The U.S. President’s Commission on Veterans’ Pensions, commonly known as the Bradley Commission after its chairman General
Omar N. Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893April 8, 1981) was a senior officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army. Bradley was the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ove ...
" Public Papers of the President "
The American Presidency Project was established by on January 14, 1955, and concluded its business after submitting its final report to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in April 1956. Most of the work of the Commission was done by its staff under the direction of the Executive Director, Major General Ernest M. Brannon, and the Technical Adviser, Michael March.
The Commission was charged with studying different types of benefits which had been granted to veterans. These included financial benefits such as pensions; educational benefits such as vocational rehabilitation and student aid; and employment benefits such as job security, insurance and reemployment rights. The Commission did not study hospital treatment or other medical benefits.
In the course of its work, the staff collected extensive information from various government agencies which dealt with veterans. Of particular importance was the U.S. Veterans Administration. Other agencies which assisted the Commission included the Labor and Defense Departments, the Social Security Administration
The United States Social Security Administration (SSA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability and survivor benefits. To qualify f ...
, and the Railroad Retirement Board
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is an independent agency in the executive branch of the United States government created in 1935 to administer a social insurance program providing retirement benefits to the country's railroad workers.
T ...
. The staff also made surveys of randomly selected veterans in order to develop statistical analyses of the use and effectiveness of various benefit programs.
The studies compiled by the staff pertained to all major areas of non-medical veterans benefits and included studies of the historical background of benefits, how benefits were administered, eligibility requirements, distinctions between service-connected and non-service-connected benefits, and benefits granted to survivors of veterans. The staff even studied benefits granted by the Canadian government in order to compare them with U.S. benefits. These studies were submitted to Congress by the Commission and were published in 16 volumes by the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
References
External links
U.S. President's Commission on Veterans' Pensions Records, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
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1955 establishments in the United States
1956 disestablishments in the United States
Veterans' Pensions, Commission on