Next Wednesday, June 12, has been designated Women Veterans Recognition Day in several areas of the United States. The date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, signed into law by President Truman on June 12, 1948. The legislation enabled women to serve in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and the recently formed Air Force. Except for nurses, women had previously served only in times of war.  Although the […]

Perhaps it is but a coincidence that the date of the founding of our first military forces and the founding of the most powerful symbol of the freedoms of the United States of America are one and the same.  The U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year. Many believed at the time that the creation of the force would result in efforts […]

Join the Blinded Veterans Association’s VetTech Team this Wednesday, June 5, at 2:00pm Eastern Time as we welcome back Joe Alfonso and Kürşat Ceylan of WeWALK to the Weekly Wednesday Webinar.  WeWALK is a smart cane developed to improve the mobility of visually impaired people, allowing them full and equal participation in everyday life. The smart cane works in tandem with the app to help them navigate the world around them with fully accessible turn-by-turn […]

VA announced this past week two significant trends in the Department’s services to our nation’s veterans, first in the area of trust and second with respect to changes in wait times for new patients. Trust among veterans has reached an all-time high of 80.4 percent, up from 55 percent when the survey began in 2016. The figures are based on a survey of 38,293 veterans who used a wide range of VA services between January […]

A Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) team of three has been recognized for excellence and innovation in federal service as a result of recent progress on the VA Health and Benefits Mobile App that has expanded and evolved the mobile app’s features based on veterans’ needs, including those with sight loss. The Team, consisting of Deputy Chief Technology Officer Christopher Johnston, Product Lead Rachel Han, and Design Lead Ryan Thurwell, was selected from among more […]

This past Memorial Day weekend my tail could not stop wagging as I heard nothing but positive things about the May 23 reception that Waymo sponsored on Capitol Hill. I understand that many, including Congressman Bob Latta from Ohio, were intrigued by the Waymo autonomous vehicle on display at the event.  I can’t thank enough the Waymo Federal Policy and Government Affairs team for making all the arrangements, including the invitation to BVA’s National Executive […]

The Allied invasion of Europe at Normandy on June 6, 1944, was the largest multi-national amphibious attack and operational military airdrop in world history. D-Day is considered the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe. Dozens of BVA members, now deceased, were part of the Normandy invasion from the north and the heroic results of what some historians have labeled a miraculous ending to a battle exactly 80 years ago.  When the […]

Welcome to the Blinded Veterans Association! Since February, we have welcomed approximately 200 new members. If you are new to our community, we invite you to join our New Member Series. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about BVA, discover how you can contribute to the organization’s work, and explore the support available to you. We are excited to get to know you and help you gain maximum benefit from your membership.  Upcoming […]

Join BVA’s VetTech Team this Wednesday, May 29, at 2:00pm Eastern Time as we welcome back Debra Erickson, founder of the Blind Kitchen. Debra will cover and invite discussion on tips and safety tricks for grilling with blindness.  “Food is my love language—it’s the way I most enjoy expressing my fondness and affection for family and friends,” Debra has related. She holds firm in the belief that if blind and low vision cooks are simply […]

This week VA announced that it will host Memorial Day ceremonies across the country to commemorate the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending the United States in armed conflict as well as all veterans buried in VA cemeteries. The Department’s National Cemetery Administration invites veterans, their families, caregivers, survivors, and the American public to attend these commemorative events planned throughout the weekend.  During these events, cemeteries typically conduct wreath-laying ceremonies accompanied […]