BVA’s Awards Program honors annually the extraordinary professional achievements of a blind or low vision veteran, the outstanding level of service of a BVA member to their regional group, and a volunteer who has served blind and low vision veterans with unusual dedication and enthusiasm. The recognitions are, respectively, the Maas, Diener, and Schnair Awards. The program also recognizes, through an annual Certificate of Appreciation, the professionals who go the extra mile in serving and supporting […]

Space is still available but very limited for veteran participation in the 16th National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic scheduled for June 4-9 in San Diego, California. Registration will close one week from today, February 10.  The Clinic is designed to empower veterans of all ability levels whose present rehabilitation goals would benefit from the value of adaptive summer sports. Activities include the following: surfing, kayaking, cycling, sailing, yoga, meditation, and adaptive fitness. For more information […]

BVA National President Joseph D. McNeil, Sr. will present BVA’s current legislative priorities at a joint session of the U.S. House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs. The 10:00am hearing on Wednesday, March 8, the first in-person session in three years due to the pandemic, will also include presentations by several other Veterans Service Organizations.  Members of the BVA Board of Directors will also visit Congressional offices in the days leading up to the testimony. […]

Are you ready to learn about the latest and greatest in assistive technology? Join the VetTech team this upcoming Wednesday, February 8, at 2:00pm Eastern Time, as we welcome HumanWare’s Peter Tucic, Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Mathieu Paquette, Product Manager, for an early look at the new Victor Reader Stream 3.  You will discover how the Stream 3 will revolutionize the way you access the National Library Service’s BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download), […]

The National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic (NDVGC), known in earlier times as the TEE Tournament and held this year September 10-15, is an increasingly popular adaptive golf and rehabilitation program for veterans with life-changing disabilities such as visual impairments, spinal cord injuries, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, and certain neurological conditions. While golf is the premier activity of the event, it also includes an introduction to several alternative activities and sports. For more information and access […]

BVA unites with other organizations in its concern for those with declining sight as we recognize February as Low Vision Awareness Month. The occasion is commemorated annually to increase knowledge about vision rehabilitation services that can benefit persons with sight loss. With passage of the revised bylaws at the BVA 77th National Convention, membership in the Association was extended to veterans with low vision.  The National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health offers […]

A large virtual gathering of service members, veterans, caregivers, VA staff, Veterans Service Organizations, and other advocates of veterans will celebrate Black History Month together at a VA-hosted webinar this Wednesday, February 8, at 1:00pm Eastern Time. The event will celebrate African American service in the military and highlight noteworthy African American veterans.  Guest speakers will include The Honorable Donald Remy, VA Deputy Secretary, and Dr. Christopher B. Howard, Executive Vice President of Arizona State […]

BVA has long been a strong advocate for accessible information and forms across all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) digital platforms in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Ongoing collaborative efforts have assisted VA in improving the accessibility features of its Health and Benefits Mobile Application, educating veterans, family members, and caregivers about accessibility policies, and streamlining the reporting of accessibility barriers.  Passage of the VA Website Accessibility Act of 2019 […]

Amazon announced two weeks ago that the AmazonSmile program is being discontinued as of February 20. As a result, BVA seeks opportunities with other revenue sources to generate at least the same or greater support than that generated by AmazonSmile.  Amazon introduced AmazonSmile in 2013 as it set out to expand its Prime membership business, enabling customers to designate 0.5 percent of the price of eligible purchases to the charity of their choice. There was […]

Space is still available but very limited for veteran participation in the 16th National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic scheduled for June 4-9 in San Diego, California. Registration will close February 10.  The Clinic, designed to empower veterans of all ability levels whose present rehabilitation goals would benefit from the value of adaptive summer sports, includes the following activities: surfing, kayaking, cycling, sailing, yoga, meditation, and adaptive fitness. For more information and several links to additional […]