Jose Rivera-Barris, president of the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Regional Group, is presently in training at the VA Gulf Coast Blind Rehabilitation Center in Biloxi, Mississippi. Jose and BVA National Secretary Tracy Ferro recently met two young Marines, PFC Jazmine Briones and PFC Elian Espinoza, currently stationed in Biloxi as they train in Meteorological Oceanographic Analyst Forecasting at the Keesler Air Force Base until their graduation next summer. The Marines were at the […]

Blinded Veterans Association member Zach Tidwell has defied odds in creating an innovative word game that conquers not only puzzles but barriers, making it a revolutionary invention for inclusive gaming. Zanagrams can use both VoiceOver and Braille. For Zach’s creation he is the recipient of the prestigious AppleVis.com Golden Apple Award for Best Game of 2023. Zach is the first blinded veteran to code an iOS app and game.  “Zach’s spirit and remarkable resilience are […]

On December 13, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards accepted a Bronze Braille American Flag and Plaque on behalf of the State, capping a record number of 2023 Flag placements in a variety of locations, some of them especially noteworthy, by the Louisiana/Mississippi (LA/MS) Regional Group. The Flag and Plaque placed most recently are now both displayed outdoors in the Veterans Plaza next to the Governor’s residence.  Attending the brief ceremony with Governor Edwards were several […]

Left to right, Dr. Jay McLeod, Yoneka Trent with guide dog Tavi, and Ronnie Moore. BVA National Headquarters learned this week of a holiday-related endeavor of the Carolina Regional Group, motivated by the discovery of a truly genuine opportunity to serve two of their fellow blinded veterans. Yoneka Trent provided an account of the effort to Director of Member Relations Teresa Galgano, who relates the following with fictional names and places for the sake of […]

Season’s Greetings from your National Chaplain and Regional Chaplains as we close out 2023. At this time of year, we share thoughts, emotions, and acts of humility, hope, love, faith, grace, and spiritual discipline.  Our Father sees us while providing the beacon of light that fosters our joy through all seasons of the year. While our backgrounds are diverse and our beliefs not all identical, our commonalities support our desire to learn from one another […]

Join BVA’s VetTech team this Wednesday, December 20, at 2:00pm Eastern Time for a special pre-holiday season Weekly Wednesday Webinar that will serve as a wrap-up for the 2023 sessions and present a preview of what lies ahead for the program in 2024. For Wednesday’s attendees, the session will be a valuable opportunity to: Review the topics and special guests from 2023. Share personal successes with technology and lessons learned from VetTech. Provide feedback related […]

VA announced earlier this week that after just 13 months of veteran screening for toxic exposures as part of the PACT Act, 5 million have been screened and some 2.1 million (43 percent) reported at least one potential exposure.  The screening takes 5-10 minutes and begins with VA health providers asking veterans if they believe they experienced toxic exposures while serving in the armed forces. A “yes” response results in follow-up questions and access to […]

The Veteran’s Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), otherwise known as VEAP, offers educational assistance to veterans who have submitted payments into the program throughout the duration of their service. In general, veterans have ten years from their date of discharge to use their education benefits. Some ineligible veterans still have unused contributions and are entitled to a refund.  Veterans or next of kin potentially eligible for a refund would have […]

Sharing Your Light This Holiday Season – The holiday season has officially begun. The spirit of this wonderful time of the year can trigger feelings of joy, love, and generosity. It is a time of celebration, coming together with loved ones, and expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives. Amid darkness, there can also be light. We invite BVA members to share a portion of their light through video messages of gratitude. The videos […]