VA History

The lineage of what's now known as the Department of Veterans Affairs is rooted in the nation’s earliest efforts to reward Veterans for their service and sacrifice.

Reflections from the Front is a VA history podcast that can be found on all major podcast platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

Standing Ready highlights the significant contributions – past, present and future – of the VA health care system through a historical lens.

If you wanted to create an album of your family’s history but were limited to 100 items, what would you put in and what would you leave out? These were the questions that the VA History staff asked in compiling the History of VA in 100 Objects virtual exhibit.

Volunteers have built communities of care and support and continue to meet the needs of Veterans. They are deeply rooted in our history. Hear how they have been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the history of Veterans health care, sports have long served as a means of rehabilitation and healing. While many sports and recreational activities have been incorporated into the fabric of Veterans hospitals, one sport in early VA history stands out for its popularity and impact on Veterans – baseball.

An insightful discussion with Acting Undersecretary of Health Dr. Richard Stone on the 75th Anniversary of the Veterans Health Administration.

In the latest edition of the Standing Ready podcast, Dr. Murray Levin recalls his early days in the 1950s as a medical school resident in a VA hospital and shares his insights about the partnership between Northwestern and the VA during his time there.

Episode two of Standing Ready: “Provenance: How VHA Came to Be” A discussion of the origins of the Veterans Health Administration - the largest integrated health care system in the country.

Welcome to Standing Ready: An inside look at the histories and untold stories of VA’s innovations. Join VA historian Katie Delacenserie and producer Shawn Spitler for this new series.

Standing Ready in an inside look at the histories and untold stories of VA's Innovations, highlighting the significant contributions of the nation's largest health care system through a historical lens.

American Heart Month, no better time to celebrate the accomplishments of world-renowned physician and Veteran, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey who revolutionized the field of cardiovascular surgery.