Approximately 100,000 veterans visit one of 171 VA Medical Centers every single day, VA statistics reveal. National Salute to Veteran Patients Week, held this past week (February 9-15) in 2025, is one of the means by which VA honors and pays tribute to the brave military veterans who receive medical care at VA medical facilities. The designation is usually the week on which Valentine’s Day falls. Formerly known as Help Hospitalized Veterans Week, National Salute […]

The U.S. Coast Guard Reserve will observe its 84th birthday this Wednesday, February 19. While a handful of other important events and early beginnings led up to the official founding, February 19 remains the date to celebrate. On June 23, 1939, Congress gave the Coast Guard Reserve a legislative mandate to use civilians. This was done to promote safety on the high seas and the nation’s navigable waters. The Coast Guard Reserve personnel were non-military […]

George Washington’s birthday was celebrated on February 22 until well into the 20th Century. However, in 1968 Congress passed the Monday Holiday Law to provide uniform annual observances of certain legal public holidays on Mondays. By creating more three-day weekends, Congress hoped to “bring substantial benefits to both the spiritual and economic life of the Nation.” One such day was President’s Day which, technically and officially, remains George Washington’s Birthday holiday. The U.S. National Archives […]

Happy Valentine’s Day! When contemplating the holidays that have special significance for active-duty service members, veterans, their families, and significant others, never count out the magical St. Valentine’s Day. Historically, and even up to 2025, there is no shortage of human interest stories featuring expressions and demonstrations of love both to and from those who have served in the military. For example, an exhibit in the World War II Museum in New Orleans reveals that […]

BVA is dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of its members. Accordingly, a recent trend has created a particular concern, that of job scams targeting veterans. These scams are designed to exploit the trust and dedication of those who have served our country, and it is crucial to stay informed to protect yourself and your loved ones. Scammers often pose as legitimate employers or recruiters, offering enticing job opportunities that seem too good to be true. […]

BVA has joined 13 other organizations in support of the Caring for Survivors Act of 2025, legislation reintroduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5) on January 23. Hayes introduced an identical bill during the 118th Congress that passed with a voice vote in the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs last April but was not taken up by the full Committee. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1) […]

Earlier this month, Representatives David Valdao (R-CA-22) and Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-3) reintroduced in the House of Representatives a significant legislative priority for BVA that had lost a portion of its previous momentum by the end of the 118th Congress last December. For nearly two years, BVA has been the catalyst behind proposed legislation that would pave the way for a new Federal Advisory Committee to oversee and work with VA in its efforts to improve […]

BVA joins more than a dozen other Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) in endorsing the Dental Care for Veterans Act, a bill reintroduced this week in the House of Representatives by Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA-26). The bill will be assigned shortly a new number for the current congressional session. The proposed legislation seeks to provide dental services to all veterans enrolled in VA health care, thereby eliminating current statutory eligibility restrictions that limit coverage to veterans […]

February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month as decreed by Prevent Blindness, the nation’s leading eye health and safety nonprofit organization. AMD is one of the common causes of low vision, alongside diabetes and glaucoma. Increasing recognition of AMD recognizes the condition as an eye disease that impairs central vision and may appear in two forms, wet AMD and dry AMD. Releasing accurate information about AMD and low vision is important […]

Senate lawmakers this week voted to confirm the first ever post-9/11 veteran, former Georgia Representative Doug Collins, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Collins tallied the second widest number of bipartisan votes of any President Donald J. Trump nominee thus far with 77-23 in his favor. Only Marco Rubio’s 99-0 confirmation as Secretary of State was more decisive to this point. The 58-year-old Collins served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 after service in […]