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 […]

On September 6, 2025, in Gladstone, Missouri, a gathering of family, friends, and brothers in arms came together to celebrate the life and memory of BVA Past President Paul Lawrence Mimms. During the heartfelt ceremony and service, family and several close friends told stories and reflected on all Paul was and always will be to them. The memories were touching and left many in tears and occasional bits of laughter. For me, Paul was a […]

In 1964, the U.S. Congress approved a resolution authorizing the President of the United States to issue annually a proclamation designating October 15 as “National White Cane Safety Day.” President Lyndon B. Johnson was the signer of the resolution and the first U.S. President to issue a proclamation. Although President Barack Obama renamed the day “Blind Americans Equality Day” in his 2011 proclamation and subsequent proclamations, some still prefer and use the “White Cane Safety […]

BVA Happenings recognizes the noteworthy confirmation and swearing-in of Sam Brown as the eighth VA Undersecretary for Memorial Affairs three weeks ago. The U.S. Senate approved Brown’s nomination on July 29 in a 54-44 vote mostly along party lines, with two Nevada Democrats breaking to support the Army veteran. He himself ran unsuccessfully for the Senate last year in the state. VA Secretary Doug Collins conducted Brown’s swearing-in on July 31. Brown’s path to confirmation […]

Leaders and members of the Louisiana/Mississippi Regional Group have again come through with another flag display donation and dedication, this time at the State Library of Louisiana in downtown Baton Rouge. “Out of all the donations and dedications we’ve organized, this one was probably our very best ever,” said Joe Burns, longtime BVA member, national officer, and current regional group treasurer. “To have so many there to support our efforts and recognize them—and for the […]

U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have determined to file the Major Richard Star Act as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass defense bill. BVA is one of dozens of military service, veterans, and survivor organizations backing the legislation. At present, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount […]