BVA’s Louisiana/Mississippi Regional Group, led by officers Gary Schoelerman and Joe Burns, presented and donated an American Bronze Braille Flag to WRBH-FM (88.3), a New Orleans radio station for the blind and print impaired, on March 8. The regional group chose WRBH as a tribute to the work they do to keep the sight and print impaired informed.  Having opened its doors in 1980, WRBH has been on the air as a service to the […]

Past BVA Executive Director, Director of Government Relations, and National President Tom Miller personally visited the offices of two Congressional leaders this past week on two different days for the presentation of the Association’s newly named Thomas H. Miller Guiding Legislator of the Year Award in honor of his own advocacy work on behalf of blinded veterans and their families for more than three decades.  The first two recipients of the award are Senator Robert […]

With emphasis on safeguarding ocular clinical standards of care, caregiver program clinical standards, compliance with transportation services, protections for guide and service dogs at VA facilities, and improving programs and services for women veterans, BVA National President Joseph D. McNeil, Sr. this week presented BVA’s legislative priorities for the current federal fiscal year at a joint session of the U.S. House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs.  The March 8 in-person hearing, held on the […]

BVA’s Awards Program honors annually the extraordinary professional achievements of a blind or low vision veteran, the outstanding level of service of a BVA member to their regional group, and a volunteer who has served blind and low vision veterans with unusual dedication and enthusiasm. The recognitions are, respectively, the Melvin J. Maas, Irving Diener, and David L. Schnair Awards.  The program also recognizes, through annual Certificates of Appreciation, the professionals who go the extra […]

The National Research and Training Center (NRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision at Mississippi State University is committed to enhancing employment outcomes for people with vision loss. Whether a blind or low vision veteran is navigating the vocational rehabilitation process, just beginning to consider careers, or seeking to gain or maintain employment, the series of webinars and podcasts entitled “Employment Insights with the NRTC are designed to provide assistance on that journey.  The most recent […]

BVA’s VetTech Team welcomes Vispero’s Liz Whitaker, Product Manager, User Education and Outreach, to the March 8 Weekly Wednesday Webinar at 2:00pm Eastern Time. Whether you are checking on your Social Security Administration claim or trying to access your VA health information, federal websites require users to employ either the Login.gov or ID.me secure portals.  Liz and the VetTech team will explore these portals and discuss solutions to overcome common barriers when using them. Do […]

Prospective attendees of the BVA 78th National Convention are encouraged to both register with BVA and secure their hotel reservations at the Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel August 14-18, 2023.  Those planning to attend this year’s activities—highlighted by educational sessions, an increasingly popular and busy Exhibit Hall, and the official BVA business sessions—can now register on the BVA website and link to a hotel reservation form that will allow them to reserve a room at […]

The month of March commemorates and encourages the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history, including those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and later became veterans. Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month” although the annual celebration had its beginnings in 1981 with an original Women’s History Week.  These annual proclamations celebrate the contributions women […]

Effective March 1, the maximum amount of life insurance coverage available under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) increased from $400,000 to $500,000. Service members who separated with SGLI coverage of $450,000 or $500,000 on or after March 1 can convert their coverage to VGLI in an amount up to or equal to the SGLI coverage they had at separation. They can purchase coverage in $10,000 increments. Veterans currently enrolled […]

BVA members Lonnie Bedwell, Indiana Regional Group, and Shawn Cheshire, Florida Regional Group, are in the final preparatory stages to climb two of the world’s tallest mountains: Mount Everest and its neighbor Mount Lhotse, the world’s fourth tallest mountain. Scaling Everest and Lhotse on the same expedition has never been done by a blind person, let alone two of them at the same time. In addition, Shawn’s successful attempt at Mount Everest will make her […]