The holiday on the third Monday of February each year is most often called “Presidents’ Day” to recognize all American Presidents, the first of whom, George Washington, was born on February 22, 1732. Most calendars have the “Presidents’ Day” designation because each state has the freedom to determine its legal holidays. Retail sales advertisements in February almost always use the name Presidents’ Day, perhaps in part because another revered President, Abraham Lincoln, was also born […]

BVA is pleased to highlight again the elections for Directors of Districts 2 and 4. As outlined in Article 6 Section 2 of the BVA National Bylaws, these crucial roles represent the voices and needs of members residing in their respective districts. Nominations for the Directorships will remain open until March 1.  Who can run? As per Article 6, Section 2, Paragraph B, “Candidates must be members of the Association residing in the territorial boundaries […]

A series of virtual Town Hall meetings will again this year prepare Association members for the annual national convention. The first in the series kicks off on Thursday, February 22, at 2:00pm Eastern Time via Zoom. The purpose of the Town Halls revolves around the important details associated with dates, events, registration procedures, and upcoming deadlines and key actions. Prospective attendees will also receive answers to important questions during the relevant sessions.  The upcoming Town […]

The Federal Trade Commission estimated that in 2022 alone, veterans reported $292 million in losses to fraud. This number represents only the fraud that has been detected. In response, under the direction of the White House, VA has established a permanent Veterans Scam and Fraud Evasion (VSAFE) Office.    Current outreach deliverables via VSAFE are all targeted to simplify navigation for veterans, their families, their caregivers, and their survivors looking for assistance in identifying fraud, […]

Would you like to know more about the GI Bill Comparison Tool, expanded presumptive disabilities for Vietnam War veterans, the latest VA apps for your smartphone, or the lineup for past and current shows on the VA Podcast Network? How about the fact that veterans can conveniently manage their VA appointments, refill prescriptions, and securely communicate with their providers through My HealtheVet? It’s all right there and more in each episode of “the BLUF,” which […]

Responding to BVA’s recent advocacy efforts and acknowledging the significance of Low Vision Awareness Month, an updated online “Accessibility at VA Outreach Toolkit” is now available through VA’s Office of Information Technology.    The toolkit, accessed here, conveys what VA is now doing to ensure that the Department’s electronic information, software, websites, documents, and applications are usable to veterans with vision, auditory, physical, and cognitive impairments. It also includes information here about how the veteran […]

Guide dog Tavi sitting and looking at the camera. He is wearing his harness. Thank you to my buddy Donald for introducing me, at least by name, last week. My name is Otavio, but my handler, Yoneka, a BVA member, called me Tavi. I referred to her as Mom and we became a Guide Dog Team in April of 2023 when I was 19 months old.  Mom and I met at the Seeing Eye Guide […]

CarEasy logo which is a clipart graphic of a green tow truck towing a red car. Do you have an old or extra vehicle that you don’t need any longer and would like to donate? BVA is a listed non-profit with CAREASY.org – a 501(c)3 organization that makes it simple for you to donate your vehicle. They provide free and convenient pick-up and strive to accept any vehicle – cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, boats, airplanes, heavy equipment, […]

What are government regulations? Where do they come from? How do they affect you? And, lastly, how can you affect the creation of regulations?  VA begins a process known as rulemaking for the purpose of implementing a new law. Rulemaking is the policymaking process of federal agencies, and the final products of these processes are called regulations. In other words, regulations are laws in action. Rulemaking and regulatory processes do not happen behind closed doors […]