborne Division. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq as a Department of the Army contractor and served in the city of Mosul.

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