BVA National President Paul Mimms will present the Association’s legislative priorities for the current fiscal year in a joint session of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs next Wednesday, March 6. The BVA Government Relations Team has put together a full written document from which Paul has prepared the essence of his oral remarks.  The annual hearing, convening at 10:00am Eastern Time in Room SD-G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building adjacent to […]

It was indeed a privilege for me, Tavi, as I’m called, to serve as Ambassadog #2 in this wonderful new Scoop Series featuring the guide dogs of BVA. I’m now tossing the frisbee over to my good friend, Kent, who will introduce himself next week and hopefully offer some interesting insights throughout the month of March into the guide dog world and blinded veterans.  I enjoyed sharing a few things about my life with Yoneka. […]

The Million Veteran Program (MVP) of VA is now one million veterans strong, marking a historic milestone in November 2023 during a journey that was several years in the making. Hitting the plateau of a million will have a profound impact on veterans’ health care in the future, both today and for generations to come, as VA conducts lifesaving, groundbreaking research based on data already collected from enrollees. The initiative now reads, however, that reaching […]

Honoring and celebrating the United States Military with ceremonies and birthdays has been a longstanding tradition. The birthday of the United States Naval Reserve by Act of Congress on March 3, 1915, is no exception. Each subsequent March 3 is typically observed at various Navy Reserve units, the Reserve Headquarters, and the Navy Memorial in Washington, DC. On April 6, 1917, the name was changed to U.S. Naval Reserve Force and about 8,000 sailors joined […]

Pictured at left, primary advocates behind the announced proposal: Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Paralyzed Veterans of America Executive Director Carl Blake, and BVA Executive Director Don Overton. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hunt. BVA Executive Director Don Overton and Deputy Director of Government Relations Alek Libbin yesterday attended a White House Convening on Protecting the Safety, Rights, and Dignity of Air Travelers with Disabilities. The invitation to attend originated from BVA’s support […]

Guide dog Tavi sitting and looking at the camera. He is wearing his harness. Four paws up for Jane Flower, Youth Outreach Specialist for Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB), who joined the BVA Dog Handlers Group meeting this past Tuesday. Our friend Jane shared information about GDB’s Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Immersion Program for people interested in developing the O&M skills that are most relevant to guide dog mobility.    Traveling independently with a guide […]

BVA’s Veterans Service Program (VSP) is making unprecedented strides and progress in assisting thousands of veterans with sight loss with their VA claims and other needs related to compensation and benefits.    “I’m very proud of the outstanding work and recent successes of our team of Accredited National Service Officers,” said Duayne Driscoll, BVA’s National Service Director. “The quality of their tireless efforts and their total dedication are unique and essentially unmatched anywhere else.”   […]

BVA National President Paul Mimms will present the Association’s legislative priorities for the current fiscal year in a joint session of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs on Wednesday, March 6. The BVA Government Relations Team has put together a full written document from which Paul will likely draw many of his oral remarks.     The annual hearing convenes at 10:00am Eastern Time in Room SD-G50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building adjacent […]