As a guide dog, I play a critical role in providing increased independence, enhanced mobility, and reliable navigation. Dad and I have traveled to Cancún four times, each time visiting our timeshare. Early on, I learned the routes to dining facilities and various places on the resort campus. This preparation has helped us reach our destinations much more quickly, conveniently, and safely. My favorite thing to do in Cancún is bask in the sun on […]

VA has announced the launch of the Redesigned Airborne Hazards and Open Pit Registry (referred to as the “AHOBPR 2.0”), a database of 4.7 million that combines veteran and service member information to identify and research health challenges of those exposed to airborne hazards and burn pits during their military service. Although participation in or opting out of the registry does not impact personal eligibility for VA services and benefits, the knowledge gained through the […]

Please join us next Wednesday, August 14, at 3:00pm Eastern Time for BVA’s VetTech and Educational Series Weekly Webinar. The featured technology experts for the session will be Brea Blackwelder, Senior Accessibility Designer for the VA Health and Benefits Mobile Application team at Ad Hoc LLC; and Martha Wilkes, Designer and Accessibility Strategist in the VA Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Date/Time: August 14, 2024 @ 3:00pm (Eastern Time)Meeting ID: 856 2590 9913 Passcode: […]

My name is Shadow, and I currently guide BVA National President Paul Mimms. As my first task, I would like to recognize dogs everywhere during August, National Dog Month. Founded in 2020 by National Day Calendar® and Milk-Bone®, this month celebrates loveable canine companions in the middle of the dog days of summer. Honor your best pal by taking an extra-long walk, playing fetch, or providing a healthy treat.  Over the next month I will […]

Some 124 VA facilities across the United States offer signature Healthy Teaching Kitchen (HTK) programs that teach veterans and their support persons about food, nutrition, and how to prepare and store balanced, healthy dishes. The programs complement cooking instruction provided at residential VA Blind Rehabilitation Centers.  Initiated in 2004, program classes are open to VA-enrolled veterans and a “plus one” if desired. The “plus one” can be a partner, family member, caretaker, or anyone else […]

Please join us next Wednesday, August 7, at 3:00pm Eastern Time for BVA’s VetTech and Educational Series Weekly Webinar welcoming Elizabeth Whitaker, Manager of User Education and Research, and Rachel Buchanan, Director of the company’s User Education and Technical Support. The two will discuss the customization of settings in JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion to maximize their effectiveness. Specific emphasis will be placed on accessing and navigating settings, making changes, saving preferences, and securing help with […]

BVA this week salutes the Coast Guard and blind and visually impaired Coast Guard veterans. Since August 4, 1790, the U.S. Coast Guard has kept the nation’s waterways safe, continuously playing a critical role in national security. Although under slightly different names until 1915, this often-underrated branch of the military has patrolled the coasts for smugglers of all kinds, human traffickers, and international terrorists. As enemies of the country have become savvier technologically, the Coast […]

At various points during its 79-year history BVA and its members have received special recognition from the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. One of the more noteworthy, 15 years ago, acknowledged the anniversary of BVA’s founding while the other occurred during one of the six national conventions held in or near the Nation’s Capital. On April 7, 2010, President Barack Obama signed House Resolution 80 congratulating BVA on its 65th anniversary. The […]

Please join the VetTech and Educational Series Team next Wednesday, July 24, at 3:00pm Eastern Time as Michelle Mendez, National Sales Director for OrCam, returns to the Weekly Webinar. Michelle will highlight the OrCam Read 3 that is now accompanied by an AI-powered Smart Reading Magnifier and featured in the Exhibit Hall at the recent BVA 79th National Convention. OrCam Technologies was founded in 2010 with the goal of empowering people who are blind, visually […]

Another Independence Day is upon us, a holiday that I look forward to more than any other! I enjoy the summer reunions with family and friends, and the many festivities that go along with this special day in our nation’s history. This year I have the privilege of spending the holiday in Jacksonville, Florida, as we prepare for BVA’s 79th National Convention, which kicks off this coming weekend. I consider Independence Day, or the Fourth […]