A handful of BVA awards honoring both the extraordinary professional accomplishments of blind and low vision veterans, as well as the dedicated service they offer one another, will be presented at the upcoming 80th National Convention. Although most of the awards recognize veterans, a few may come from BVA staff and VA personnel, depending on the specific accomplishments or services provided.

Nominations must be submitted electronically and are due 60 days prior to the opening day of the convention. Therefore, the due date prior to the 80th National Convention is this Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

The awards consist of the General Melvin J. Maas Award for Professional Achievement, the Irving Diener Award for outstanding service to fellow blinded veterans, the David L. Schnair Award for exceptional volunteerism, the Trailblazer Award, the Superstar Award, the Distant Darling/Gent Award, Certificate(s) of Appreciation (usually an individual serving BVA from the outside), and Honorary Memberships.