VA earlier this week announced changes that will make it easier for VA-enrolled veterans to access health care from non-VA providers at the Department’s expense. In 2019, the MISSION ACT allowed such an opportunity when veterans met at least one of six conditions—but only when the decision was in the best medical interest of the veteran as determined by a second VA doctor. Implementation of the recently passed Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare […]

The Valor Games Southeast (VGSE) is a premier adaptive sports competition dedicated to empowering veterans and service members with disabilities through the transformative power of sport. This year, seven BVA members from the eastern half of the United States—Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia—participated in the event. Hosted by the North Carolina nonprofit Bridge II Sports, the 2025 edition marks the 13th year of the impactful event, held Monday-Thursday of this week […]

Monday of this week (May 19) marked a pivotal moment for our nation’s blinded veterans as H.R. 1147, the Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act of 2025 introduced by Representative David Valadao (R-CA-22) earlier this year, successfully passed the House of Representatives. This bipartisan triumph is a testament to the dedication of advocates and legislators who understand the unique challenges faced by those who have lost their sight in service to our country. Passage in the […]

Memorial Day is now upon us. The Blinded Veterans Association recalls and celebrates the ultimate sacrifice by men and women who have been willing to lay down their lives in the name of freedom and peace. The nature of those sacrifices, and the lifelong impact they have had on families of the fallen, is perhaps incomprehensible to those who have never experienced such a loss. As leaders, staff, and members of BVA, we express our […]

The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a health care benefits plan for veterans’ beneficiaries (spouse, surviving spouse, under age 18 dependents, those over 18 who are in school) who meet certain criteria. Eligibility depends on one of the following criteria: 1) The individual must be a spouse or a dependent child of a veteran who has been totally and permanently disabled from a service-connected disability, or 2) […]

Armed Forces Day, falling tomorrow (May 17), will see celebrations of all six branches of the U.S. Military: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, and Space Force. The day is now always recognized as the third Saturday in May and honors all currently serving or who have served in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserve components. Originally, there were single day celebrations for the Army, Navy and Air Force. This […]

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As is true for physical health, mental health is connected to a combination of factors. Stress levels, physical comfort, relationships at home, work, or school—all these and many more affect how we feel every day. VA’s Million Veterans Program (MVP), supported in concept by BVA, recognizes the important role that mental well-being plays in our overall health. Accordingly, during this month, MVP is sharing its studies on how genes, […]

Even after enrolling in VA health care, some veterans remain unaware of the wide range of assistance available to buy, retain, or modify their home; earn a college degree; start a career; stay healthy; and build on the foundations of financial health, physical health, and emotional health that they have established for their lives during their military service. A few forms of specific assistance are included in the following. Each of the points includes at […]

Four bright and ambitious Biomedical Engineering students at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey, recently completed a capstone Senior Design Project focusing on the issue of overhead detection for visually impaired individuals. At the heart of their efforts was a desire and a commitment to make a difference in others’ lives and to give something back.  Led by Adjunct Professor and veteran Ryan Ona, the Sight Assist Technologies team consisting of Abigail Fernandez, […]

Today, May 9, is National Military Spouse Appreciation Day, appropriately observed annually on the Friday before Mother’s Day. In Proclamation 5184 of April 17, 1984, President Ronald Reagan acknowledged the countless sacrifices and contributions made by military spouses since the days of the Continental Army and Navy in putting aside their personal and professional aspirations for a spouse service member. In 1999, Congress made Military Spouse Appreciation Day part of National Military Appreciation Month throughout […]