Armed Forces Retirement Home: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Facilities that house retired US military service members}}{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Use American English|date=April 2024}}

==Current status==

In 1991 Congress incorporated the U.S. Naval Home (opened in 1834) and U. S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home (founded in 1851) into an independent establishment of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government named the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) Agency. In 2002, the names of the two homes were officially changed to The Armed Forces Retirement Home – Gulfport and The Armed Forces Retirement Home – Washington.<ref>24 USC Chapter 10 Section 411 – Armed Forces Retirement Home,  01/03/2012 (112–90) {{cite web|url=http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/24C10.txt |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-10-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104014324/http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/24C10.txt |archive-date=2012-11-04 }}</ref>

"Military Asylums" were created (the name was changed to U.S. Soldier's Home in 1859). Disabled or wounded veterans from the War of 1812 forward would be admitted. US Marines who served in Mexico and were otherwise qualified by wound or disability would be admitted.  The rules at the U.S. Soldier's Home were similar but not identical to the Naval Home.  Inmates would surrender any disability pension, work when able, and obey the orders of those appointed above them.  Like the sailors, they were "paid" a dollar a month for spending money.  The inmates referred to this as "the monthly dollar".  [[David E. Twiggs|General David Twiggs]] wrote that as soon as the men got their dollar they got drunk and stayed drunk until their money was gone, usually a week later, "as whiskey of a sort could be gotten for a ten cents a quart".<ref>Goode, p. 48</ref>  A "Guard House" (the Navy calls them "Brigs") was built at the Soldiers' Home to confine inmates "absent without leave".<ref>Rules and Regulations for the "general and internal direction" of the Military Asylum, instituted by an Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1851. Found in: Executive Documents – Message and Annual Reports for 1865, General Assembly of Ohio, At the Regular Session, Begun and Held in the City of Columbus, 1 January 1865, Part I, pp. 18–27.</ref>

===1854 Homicide at the Naval Home===

===I.G. Report{{snd}}Old Soldiers Home===

===Today===

Alcoholism: In 1951 the Governor of the Soldier's Home adopted a policy requiring proof of good "dry" behavior by men identified as alcoholics. After two failures, men were disallowed reentry to the home.  Today applicants with an alcoholic history must show evidence of a long period without alcohol.  The homes have open bars that sell beer and hard liquor, but "public intoxication" is prohibited.  The smoking of tobacco inside buildings on the grounds of the homes is prohibited. Outside smoking is allowed.<ref>Goode, p. 244</ref>

{{main|President Lincoln's Cottage}}[[File:Stanely Hall, AFRH-Washington D.C. 029972pv.jpg|right|thumb|Stanley Hall Chapel]]Built in 1843 by the banker [[George Washington Riggs]] as a summer cottage for his family, it was a part of the first parcel acquired by the U.S. Military Asylum. Renamed Anderson Cottage for co-founder [[Major Robert Anderson]] it housed the first residents of the home. It is now known as [[President Lincoln's Cottage]], and has been a [[National Monument]] since 2000. The brick house has a stucco exterior.

===Scott Building===

===Sherman Building===

[[File:Grant Bldg 029978pv.jpg|right|thumb|Grant Building]]Built to a design by [[Barton S. Alexander]] in the 1850s, the Sherman Building is connected to the Scott Building by a central annex. Its exterior is unfinished white marble.