Conventional history of veterans associations as mass membership fraternities & good government advocates goes like; "Order of...
Conventional history of veterans associations as mass membership fraternities & good government advocates goes like; "Order of Cincinnatus>Grand Army of the Republic>Veterans of Foreign Wars>American Legion>GI Bill Era "But how about veterans associations as garrisons of previously victorious faction and/or shadow army of currently out of favor faction. Then you get "Order of Cincinnatus>>Filibusters>>1st KKK//Pinker tons>>Conscription Era>>Soldier of Fortune>>Michigan Militia>>Blackwater
The American Legion verged on a freikorps and were the ones actively promoting the veterans-as-a-favored-class system (and ideology!) of backloaded benefits. Which after another mass-conscription world war and a Cold War of large standing armies was kind of what America built instead of a welfare state to distribute prosperity among the citizens. Which actually gets pretty iffy in an era of narrow, “all-volunteer” and thus self-selecting militaries.
Also, where’s Black Rifle Coffee fit in?