Michael D. Gambone's expertise shines in this meticulously researched and compelling journey through the history of American veterans from the Revolution to today. Gambone skillfully traces the evolving definition of citizenship, the ever-shifting societal perceptions of those who served, and the efforts of veterans themselves to advocate for pensions, medical care, and the recognition they so richly deserve. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complex and profound role veterans have played-and continue to play-in shaping the American narrative.

Angela M. Riotto, Defense Security Cooperation University

Michael D. Gambone has successfully written what many have longed for-an accessible, long-arced history of American veterans from the Revolutionary period through contemporary times. Highlighting the contexts of each war's military experience and the specific post-war circumstances, Gambone shows the throughlines of veterans' experiences and their very important generational differences. The analysis is shrewd, with clear writing and a resistance to the simplistic narratives of valorization or of victimization. We are lucky to now have a book such as this.

Stephen R. Ortiz, author of "Veterans' Policies, Veterans Politics" and "Beyond the Bonus March and GI Bill"

Veterans and America continues Michael D. Gambone's valuable contribution to our understanding of the history of the relationship between America and its veterans. It explores the intricate social, cultural, political, and economic forces at play as the nation determines policy and its obligation to veterans serving a free nation. Gambone examines the veterans who served in the colonial period through the present, unraveling the successes and failures of major initiatives by government agencies, legislators, and veterans service organizations that often surged following periods of major conflict. Along the way, he pairs the characteristics of the specific conflict that shaped veteran attitudes and civilian perceptions. He skillfully balances essential figures (casualties, legislation, budgets) with more intangible factors like the transition to civilian life of different cohorts of veterans. Veterans and America also examines the history of veterans across the lines of rich and poor, officers and enlisted, immigrant and the native-born, and the evolution of the veteran experience of African Americans, other minorities, and women veterans. A must read for anyone seeking to understand the legacy of the American veteran experience.

Michael D. Visconage, Colonel, USMCR (Ret)