The Bonus Army: A Brief Analysis

In 1924, after the war, congress gave veterans of World War I certificates valid in 1945 for $1000 each. During the Great Depression, many of the service men had lost their jobs so they decided asked congress to redeem the bonus certificates early, in 1932 (11). The “Bonus Army” was formed and led by an Oregon man named Walter Waters (11). The army now contained 15,000 veterans who hitched rides, hopped trains and hiked into the Capital (11). President Hoover refused to acknowledge the veterans but Congress argued over whether or not to give into the requests (11). On June 17, the Senate declined the demands and many of the people in the Bonus Army returned home, but thousands of them had nowhere to go. Therefore, they stayed in Washington,

When the veterans were eventually paid in 1936 through the Adjusted Compensation Act, it made a massive impact on the individual recipients and their families. As one man stated in the film, “My dad came in the house with seven one hundred dollar bills, and we thought, oh that’s what a bonus is?!” The bonus helped numerous families get back on their feet. Several of them obtained a loan for a house and did not have to worry about feeding their families. They were overjoyed at their new found prosperity and the government had finally fulfilled its promise to the Bonus

The march of the Bonus Army was a unique moment in our history. World War I veterans came from across the country to ask the government for their money ahead of schedule. Veterans united with a common cause: the prepayment of a promised benefit. President Hoover refused the veterans’ requests, which caused the movement and created unification across the nation. Together they marched in Washington, D.C.

The first legislation in 1862 provided benefits to people who incurred disabilities due to military duty. If you were married to a now deceased soldier or if you were an orphan you received pensions. The pensions that the widows and orphans received would be equal to the amount that the soldier would have received if the soldier was disabled. By 1910 civil war veterans were grateful for a program of disability.

Bill (MGIB), eligible veterans enrolled in VA approved educational programs could receive up to thirty-six months of benefits if usage began within ten years of separation from service (Simon et al., 2010, p. 1008). Monthly benefits for veterans who had three or more years of service were eligible for $300 per month, with a total individual benefit of $10,800 for thirty-six months of usage (Simon et al., 2010, p. 1011). Veterans serving a two-year enlistment contract qualified for a $272 monthly stipend for a maximum of $9,800 for thirty-six months of usage (Simon et al., 2010, p. 1011). This remained relatively steady from 1985 to 1992 despite the increased costs of college tuition (Simon et al., 2010, p. 1011). However, in January of 1999 and then again in January of 2000 Congress did increase MGIB benefits to account for rising tuition costs (Simon et al., 2010, p. 1012). These increases continued to be implemented between 2000 and 20003 (Simon et al., 2010, p. 1012). This hit its peak in 2003, when MGIB benefits were at its highest value since 1991 (Simon et al., 2010, p.

Veterans are being cheated out of their time, money, and resources while waiting for benefits from claims that are waiting to be processed. In the article, "Veterans Face Long Delays for Disability Claims" it states, "while veterans waited longer than ever in recent time for their wartime disability compensation, the Department of Veterans Affairs gave its workers millions

World War II had a great toll on the nation’s economy. It hurt many Americans, and a lot of them had to leave their education to serve as soldiers and sailors. The war used many of the already shorted resources, and with a lot of the men who ran farms, bakeries, and meat providers being taken into war, this led to a shortage of cash flow and resources. During WWII Roosevelt talked over the matter with President George F. Zook and other leaders of the American Council of Education. He believed the federal government had a responsibility and an important role in helping returning veterans get an education. Several Bills branched off the GI Bill including a Vocational Rehabilitation Bill. This bill provided federal funds to retrain and rehabilitate veterans who had been disabled in the civilian defense industry. In a quote from history.com, “In his speech at the signing of the bill, Roosevelt acknowledged the sacrifices of

The American Heroes COLA Act came into fruition on Wednesday April 19th, 2012. The House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA) agreed to pass two bills that affect veterans benefits. There is slight doubt that under present law, veterans are getting the same COLA that is going to Social Security recipients. Once a year since 1983, Legislature has voted for, and the sitting president has authorized, a bill that guarantees that veterans' disability payment and survivors' dependency and security reimbursement increases on Dec. 1 by the same percentage as Social Security. American Heroes Cola Act would requires the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to automatically increase the rates of veterans' disability income, compensation for dependents, clothing allowance, and reimbursement for veterans surviving next of kin and children at the same rate that Social

So you can imagine there confusion and dismay when the asked for the money and were told no! This is when the veterans, and even some citizens, decided to take it upon themselves to take action. They rode on railroad cars and hitched rides to Washington D.C. to stand up for themselves and all veterans. When they arrived they had to make homes out of scraps and lived in abandoned buildings, they even had to cover up with newspapers which were called Hoover blankets.

What initiated the Bonus March was that congress passed a bill that would reward veterans of WWI a cash bonus for their service. Unfortunately, they would not receive the cash bonus until 1945. At first during the prosperous 1920s, the veterans did not mine the delay of the cash compensation. Until the great depression in 1932, this caused many veterans to be without work and in need. The march was design to get congress to immediate pay their bonuses. Herbert Hoover felt with the country in having so many needs and limited funds, that paying the Bonus Army would take away from Americas most needy. The bonus army was a failed attempt to collect what they rightfully deserve but which actually succeeded.

“A small pension designed to offset any wages that might be lost due to a missing limb or some similarly severe wound” (Trout). Gelber stated “the Federal Board of Vocational Education (FBVE) promised to enable wounded veterans to return to their prewar occupations or to qualify for new jobs.” Even with this generous gesture, there was more pain than gain that was to come from this.

The conspiracy finds its roots during a dangerous time in America: The Great Depression. The stock market collapsed on October 1929(1), as Americans began to experience a recession that would become unprecedented. Families lost their life-savings, businesses were closing, banks were failings, and factories were being shut down. Only eight months into his presidency, Herbert Hoover and many industrial leaders underestimated the seriousness of the situation; they remained optimistic of the eventual turnaround of the economy. By 1932, the depression worsened as 15 million (3) people found themselves unemployed. On July 28, World War I veterans became frustrated over their delayed bonus and descended onto Washington D.C demanding immediate pay under the World War Adjusted Compensation Act. 15,000(2) veterans referred to as the Bonus Army gathered outside the White House, establishing a tense moment between citizens and the government. Under the command of Herbert Hoover, General Douglas MacArthur destroyed the camps of the veterans in attempt to evacuate everyone from the

Just two weeks after D-day the invasions of Normandy, and on the heels of the second New Deal, President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 22, 1944 signed into effect the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, otherwise known as the G.I. Bill. This bill is predominant in American education history for the fact this bill helped returning veteran’s reintegrate into society and garner a higher-education when the job market at the time looked poor at the end of World War II. Politicians at the time feared that millions of soldiers returning home would create a social disaster in the poor job economy, this bill was crafted in order to avert such calamity.

Defense Secretary Ash Carter has good new for Iraq War veterans struggling to pay back reenlistment bonuses and benefits that nearly 10,000 California National Guard soldiers received for agreeing to reenlist for six more years and serve in Afghanistan or Iraq. The bonuses were given in error a decade ago and the Pentagon demanded repayment plus interest, even going so far as to threaten veterans with wage garnishments or tax liens if they couldn't repay the money. While Secretary Carter announced the Pentagon will stop collecting monthly payments from soldiers, the debts are not waived yet, nor is there any word about what will happen to veterans who already paid their debt. Secretary Carter did made it clear that there is no blanket waiver

Oliver’s Army is originally named after a deceased fourteen year old boy who had ALD. In 2006, Gail and Mark Liley, his parents, were inspired by his death to set up a charity in his name. Gail decided to raise money for medical research into ALD. So far the charity has raised over £270,000 and the money is currently being used to fund projects in France and Germany.