Since World War II, the U.S. government has conferred special benefits on former prisoners of war to provide for their care and support. In the 1950s, ex-captives received over $130 million in reparations for their mistreatment. Near the end of the Vietnam War, Congress expanded the eligibility of former prisoners for disability compensation and VA medical care. In 1981, following VA’s completion of an in-depth study on the subject, President Reagan signed into law the Former Prisoners of War Benefits Act. The bill was the first piece of legislation that focused exclusively on the needs of Veterans held captive in wartime. It granted benefits to persons imprisoned for as few as 30 days and directed VA to establish an advisory committee to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to serve former POWs.
This episode is based on Object 79 in the History of VA in 100 Objects virtual exhibit: https://department.va.gov/history/100-objects/079-prisoners-of-war-study/.
To learn more about this object or other entries in the exhibit, visit the 100 Objects page on the VA History website: https://department.va.gov/history/va-100-objects/.
Author: U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
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