Woodrow Fryer, currently the acting president of the Augusta Chapter of the Georgia Regional Group and an active pastor and humanitarian known for his love of his country, received the Salute to Service Award this past Wednesday from WJBF-TV in Augusta. The award presentation, along with several photos and a video, was the subject of a news report later that evening.  A veteran of the Marine Corps who began losing his sight 15 years ago, […]

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.  A full contingent of the BVA Board of Directors will attend the testimony. They will also visit Congressional offices in […]

If you are ready to learn more about a friendly, voice-activated smart phone, or looking for a simple, hands-free Smart phone experience, the upcoming VetTech Weekly Wednesday Webinar is for you! Join the VetTech team this upcoming Wednesday, February 15, at 2:00pm Eastern Time, as we welcome Anat Nulman, Business Director for RealThing Ai in the United States. Anat will offer an overview of the RealSam Pocket, demonstrate voice commands, and provide commonly used apps, […]

The National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic (NDVGC), known in earlier times in BVA circles as the TEE Tournament, will be held this year September 10-15. NDVGC 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. […]

February is also Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month. The campaign, sponsored by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, seeks to inform the public of the world’s leading cause of irreversible blindness in persons over 50 years of age. AMD affects the macular at the back of the eye, the part of the retina that sees fine detail such as images directly in front of a person or words on a page. The University of North […]

BVA unites with other organizations in its concern for those with declining sight as we recognize February as Low Vision Awareness Month. The commemoration occurs 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 […]

BVA Dog Handler Committee Chair Michaun Harrison has announced a special guest speaker for the scheduled third Tuesday meeting at 4:00pm on February 21. Dr. Devon Smith, veterinarian at Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc., in Palmetto, Florida, will address the virtual audience.  Dr. Smith has been a passionate animal lover since her early childhood. Between horseback riding and growing up in a home filled with rescue dogs, she was always surrounded by animals. During her junior […]

Bestwork Industries for the Blind located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is seeking to hire veterans who are blind or visually impaired. Bestwork Industries was founded in 1981 by Vincenzo James “Jim” Varsaci, a BVA founding member present at the organization’s first meeting at Avon Old Farms Army Convalescent Hospital on March 28, 1945, while he recuperated from combat injuries during World War II.  Bestwork is now the largest employer in the state of New […]

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 Certificates of Appreciation, the professionals who go the extra mile in serving and […]

Many BVA members and friends may still be unaware that the organization recently created a Board-appointed position with the official title of Judge Advocate and Parliamentarian, now occupied by life member Stephen Butler of Temple, Texas. As is the case with a Judge Advocate in the military, Stephen’s functions include providing legal advice, meeting protocol, and assistance in a wide variety of practice areas. His charge is to keep BVA’s ship on the right path […]