Director of District 1 John O’Connell was honored as a “Hometown Hero” during a break in the action at the November 10 New Jersey Devils-New York Islanders National Hockey League game. The recognition highlighted his distinguished military service, his advocacy for blinded veterans, and his unwavering commitment to the veteran community. Before a packed arena at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, John was introduced on the Jumbotron at Center Ice with 9:43 remaining in the […]

BVA National President Wade Davis ventured to the Nation’s Capital on November 10 to represent blind and low vision veterans throughout the country in a series of events on Veterans Day that occurred at both Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and Arlington National Cemetery (ANC). Among such highlights was BVA’s participation in the traditional flag processional and a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) wreath laying at the Cemetery in wind chill temperatures below the freezing mark. With […]

Source: VA Press Advisory of October 30, 2025 The current government shutdown has forced nearly 37,000 VA employees to be furloughed or continue to work without pay. Because VA receives some advance appropriations from Congress, the Department’s Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, and Vet Centers remain open and in operation normally during the shutdown. Additionally, VA benefits continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education, and housing benefits. Burials also continue at VA national […]

Last week, BVA Happenings referenced National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM). Every November, VA participates in recognizing and honoring the invaluable contributions of caregivers across the country. The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) highlights the vital role caregivers play in the lives of veterans with the theme: Caregiving Connects Us, Community Strengthens Us. This year’s theme reflects CSP’s commitment to ensuring caregivers know they are supported and never walk this path alone. Caregiving may look different for every […]

The quantity of informational resources about caregiving in all its realms has exploded in recent years. VA resources are valuable, but there are others as well. During this National Family Caregivers Month, BVA members and their caregivers can check out several caregiving resource guides from AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons. AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 years and older to choose how they […]

BVA members and their families undoubtedly know, perhaps as well as any demographic, that vision changes affect nearly every aspect of life. The impact is often compounded when the loss is gradual and associated with age after a lifetime of being able to see. Changes in the people with sight loss range from how surroundings are navigated to how they feel emotionally. These effects, in turn, can impact strongly on the lives of spouses, children, […]

Effective September 30, 2025, VA has published a final rule which extends the transition period of legacy participants, legacy applicants, and their family caregivers (the legacy cohort) through September 30, 2028. The extension of the transition period means that legacy participants, legacy applications, and their family caregivers will remain eligible for PCAFC and will not experience a decrease in the monthly stipend amount based on a reassessment for the duration of the transition period (certain […]

For serving as a fixture who stands out noticeably at BVA national conventions, adaptive sports events, airports, city streets, trains, hotels, and parking lots, BVA Ambassadog Donald will walk the red carpet at the American Humane Hero Dog Awards Gala in Palm Beach, Florida, coming up later this winter. The constant dedication and love of this beautiful, brilliant, and intuitive yellow Labrador retriever toward his work, coupled with frequent heroic service to his handler, Army […]

Tune in to “Signing in the Dark: How Blind and Visually Impaired People Can Digitally Sign Documents with Apple Previewer, TeamViewer, and Aira,” the subject of the November episode of Visions of BVA. Host Steve Baskis demonstrates briefly yet thoroughly how blind and visually impaired individuals can sign inaccessible digital documents using the three technologies. “This is not a full tutorial but an introduction to the concept of signing,” Steve said. “It offers a quick […]

The Fall Gardening Series is nearing completion, having culminated in the much anticipated and heralded scarecrow contest. Participants first learned about the history of scarecrows used in agriculture and viewed the video, “Where do scarecrows come from?” on YouTube. They learned that the process began with children running through fields with noisemakers to scare birds away from crops. It later turned into human-like dolls, which we call scarecrows, and then evolved into machinery doing the […]