Despite the current federal government shutdown, hopefully resolved prior to Veterans Day, the Veterans Day National Committee of which BVA is a member continues to move forward with the planned activities for the annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11. The VSO breakfast is a hallmark of the day, but will this year be held away from the White House due to the renovations in progress there. Subsequent activities usually include a traditional […]

The BVA Book Club Interest Group has recently seen increased attendance at its monthly virtual meetings and greater enthusiasm to read the works selected by the group. The reading occurs via the audio Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Downloadable Books and Magazines. The book just completed was John Grisham’s 2001 novel The Painted House, a departure from Grisham’s legal thrillers. Having enjoyed one […]

October 27, this Monday, is the original Navy Day, the day that was established in celebration of the United States Navy. Although the observance was officially replaced by Armed Forces Day in 1949, the celebrations of Navy Day continue, especially among the members of the Naval Forces themselves. Research undertaken in the 1970s revealed that the true birthday of the U.S. Navy is October 13, and the birth date of this branch of the Armed […]

Longtime BVA friend Gale Roberson Watson, always a staunch advocate for blinded veterans and who constantly championed the work done on their behalf, passed away on October 13 from causes incident to Alzheimer’s Disease. Gale retired as National Director for Blind Rehabilitation Services at VA in 2018 after a long and distinguished career of service to those with blindness and low vision through clinical care, education, research, and international consulting. In addition to several recognitions […]

Since 2012, October 26 has been recognized by all 50 states as the National Day of the Deployed, a day dedicated to honoring those past and present who have been deployed throughout the world in U.S. military service. The day also acknowledges the sacrifices that military spouses and families make during deployment. The first-ever Day of the Deployed was observed in 2006 when North Dakota announced a proclamation for the day, thanks to the efforts […]

BVA only recently learned that the American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma (ASOT) presented BVA Past National President Dr. Tom Zampieri with its first ever “Advocacy Award” for legislation and policy achievements during his tenure at BVA, both as a staff member (Director of Government Relations) and as a Board Member (National Vice President, National President, and Past National President). The award was presented to Tom by Grant Justin, M.D., President of Walter Reed National Military […]

The American Council of the Blind Virginia (ACB-VA) held its annual conference last weekend, October 17-19, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Fredericksburg, Virginia. BVA’s own Michaun Harrison, National Administrative Coordinator at the Association’s National Headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and a current resident of the City of Fredericksburg, is also a member of the ACB Virginia Chapter. She actively participates in the organization’s virtual Fiber Arts Club and serves on the Advocacy Committee. Michaun received […]

Warner L. Murray, New York Regional Group, often shares a poem or two with BVA National Headquarters that he has recently composed. The poems Warner sends almost invariably reflect his feelings and impressions about people, places, or events relating to the Blinded Veterans Association and are appropriate for publication in BVA Happenings and/or the BVA Bulletin. BVA members who receive the CBRC Torch, the newsletter of the Central Blind Rehabilitation Center, learned this week that […]

BVA members and their supporting casts at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities will wrap up White Cane Day activities during the week ahead. In the meantime, reports of recent events are beginning to circulate and reach BVA National Headquarters. Particularly noteworthy is an account submitted today for BVA Happenings by Heartland Regional Group President Jeanie Murphy from the Caribbean! Jeanie’s White Cane Day events were not in the Caribbean, of course, but that’s where […]

Although not affected as strongly or severely as other cabinet-level departments, VA is nowhere close to business as usual due to the current government shutdown. The impasse is now in the middle of its 17th day of a lapse in federal funding appropriations for health care and other benefits for veterans. Lawmakers remain in a stalemate over spending proposals. Many VA services, including compensation and pension benefits, are not affected as VA operates off an […]