This week is Pastoral Care Week. VA Chaplains provide a valuable contribution to a holistic Veteran Centered approach to care in our facility. We thank them for what they do every day! History of VA Chaplaincy 1865- The history of the Department of Veterans Affairs Chaplain Service actually began on March 3, 1865, when Abraham Lincoln signed legislation establishing the first National Homes for disabled volunteer soldiers. Chaplains were paid a salary of $1500 per year and forage for one horse. 1883 - The Treasury Building was constructed on the site of the National Soldiers Home, Hampton, VA. This site would later become the home of the V. A. Medical Center, Hampton, VA and the current location of the National Chaplain Center Headquarters. 1930 - On July 30, the Consolidation Act placed all National Soldiers Homes under the control of the Veterans Administration. Part-time local clergy were the only positions available in hospitals. 1944 - On June 7, the General Commission on Chaplains and Armed Forces Personnel negotiated with the Veterans Administration to take responsibility for the service of Chaplains. In December 1944 the Chief Medical Director of the V.A. spoke to the General Commission on past difficulties in maintaining a Chaplains program. He suggested that a committee of the General Commission be formed to assist the V.A. in this matter. 1945 - On May 2, the Veterans Administration announced to the General Commission the appointment of Reverend Crawford W. Brown (Episcopal faith group) as the first Chief of Chaplaincy Service with an effective date of June 15, 1945. At this time there were 98 Chaplain vacancies. On August 1, 1945, General Frank T. Hines, Administrator of the Veterans Administration, established a national Chaplaincy Service to assure beneficiaries the best possible spiritual guidance, religious services, etc. The national Chaplaincy was organizationally assigned to the Office of Special Services, which also included the departments of Recreation, Canteen, Athletics and Patient Welfare. On October 14, 1945, Director Brown told the Army and Navy Chaplains Association that a school for training Chaplains for Veterans Hospitals would soon be established. Director Brown stated that the Veterans Administration would need approximately 125 Chaplains, or one for each hospital of 500 beds or more. On November 28, 1945, V.A. Administrator General Omar Bradley authorized the Director of Chaplains to place full-time and part-time Chaplains in all V.A. hospitals. 1946 - From April 2nd to 4th, the first Chaplains Conference was held in Washington, DC. The Veterans Administration projections called for approximately 195 full-time Chaplains with an anticipated need for over 600 full-time Chaplains by 1960. va.gov/CHAPLAIN/components/History_of_VA_Chaplaincy.asp
Posted on: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:37:13 +0000
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