Neither the combatants nor the Brazilian society were prepared for the reintegration. Most veterans of the FEB faced several difficulties in resuming their social and professional lives, especially those who came from lower classes. Thus, in addition to fighting for recognition of their role in the war, they concentrated on fighting for concession of rights and benefits, and their preservation.
For that end the veterans formed the ex-combatants' association. The association divided between a militant left wing that supported confrontation and a conservative and conciliatory wing which defended negotiation with civil and military authorities. The later won hegemony over the association in the early 1950?s and has determined their policy since then. Gradually, the ex-combatants and the Brazilian participation in the War have been forgotten by the governmental authorities, professional historians and most of the Brazilian people. At the same time, a political and ideological proximity between the veterans and the Armed Forces happened in such a way that the public image of the veterans was predominantly associated with the military institution, and still is up to present time.