Effective February 9, 2026, VA will stop making need-based apportionments for compensation, pension, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) awards. Until now, and in limited situations, VA was able to pay a portion of a VA beneficiary’s monetary benefits directly to the beneficiary’s dependent, referred to as an apportionment. To qualify, the dependent could not reside with the beneficiary, had to demonstrate financial need, and the apportionment could not cause financial hardship to the beneficiary. […]

The most recent audio episode of Visions of BVA has been live and accessible since January 1 on all major platforms, most notably the Association’s YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. Featured this month is the audio version of the Autumn 2025 BVA Bulletin, the most recent issue of the quarterly publication produced by and for blind and low vision veterans and their families. Host and producer Steve Baskis has converted a written script of […]

The upcoming weekend includes a Monday federal holiday that honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Baptist minister and major leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The holiday recognizes both him and his date of birth, January 15, 1929.   Known in large part for his nonviolent resistance to racial inequality and segregation, Dr. King spearheaded major events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington (where he gave his “I Have a Dream” […]

In only 11 days, BVA will join the global Giving Tuesday movement. The popularity of this movement has inspired millions of people worldwide to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity as the holiday season approaches. Please consider donating today or on December 2 by clicking the button below. Your support provides a renewed sense of independence to blind and low vision veterans.  Prior to Veterans Day, BVA Happenings shared a message from BVA member Jill Hinton […]

BVA members from the New York, New Jersey, and Illinois Regional Groups proudly participated in the 2025 New York City Veterans Day Parade, one of the nation’s largest celebrations honoring military service. Blinded veterans traveled to Manhattan to represent their regions and showcase the unity and strength of the BVA community. Riding up Fifth Avenue beneath crisp November skies, BVA members joined thousands of other veterans, service organizations, and supporters. For participants, the parade was […]

On behalf of the National Board of Directors and National Headquarters staff, BVA Happenings wishes all Association members and their families an uplifting and enjoyable Veterans Day. Despite the current federal government shutdown, still unresolved as our weekly newsletter is being transmitted, the Veterans Day National Committee of which BVA is a member will proceed with the planned activities for the annual ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and other related events this Tuesday. Although […]

VA produces annually a Veterans Day Teachers’ Resource Guide with support from the VA Teacher Resource Guide Subcommittee. Their contributions ensure that the content is meaningful, accurate, and accessible for educators and other communities. The fact that the resource is labeled a Teachers’ Guide implies that it was developed primarily for teachers of young people in elementary or secondary school. While that may be true in part, VA encourages the sharing of the Guide in […]

In 2025, nutrition information may be available at the click of a few keyboard letters or a click or two of a mouse. The real question is whether such information is credible, especially when an alternate source of information may offer an opinion totally contradictory. Through their “Fresh Focus Podcast,” dietitians at the Marion, Illinois VA Medical Center offer a safe place for veterans and their families to hear the same advice they would likely […]

The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER), an organization with which BVA has partnered and worked for decades in common advocacy efforts, is currently seeking support from the blind and visually impaired community in its effort to reverse the non-continuation of Braille Training Grants from the Department of Education. BVA Legislative Director Lea Rowe has requested that BVA Happenings publish the following “Urgent AER Advocacy Alert” from Lee Sonnenberg, […]

A final farewell to Elizabeth Holmes, BVA Past National Secretary, was held on August 19 in Columbus, Georgia.  Although many of us met her through BVA, the relationships she had with BVA members encompassed more than that. Her vibrant personality and passion for life were infectious, confirmed by the many friends and family who spontaneously gave heartfelt and often humorous stories about her. The room was filled with warm memories of Liz. She lived a […]