NATIONAL SERVICE

A Tradition of Excellence

On December 25, 1919, 100 disabled veterans of World War I attended a Christmas Party hosted by Judge-elect Robert S. Marx in Cincinnati, Ohio at the request of the Cincinnati Community Service. The discussion of the evening focused on an organization dedicated to the needs of disabled veterans. A future meeting was proposed to explore the level of interest and establish a broad outline of the group's goals. The Disabled American Veterans of the World War (DAVWW) was born on September 25, 1920, when the decision was made to federate into a national body.

By 1926, DAVWW had implemented a nationwide claims filing assistance effort. DAVWW Liaison Officers increased in number from the original 14 officers to 53, presenting claims for disabled veterans before the Veterans Bureau. A DAVWW goal since 1921 was realized on June 17, 1932, when Congress issued a Federal Charter to the DAVWW as the "official voice of the nation's wartime disabled."

In January 1941, with the world at war again, the National Executive Committee changed the DAVWW's name to the Disabled American Veterans and on October 16, 1944, the National Service Officer Training Program at American University in Washington, DC was introduced. The 10 classes, made up of 354 wounded and disabled veterans of World War II, graduated from this program and became the core of the DAV National Service Program. During fiscal year 1945-1946, NSOs settled more than 30,000 claims for disabled veterans with total awards exceeding $35,000,000.

Due to an economic downturn, the number of National Service Officers dwindled to 119 in 1960, precipitating DAV to begin an on-the-job training program. Those wounded and disabled veterans from the Korean Conflict necessitated DAV ensure National Service Officers were available nationwide to provide the much needed representation. A number of Korean war veterans were recruited and trained as National Service Officers. The success of this program was evident in the yield of quality individuals dedicated to DAV's mission of service.

An innovative recruiting initiative to hire and train disabled Vietnam veterans commenced in 1966 and continued into the early 1980's. On February 1, 1967, a class of Vietnam veterans was formed and trained at Catholic University, Washington, DC prior to assignment to National Service Offices throughout the United States.

In January 1974, the DAV introduced the Field Service Units (FSUs) allowing National Service Officers to reach members and non-members alike in the suburbs and rural areas of America. During the 19 year period of existence, FSUs brought DAV services to over 608,000 veterans and dependents before the program was retired in favor of providing DAV Information Seminars throughout communities across America.

DAV National Service Officers remain the leaders in the field of veterans advocacy. NSO skills are honed utilizing the DAV Structured and Continuing Training Program, providing up-to-date training for all NSOs on a regularly scheduled basis. The program, introduced in 1987, remains the best available in the field of veterans advocacy. Supported by audio and video mediums, NSOs are tested regularly through a database linked with DAV National Headquarters.

With the advent of judicial review and the United States Court of Veterans Appeals (Court) in November 1988, the DAV wasted no time in meeting the challenge of providing quality representation through highly skilled Judicial Appeals Representatives. The Court admitted non-attorney practitioners and DAV went into the history books, being the FIRST to submit an appellate brief to the Court and the FIRST to present oral argument by a non-attorney practitioner. Appellate Counsels at DAV's Judicial Appeals Office represent 75% of all claims processed through Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs). On March 1, 1999, the name of the United States Court of Veterans Appeals was officially changed to the "United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims."

The DAV National Service Officer's Training Academy, affiliated with the University of Colorado at Denver, opened its doors to Class I on July 11, 1994. Since then 199 NSO Trainees, all disabled veterans, from crises in Iran and Lebanon; the invasions of Granada and Panama and other engagements including the Persian Gulf War, Somalia and Bosnia have graduated, successfully completing 16 weeks of intensive, formal classroom instruction. They have been assigned to DAV National Service Offices to continue assisting America's wartime disabled veterans, their dependents and survivors. On September 10, 1999, the DAV National Service Officer's Training Academy held graduation ceremonies for Class VIII, continuing DAV's commitment of service to disabled veterans, their dependents and survivors.

During June, 1998, the National Service Department assumed responsibility for employment-related issues that directly affect disabled veterans and their dependents through our National Service and Legislative Headquarters. Although the DAV is not an employment agency we advise veterans of their rights and benefits under the law. Additionally, we refer veterans for appropriate employment assistance to the Department of Labor, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

As of September 23, 1999, there are 253 National Service Officers assisting disabled veterans and their dependents in 69 offices throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. NSOs provided free service to 218,949 veterans and their family members with benefits totaling more than $2.3 billion in new and retroactive benefits in the year ending June 30, 1999.

The year 1998 will be remembered as a time when DAV National Service Offices embraced the technological advances of the computer industry. Personal Computers (PCs) were provided to each National Service Officer allowing them the capability of accessing information directly from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) databases in DAVs continuing mission of "Building Better Lives for America's Disabled Veterans".....the tradition continues.