{"id":116357,"date":"2025-05-15T11:22:38","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T15:22:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/?p=116357"},"modified":"2026-03-04T17:36:05","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T22:36:05","slug":"object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet\/","title":{"rendered":"Object 92: Pension Attorney Promotional Pamphlet"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kb-image116357_de9e16-75.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image116357_de9e16-75 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:468px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_de9e16-75.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_de9e16-75 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image116357_de9e16-75 figure{max-width:468px;}.kb-image116357_de9e16-75 .image-is-svg, .kb-image116357_de9e16-75 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image116357_de9e16-75 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image116357_de9e16-75\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1160\" height=\"1537\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg?resize=1057,1400\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg?resize=1057,1400\" alt=\"Promotional pamphlet distributed by attorney S.D. Clinton offering to represent Union Veterans and dependents in the filing of pension claims. Lawyers like Clinton advertised far and wide to attract clientele. (Library of Congress)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-116363\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271160%27%20height%3D%271537%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201160%201537%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271160%27%20height%3D%271537%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg?resize=226,300 226w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg?resize=453,600 453w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg?resize=768,1018 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg?resize=1057,1400 1057w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-1-Pension-Attorney-Pamphlet-Copy.jpg 1160w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Promotional pamphlet distributed by attorney S.D. Clinton offering to represent Union Veterans and dependents in the filing of pension claims. Lawyers like Clinton advertised far and wide to attract clientele. (Library of Congress)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-63-disabled-union-veterans\/\">Payments to Union Veterans<\/a> and their dependents exceeded $5 billion after the Civil War due to the increasingly generous pension laws passed by Congress between 1865 and 1915. But ex-soldiers and their families were not the only beneficiaries of the federal government\u2019s largesse. The expansion of the Civil War pension system was also a cash windfall for the pension attorneys who assisted Veterans with their claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What started out as a cottage industry turned into a lucrative business for pension attorneys in the decades following the war. The most successful amassed thousands of clients and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees for their services. They also became a lightning rod for criticism as government spending on pensions climbed higher and higher. Politicians and the press condemned them as sharks and blamed them for many of the ills of the pension system. They were accused of being equal opportunity offenders, bilking Veterans with excessive fees on the one hand and defrauding the government through inflated or false claims on the other.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before 1861, Veterans hired lawyers on occasion to represent them, but their use only became commonplace during the Civil War and afterwards. A study that sampled of over 100,000 pension applications between the years 1862 and 1906 found that over 70 percent were submitted with the aid of an attorney. Pension attorneys used their legal know-how to guide clients through the complex process of applying for benefits. They helped complete the required paperwork and assemble the necessary documentation to substantiate a claim, including the collection of sworn affidavits from witnesses. They also handled all correspondence with the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-12-pension-bureau-building\/\">Pension Bureau<\/a> in Washington, D.C. and interceded on their client\u2019s behalf when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Congress set the fees pension attorneys received for their services and also prescribed the penalties for their misconduct. An 1870 law increased the amount they could charge from $10 to a maximum of $25 but only if they submitted a signed contract specifying the agreed upon fee to the Pension Bureau. In the absence of a contract, the default rate remained $10. In all cases, attorneys were only entitled to collect payment for applications that were approved by the Pension Bureau. Congress probably included this stipulation to discourage the filing of dubious or frivolous claims but it had the opposite effect, encouraging attorneys to embellish the evidence to ensure they got paid for their work.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:363px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a figure{max-width:363px;}.kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a .image-is-svg, .kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image116357_81fbe9-0a\"><figure class=\"alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-2-Preprinted-questionnaire-from-Attorney-John-Morris-full.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"649\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-2-Preprinted-questionnaire-from-Attorney-John-Morris-full.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-2-Preprinted-questionnaire-from-Attorney-John-Morris-full.jpg\" alt=\"Questionnaire included in a mailing from pension attorney John Morris. The form had separate sections for soldiers, widows, and parents. (civilwarmed.blogspot.com)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-116368\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27649%27%20height%3D%271024%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20649%201024%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27649%27%20height%3D%271024%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-2-Preprinted-questionnaire-from-Attorney-John-Morris-full.jpg?resize=190,300 190w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-2-Preprinted-questionnaire-from-Attorney-John-Morris-full.jpg?resize=380,600 380w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-2-Preprinted-questionnaire-from-Attorney-John-Morris-full.jpg 649w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 649px) 100vw, 649px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Questionnaire included in a mailing from pension attorney John Morris. The form had separate sections for soldiers, widows, and parents. (civilwarmed.blogspot.com)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Pension Bureau maintained a roster of attorneys who were authorized to practice before the agency. By the end of the century, the number of names on the list approached 50,000. The majority of lawyers handled a small number of cases and served Veterans residing in their locality. But some attorneys saw the potential for marketing their legal services on a national scale. They sent out promotional materials through the mail to advertise their credentials and drum up business. &nbsp;The more enterprising attorneys also built up their practice by hiring teams of claims agents to scour the countryside in search of prospective clients. Agents did the legwork, finding claimants, identifying witnesses and collecting their testimony, and then submitting the whole package under the attorney\u2019s name to the Pension Bureau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through the deployment of agents, a handful of attorneys were able to capture an enormous share of the pension market. In 1880, the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-50-commissioner-of-pensions\/\">Commissioner of Pensions<\/a> testified to Congress that the ten largest firms represented over 100,000 of the claims currently pending with the bureau. Most maintained offices in Washington, D.C., which offered the lawyers easy access to both officials in the Pension Bureau and power brokers in Congress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>George E. Lemon was the most successful of the Washington-based pension attorneys. Lemon was a Union Veteran himself who had been wounded during the war. He set up shop in Washington in 1865 and over the next 15 years prosecuted, in his own estimate, at least 50,000 claims if not \u201cconsiderably more than that.\u201d In 1877, he launched <em>The National Tribune<\/em>, a monthly newspaper \u201cdevoted to the interests of the Soldiers and Sailors of the late war, and all Pensioners of the United States.\u201d Lemon was not the only pension attorney to branch out into the newspaper business, but his attracted the largest readership, going out to over 112,000 paid subscribers by 1884. He used its pages to advocate for increasing benefits and expanding eligibility while also promoting his own agency. \u201cCLAIMS! CLAIMS!\u201d read the ad that filled the back page. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:683px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e figure{max-width:683px;}.kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e .image-is-svg, .kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image116357_8cedbe-7e\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1611\" height=\"763\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=1400,663\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=1400,663\" alt=\"Masthead of the second issue of The National Tribune newspaper founded in 1877 by pension attorney George Lemon. The lead articles expound on his favorite subject: more generous benefits for Civil War Veterans. (Library of Congress)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-116365\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271611%27%20height%3D%27763%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%201611%20763%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%271611%27%20height%3D%27763%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=300,142 300w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=600,284 600w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=768,364 768w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=1400,663 1400w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=1536,727 1536w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-3-National-Tribune-Masthead_LoC-Copy.jpg 1611w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 1611px) 100vw, 1611px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Masthead of the second issue of The National Tribune newspaper founded in 1877 by pension attorney George Lemon. The lead articles expound on his favorite subject: more generous benefits for Civil War Veterans. (Library of Congress)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Lemon and the other leading pension attorneys often made common cause with the <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-25-grand-army-of-the-republic-parade\/\">Grand Army of the Republic<\/a>, the fraternal organization for Union Veterans that became a powerful <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/085-pension-ribbon\/\">lobby for pensions<\/a> in the 1880s and later decades. But they were on far less friendly terms with Pension Bureau, which policed their activities. <a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/100-objects\/object-42-pension-bureau-special-examiners\/\">Special examiners<\/a> at the agency investigated attorneys accused of wrongdoing such as overcharging claimants, forging papers, or falsifying evidence. Attorneys who violated the law could be fined or, in extreme cases, imprisoned and sentenced to up to two years of hard labor. But the far more common punishment was disbarment or being prohibited from doing business with the Pension Bureau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite their best efforts to weed out fraud, Pension Bureau officials recognized that many transgressions went undetected. The pension commissioner, in his 1894 annual report, lamented that some pension agents and claims agents \u201care the most dishonest and unscrupulous of men, dealing habitually in perjury, forgery, and every species of fraud and falsehood.\u201d Many in Congress and the press agreed with this characterization. &nbsp;\u201cPension shark\u201d was the epithet frequently used by newspaper and magazine writers, who viewed the lawyers as both predators and parasites. An 1899 article in the<em> New York Times<\/em> titled \u201cMethods of the Pension Shark\u201d observed that \u201cno profession in the past has yielded in so short a time so much money for so little brains.\u201d &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image116357_8f5a45-88.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image116357_8f5a45-88 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:555px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_8f5a45-88.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image116357_8f5a45-88 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image116357_8f5a45-88 figure{max-width:555px;}.kb-image116357_8f5a45-88 .image-is-svg, .kb-image116357_8f5a45-88 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image116357_8f5a45-88 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image116357_8f5a45-88\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-4-puck_1899_garshark_LoC-Copy.jpg\" class=\"kb-advanced-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"958\" src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-4-puck_1899_garshark_LoC-Copy.jpg?w=710\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-4-puck_1899_garshark_LoC-Copy.jpg?w=710\" alt=\"Cover of the August 9, 1899, issue of Puck magazine, with the namesake questioning the honest GAR Veteran\u2019s association with a pension shark. The sign outside the office promises \u201cPensions for Everybody.\u201d (Library of Congress)\" class=\"lazyload kb-img wp-image-116362\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27710%27%20height%3D%27958%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20710%20958%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27710%27%20height%3D%27958%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-4-puck_1899_garshark_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=222,300 222w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-4-puck_1899_garshark_LoC-Copy.jpg?resize=445,600 445w, https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/92-4-puck_1899_garshark_LoC-Copy.jpg 710w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Cover of the August 9, 1899, issue of Puck magazine, with the namesake questioning the honest GAR Veteran\u2019s association with a pension shark. The sign outside the office promises \u201cPensions for Everybody.\u201d (Library of Congress)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Calls for reforming their conduct went unheeded but the demand for pension attorneys dropped off sharply after 1906 anyway. By this date, almost all persons eligible to receive a pension had already been granted one. Their fortunes continued to decline after World War I. Veteran service organizations supplanted the attorneys by providing the same services to Veterans free of charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In recent years, \u201cclaims sharks\u201d have resurfaced in the form of unaccredited agencies offering to help Veterans file PACT Act claims\u2014for a fee. To learn more about fraud protection, visit the VA website <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.va.gov\/initiatives\/protecting-veterans-from-fraud\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>here<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The expansion of the Civil War pension system was a cash windfall for pension attorneys. These lawyers used their legal know-how to help Veterans obtain benefits, but they were also accused of exploiting their clients and fleecing the government. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":116379,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-100-objects"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Object 92: Pension Attorney Promotional Pamphlet","url":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/OBJ92THUMB1.png?w=300","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/05\/OBJ92THUMB1.png"},"articleSection":"History of VA in 100 Objects","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Department of Veteran Affairs"}],"creator":["Department of Veteran Affairs"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"VA History","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2025-05-15T15:22:38Z","datePublished":"2025-05-15T15:22:38Z","dateModified":"2026-03-04T22:36:05Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"Object 92: Pension Attorney Promotional Pamphlet\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/object-92-pension-attorney-promotional-pamphlet\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/OBJ92THUMB1.png?w=300\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/department.va.gov\\\/history\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/10\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/OBJ92THUMB1.png\"},\"articleSection\":\"History of VA in 100 Objects\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Department of Veteran Affairs\"}],\"creator\":[\"Department of Veteran Affairs\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"VA History\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2025-05-15T15:22:38Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-15T15:22:38Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-04T22:36:05Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/department.va.gov\/p.js"},"meta_box":{"external_links":"0","endorsement":"0","subheading":"","featured_image_alt_text":"","byline":"Jeffrey Seiken, PhD, Historian, Veterans Benefits Administration","author_title":"Veterans Benefits Administration","external_source":"","external_source_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/105"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116357"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116357\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":116395,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116357\/revisions\/116395"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/department.va.gov\/history\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}