Since the late nineteenth century veteran organizations have influenced the nation's domestic, defense, and foreign policies. They have lobbied for benefits and have been engaged in political debates over America's preparedness for war. Moreover, veteran organizations, such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have seen themselves as privileged to define America's cultural values, in particular the meaning of patriotism, because of their members' defense of America through military service.

The VFW traces its roots to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection formed local organizations to assist them in securing medical care and other benefits. Some of the groups banded together and in 1914, formed the VFW, which received a congressional charter in 1936. From the beginning, the organization limited its membership to officers and enlisted men (and later women) honorably discharged from the military who...