| National Office for Veterans and Victims of War | |
| Native Name: | Office national des anciens combattants et victimes de guerre |
| Type: | Agency |
| Preceding1: | Office national des mutilés, combattants, victimes de la guerre et pupilles de la nation |
| Preceding2: | Office National des Mutilés et Réformés |
| Superseding6: | --> |
| Motto: | Memory and solidarity |
| Chief1 Name: | Véronique Peaucelle-Delelis |
| Chief1 Position: | Director General |
| Chief9 Name: | --> |
| Parent Department: | Ministry of the Armies |
| Child25 Agency: | --> |
| Keydocument6: | --> |
| Map Size: | <= 180px |
The National Office for Veterans and Victims of War (French: '''Office national des anciens combattants et victimes de guerre''' (ONACVG)) is a French governmental agency under the Ministry of the Armed Forces. Its purpose is recognition and support of the nation's war veterans and victims, and directing national policy about war memorials and remembrances.
The current agency is the successor to the veteran's organisation first set up in 1916 during the First World War. It underwent several mergers with related veterans and war victims organisations. Its charter was expanded to include victims of terrorist incidents following the November 2015 Paris attacks.
The first office to be created was the National Office of Disabled and Discharged War Veterans created by ministerial decree on 2 March 1916, during the First World War.[1] At the outset the latter was an interagency autonomous public institution managed by a board of directors. The law of 2 July 1917 established the and that of 19 December 1926 created the National Soldiers Office. During the years 1933 and 1934, successive mergers of the three organisations created the National Office of Veterans, Disabled, War Victims, and Wards of the Nation. In 1946 this organisation took over the management of social services of the Ministry of Prisoners, Deportees and Refugees and was renamed the National Office of Veterans and Victims of War. Since 1991, it also handles assistance to victims of terrorism.
The Office has three goalsː[2]
It carries out these goals by handling applications, assigning honors, and disbursing allocations according to the rights established by the law,[3] including handling applications and requests for
as well as disbursing funds owed to constituents via departmental branches, as part of reparations for
The agency is constituted as a legal person (établissement public à caractère administratif) with financial autonomy. It maintains delegates in every French department.
It has a board of directors whose role it is to define institutional policy. The board chair is appointed by the Council of Ministers. The board consists of 40 members[4] divided into four colleges. The first one has eight members representing the assemblies and the administrations to which they belong and serve for four years. The second college has 2 members and represents veterans and war victims selected from among the different citizen categories. The third college consists of six members representing the foundations and national associations that work for memorials and citizenship. It is chaired by the Minister Delegate for Veterans Affairs. Finally the council includes two representatives from the staff of the national office.