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Ken Asam Lauded for Dedicated Service in Southern Cal

Longtime Southern California Regional Group (SCRG) officer Ken Asam has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation at the annual Visual Impairment Services Team (VIST) barbecue of Greater Los Angeles. The July 24 event honored Ken following his service as the SCRG president and paid tribute to his penchant for turning adversity into new opportunities. The Certificate, signed by VIST Coordinators Dunia Lara (Sepulveda) and Lisa Mitchell (Los Angeles and West Los Angeles), reads as follows: […]

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Key Senators Announce Filing of Star Act as Amendment to NDAA

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have determined to file the Major Richard Star Act as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass defense bill. BVA is one of dozens of military service, veterans, and survivor organizations backing the legislation. At present, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount […]

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Expansion Proposal Looms for Caregiver Support Program Eligibility

VA has announced that a rule will soon be proposed within the Department that would extend eligibility for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) through September 30, 2028, to certain veterans and their family caregivers. PCAFC is part of VA’s broader Caregiver Support Program. It offers enhanced clinical support for family caregivers of eligible veterans who incurred or aggravated a serious injury in the line of duty and who meet other eligibility […]

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Recognitions Celebrate Veterans Today through Tuesday

The final week of July offers opportunities to recognize the value of American veterans on the job and several other milestone dates of significance for them. July 25 and July 27-29 are all recognized for different but important reasons. National Hire A Veteran Day, July 25 – The observance aims to inspire employers to recruit and hire veterans by recognizing the unique skills and values that former Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen bring […]

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LA/MS RG Braces Anew for Red Dress Run, Late Summer Braille Flag Presentations

BVA members from the Louisiana/Mississippi Regional Group and supporters from both Illinois and North Carolina are once again anticipating the August New Orleans Hash House Harriers’ (NOH3) Red Dress Run as a means of raising funds for the presentation of Braille Flags at the Louisiana State Library in Baton Rouge, the South Regional Library in Lafayette, and the libraries in St. Charles Parish and Vermillion Parish. Every year on the second Saturday in August, NOH3 […]

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Revisiting 80th National Convention Highlights

The sights and sounds of the Blinded Veterans Association’s 80th National Convention will doubtless remain in the hearts and minds of those associated with the historic gathering, hopefully for months and years to come. For BVA members and their families unable to make it to Dallas this year, BVA Happenings offers a sequel to last week’s convention recap with some additional images. Tracy Ferro offers point of emphasis at convention Opening Business Meeting. BVA Executive […]

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Home Loan Basics for the Summer Homebuying Season

Since 1944, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loans have helped generations of veterans and service members build stronger financial futures. As part of its mission to serve them, VA Loan Guaranty Service helps veterans buy, build, repair, retain, or adapt a home for their personal occupancy. The VA home purchase loan offers several advantages for veterans: In most cases, no or limited down payment required by VA (lenders require a down payment in […]

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Other Convention Highlights

Joint Opening Ceremony BVA National Sergeant-at Arms Brian O’Connell got the convention off to a perfect start with a trumpet solo rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner after directing the BVA’s own Rob Sanchas and Sheldon McKinney in a presentation of the colors at the opening ceremony Monday morning prior to convention welcome videos by Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs and Executive Director Dr. Vernon Humphrey’s introduction of […]

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Never Feel Alone during Bouts with PTSD, Urges Professional Certified Coach 

The month of June brought Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, and today, June 27, is PTSD Awareness Day. PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-altering event. The attention afforded to PTSD in June brings the issue to the forefront and increases public understanding about a mental health condition that affects more than 13 million people in the United States. In June 2024, the staff at the Connections Wellness Group in the Dallas […]

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New Book Describes Challenges of Low Vision, Breakthrough Technology Aids

Some 120,000 U.S. veterans are legally blind and approximately 1.1 million are low vision, estimates from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Blind Rehabilitation Service (BRS) reveal. All who meet the criteria for low vision are now eligible for both VA services and BVA membership. The remaining millions of Americans confronting low vision are not able to access VA rehabilitation programs and the technology that comes with these programs, or they may be low vision […]