Members of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) are invited and encouraged to attend one of three scheduled townhall meetings next week to learn more about and discuss a proposed comprehensive revision of the national bylaws. The need for such a revision originates from observations of BVA’s national and regional group leadership that the document contains many inconsistencies and structural variances scattered throughout. Unlike the isolated amendments that have traditionally been considered, voted on, and adopted […]

The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), the only Veterans Service Organization (VSO) exclusively dedicated to serving our nation’s blinded veterans and their families, was among a coalition of 11 VSO advocates participating in a January 19 roundtable discussion of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs focused on H.R. 3967, the “Honoring our PACT Act of 2021.” The virtual roundtable was hosted by Committee Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA-41) and Ranking Member Mike Bost (R-IL-12). Passage of the […]

The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) has made available information and application materials for its Kathern F. Gruber and Thomas H. Miller Scholarship Program for the 2022-23 academic year. Spouses, children, and grandchildren of blinded veterans are welcome to apply. Additional eligibility criteria for the scholarships and application materials can be accessed (HERE).    Similar resources and applications to nominate candidates for BVA’s four national recognitions, awarded annually, are also available. To learn more about the […]

Bookshare, a Silver-level sponsor and a session presenter at the Blinded Veterans Association’s 76th Virtual National Convention last summer, is requesting the help of BVA and BVA members in order to better serve its present and future adult clientele. Are you a current or past Bookshare member? Have you considered using Bookshare but decided not to become a member? You can help Bookshare better serve the adult community by sharing your feedback in a brief […]

The Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) in Sands Point, New York, is seeking blind, low-vision, and DeafBlind participants for group and individual online interviews on how to describe portraits and people. According to Megan A. Conway, PhD, HKNC Research and Accessibility Specialist, the interviews will take approximately 90 minutes and will be conducted online for blinded veterans via the convenience and comfort of their own homes. “The interviews will focus specifically on the preferences of […]

Sports4Vets Throwdown, a virtual adaptive fitness competition hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, is open for registration now through January 5 for veterans of all ability levels, ages, and backgrounds who wish to showcase their fitness, live healthier lives through adaptive fitness, and embrace a sense of virtual community. The competition runs January 12-31. Any veteran who is enrolled in VA health care is welcome […]

Esteemed BVA Members, Volunteers, Friends, Partners, and Staff: On behalf of our National Board of Directors, I wish for each of you and yours a pleasant and happy holiday season. May the season be filled with joy, peace, and hope for prosperity in the New Year! This is the best time of year to reflect on the things in our lives that are of greatest worth and, in many instances, sacred to us. Although peace […]

As we close out a busy and productive year at the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), our Government Relations Team has secured a legislative victory pertaining to a longstanding issue that has plagued our military health care system for generations—ocular trauma care and care for vision loss due to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). A section in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), Section 721, mandates the establishment of no fewer than […]

Thanksgiving Greetings, Blinded Veterans Association Members and Friends! Like many of you, I have often felt overwhelmed by the challenges and hardships that have confronted us the past two years during this unprecedented worldwide pandemic. As a way of lifting that burden somewhat, I find myself reflecting on the things in life for which I personally feel profound gratitude, especially as we approach the holiday season and this week as we gather around our tables […]

On this Veterans Day, we honor and remember the men and women who have worn the uniform of our great nation, Americans who at critical moments stepped forward and swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution and laws against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Veterans Day is a vitally significant day. It is a day to speak up for those who put their lives on the line for their fellow Americans – a […]