blinded veterans association [0124]
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
1/12
On the Cover: Left to right, BVA members Steven Beres, Roy Young, Charles Corrello, Paul Guzman,Charlotte Noddin, Ted Noddin, Neftali Sanchez, Roy Kekahuna and Peter Davis.Photos and graphic design by Marcy Yolles, M.Y. Graphics Company.10-2010/25M
If you are a blinded or visually impaired veteran wishing to join BVA,
if you are a relative or a friend, or if you just want to get involved,
write or give us a call.
The Blinded Veterans Association is an organization
established specifically to promote the welfare of blinded veterans.
We are here to help veterans and their families
meet the challenges of blindness.
BLINDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION477 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-371-8880 800-669-7079
email: [email protected] www.bva.org
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
2/12
-
BLINDED VETERANS
ASSOCIATION
477 H Street NWWashington, DC 20001
BlindedVeteransH
elpingBlindedVet
erans
BL
INDED
VETERANSASSOCIA
TIO
N
SINCE1945
Membership Information
World War II Memorial, Washington, DC
August 26, 2010
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
3/12
Did You Know . . .
There are approximately 160,000 blinded and visuallyimpaired veterans living in the United States today.
World War II and Korean War veterans face eye
conditions such as macular degeneration, retinitis
pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. There is
a new wave of visually impaired veterans who, along
with their families, are confronting the effects of diabetes
linked to Agent Orange. Others are returning from Iraq
and Afghanistan with vision loss that can be linked to
Traumatic Brain Injury.
2
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
4/12
We Are Committed to . . .
. . . locating blinded veterans who need services.
. . . guiding them through the rehabilitation experience.
. . . acting as advocates for blinded veterans and their
families in the public and private sectors.
. . . promoting access to technology and the practical use
of the latest research.
. . . providing role models who can demonstrate that the
challenges of blindness can be successfully overcome.
. . . serving as a medium of communication for and
about blinded veterans and the issues that affect them.
. . . supporting academic counseling and vocational and
recreational programs that foster rehabilitation.
. . . maintaining a vibrant organization offering
encouragement, emotional support, social events and
opportunities for service.3
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
5/12
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
6/12
Directing aVolunteer Service Program
Nearly 40 volunteer offices are located in Department ofVeterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, regional offices
and outpatient clinics. They are a meaningful adjunct to
the BVA Field Service
Program and an
important vehicle for
assistance to blinded
veterans.
Volunteers are peer
counselors. They know
the ropes, especially
those that lift blinded veterans from the discouragement
and frustration they often face. They give valued insightinto the rehabilitation process. Because so many volunteers
are blinded veterans themselves, they understand the
importance of empathy. A blinded veteran usually can-
not say to a volunteer, You dont know how it feels to
be blind.
Some volunteers have later become Field Service
Representatives with the authority to represent veterans
in the processing of VA claims. They are an important
link in the BVA chain of services.
5
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
7/12
Serving as Advocates
BVA, since its inception, has been a strong voice for
blinded veterans in a variety of venues. The U.S.
Congress chartered BVA in 1958 to be the official voice
of blinded veterans before the legislative and executive
branches of government. Every year we present testimony
before the House and Senate Committees on Veterans
Affairs. Throughout the year, we educate members of
Congress about the needs of blinded veterans.
BVA joins other Veterans Service Organizations in its
advocacy efforts on behalf of all veterans. We work very
closely with VA to assure that all blinded veterans have
access to excellent blind rehabilitation training, technology
and counseling on a long continuum of care. BVA also
works with organizations of and for the blind in assuring
that all blind individuals receive the services and
accommodations they deserve.6
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
8/12
Offering Resources
One of our most significant responsibilities is that ofdisseminating important information and offering
practical help to blinded veterans and their families.
Every year we are asked thousands of questions to
which we must give accurate responses. We promote
public awareness of sight loss through our website,
display tables at community events, literature and
frequent public service announcements in the media.
The BVA Bulletin informs all blinded veterans of news
and issues affecting them.
Scholarships are available annually to the spouses and
dependent children of blinded veterans. Eligibility is not
limited to families of Association members, nor must the
blindness in question be service connected.
7
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
9/12
Supporting One Another
BVA supports more than 50 regional groups across theUnited States. Several of the groups are subdivided into
chapters or districts. Members of BVA nationally are, in
most cases, automatically members of a regional group.
Programs and activities of BVA regional groups are
defined by the needs of the veterans locally.
Although no two regional groups are exactly the same,
each one is charged with maximizing the involvement
and participation of its members. Regional groups offer
social and recreational activities. They also unite with
other local veterans groups to advocate for change.
8
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
10/12
Sharing Our Experiences
Operation Peer Support connects combat-blinded
veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam with the
newly blinded who have been wounded in Iraq or
Afghanistan as a result of improvised explosive devices,
sniper fire, mortar- or rocket-propelled grenades or
combinations of other firearms.
Physical and emotional isolation is a common
occurrence among those who have only recently lost
their sight. Opportunities to learn about and interact
with those who have already faced such obstacles can be
a source of comfort and inspiration. These connections
are facilitated by BVA national conventions and other
planned events.
9
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
11/12
1
Charting Our Course Together
Near the end of every summer we hold an annualconvention. The gathering is an opportunity for BVA
members to express their opinions in the setting of
official business meetings. BVA national conventions
also feature guest speakers, panels, workshops and
training on issues relating to both blindness and veterans.
Conventions are a draw for companies wishing to
introduce new products in the field of blindness.
Gatherings of the BVA membership at national
conventions are not all work. We socialize while
enjoying the sights and sounds of venues such as
Myrtle Beach, Phoenix, Portland, Washington, DC and
Las Vegas.
10
-
7/30/2019 Blinded Veterans Association [0124]
12/12
11
BVA is supported by the generous contributions of
countless Americans who remember the sacrifices of our
nation's blinded veterans. BVA receives no federal funding.
For more information about any of these programs,
contact us at our national headquarters:
BLINDED VETERANS ASSOCIATION477 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
202-371-8880 800-669-7079
email: [email protected] www.bva.org