DAV Hits Landmark with 100 Years of Service to Veterans
In 2020, DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is celebrating its Centennial anniversary and 100-years of service to veterans and their families.
A century ago, more than 200,000 veterans wounded in the trenches of WWI came home, and our nation was shocked at the horror of injuries caused by mechanized and chemical warfare. Many of these soldiers were kept alive due to advancements in medical technology, but many required a lifetime of care. The government was unprepared for this harsh reality and the men who had been hailed as heroes were slipping through the cracks of the scattered group of agencies responsible for veteran care. There was no single government program like today’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). No government department or agency could claim overall responsibility for the veterans.
At a Christmas party in downtown Cincinnati in 1919, Judge Robert S. Marx and a small group of his fellow WWI veterans planted the seeds of hope with an idea of forming an organization that would seek to improve medical care, benefits and job training for injured veterans.
In 1920, the Disabled American Veterans of the World War (now DAV—Disabled American Veterans) was founded and headed by Marx, who summed up the need for DAV by saying, “We had a common experience which bound us together, and we are out to continue through an organization of our own… an organization of us, by us and for us.”
With 100 years of service and support, DAV continues to face the ongoing fight for medical treatment, employment and earned benefits for America’s 4 million disabled veterans, who need our help today just as they did after the “War to End All Wars.”
With more than one million members, 52 state-level departments and nearly 1,300 local chapters, DAV continues to be a force nationwide for veterans of all eras through DAV’s services and programs.
DAV simply could not have served our nation’s veterans and their families over the last century without the support of our local community here in Indiana. Which is why DAV Department of Indiana wants to celebrate alongside our gracious and supportive community here in Indiana. Please contact State Adjutant Kevin Coley at (317) 632-9266 / dav-indiana@sbcglobal.net for more information about DAV Centennial events right here in Indiana. We invite all of our community members to join us as we have a lot to celebrate as we prepare for another century of service to our veterans and their families.
About DAV:
DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: fulfilling our promises to the men and women who served. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them; fighting for the interests of America’s injured heroes on Capitol Hill; providing employment resources to veterans and their families and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a non-profit organization with more than 1 million veteran members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at www.dav.org.