Caring for the nation’s veterans of military service is a noble tradition that can trace its roots back to 1636, when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony were at war with the Pequot Indians, inspiring the Pilgrims to legislate colonial support for any disabled soldier. Though times and methods have changed-and certainly the number of veterans has changed dramatically-the colonial support systems that evolved into the current U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program have kept pace.
