The Peach

Georgia Regional Group Newsletter

July 2009

Blinded Veterans Association Chartered by the United States Congress

Fellow Blinded Veteran:

     Many Blinded Veterans (BV's), whether their blindness is service connected or non-service connected are unaware of the history behind most of the services and benefits they receive from the VA. In this Newsletter we will try to give you a historical perspective as to how these benefits and services were obtained.  Over the years, most of the benefits and services available to veterans in general were obtained through the cooperative effort of many organizations and individuals.  However, in almost all cases, the benefits and services specifically for Blinded Veterans resulted directly through the efforts of the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA).  In 1945, when a small group of idealistic Blinded Veterans founded the BVA, there were few, if any, benefits and services available specifically for Blinded Veterans.  They accepted the responsibility of being the advocate for Blinded Veterans with the Executive and Legislative Branches of the government.  As a result, the BVA was Chartered by the United States Congress as the sole organization to specifically represent Blinded Veterans before all branches of the United States Government.   Initially, the BVA established 3 major goals.

1. Blinded Veterans helping Blinded Veterans  The BVA established an office in Washington, D.C. to coordinate the dissemination of information to Blinded Veterans.  It promoted the establishment of Regional Groups to expand the contacts with all Blinded Veterans in their home areas.  Although the BVA had a small staff who did an excellent job  in coordinating these activities, much of the work was done by volunteer Blinded Veterans helping one another. 

2.  To get the VA to accept its responsibilities to Blinded Veterans the BVA contacted the Executive and Legislative branches of government.  Members of the Veterans Affairs Committees in the Senate and House of Representatives were urged to pressure the VA to establish appropriate services for Blinded Veterans. 

3.  Finally, the BVA got President Truman to sign an Executive Order requiring the VA to establish a Blind Rehabilitation Center (BRC).  This resulted in the VA opening the first BRC at Hines in July 1948.  3.  To obtain appropriate compensation for seriously disabled veterans, the BVA primarily with the cooperation of the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) worked with Congress to establish Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) for veterans with very severe disabilities.  The 100% rate was not sufficient to adequately compensate these severely disabled veterans.  As a result, Congress passed statutory awards, SMC above the 100% rate.

For example: at present,

100% provides $2673 monthly to a single veteran.

-  BV's with vision of 5/200 or a 5 degree field are rated at paragraph L - $3327 monthly, a

-  BV with light perception only receives paragraph M - $3671 monthly and a totally blind

-  BV receives paragraph N - $4176.

Over the years, the BVA has worked with Congress to improve the SMC with mid level ratings and combination rating; for example,

A Blinded Veteran with service connected deafness or the loss of an extremity may receive the maximum compensation

Paragraph O - $4664 monthly.  Some veterans rated at paragraph O, who are in need of consistent aid and attendance, may receive

Paragraph AR-1 $6669 monthly.  In addition, dependent allowances may be added to the amounts listed above for a spouse and dependent children.

Other Benefits:  In addition to improvements in compensation, the BVA has secured other benefits for Blinded Veterans.  There are two Adaptive Housing Grants which were increased in late 2008,

-         Section 2101 a, $60,000 is primarily for wheelchair bound veterans.  However, the large grant is also available to BV's with service connected blindness and the loss of a leg.  The smaller Grant,

-         Section 2101 B, $12,000 is available to service connected BV's.  Initially, the Adaptive Housing grants were one time grants.  In 2006, the 109 Congress passed legislation permitting eligible veterans who had not used all of their Section 2101 A or B grant to use the remainder again, up to 3 times.  A BV who used the 2101 B grant but less than the present $12,000 may be eligible to use the difference.  For information call the VARO Home Loan Guarantee Division - Adaptive Housing Unit for information.  Compensation and the above mentioned grants are available through the VA Regional Office in Decater. 

-         The Home Improvement and Structural Alteration (HISA) Grant is available through your local VAMC.  The HISA Grant provides $4100 to sc BV's and $1200 to NSC BV's.  This grant may be used for minor alterations to your home in relation to your disability.  Your VIST coordinator can help you with information about the HISA Program.

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC):  In 1959, Congress passed legislation establishing the DIC Program.  Initially DIC was paid to the survivors of military personnel killed on active duty or who died as a direct result of a SC disability.  During the next 19 years, the BVA worked with Congress to expand DIC eligibility.  In 1978, Congress did amend the DIC Program.  The survivors of 100% sc veterans became eligible if the veteran had been rated at 100% for ten years, five years if continuously since discharge.  Initially, DIC was paid according to the rank the veteran held on active duty. The BVA and PVA felt that rank was no longer reflective of the veterans income ten or more years after discharge.  In 1991, the DIC Reform Act was passed by Congress.  Now there are two DIC rates. 

The basic rate for the spouse is $1154 monthly.  The spouse who was married to a 100% SC veteran for 8 years or more prior to the veterans death would receive DIC of $1400 monthly.  Each minor child would receive $284 monthly in DIC.

Initially, the BVA's primary emphasis was to secure services and benefits for sc   veterans.  However, within a short time, it accepted the responsibility to represent all BV's.  For example, when Hines Blind Center was open its training was restricted to SC BV's.  The BVA felt that the training should be available to all BV's.  The BVA worked with the VA and since the early 1950's, all BV's have been able to receive training at the VA Blind Centers.  Over the years, the BVA has obtained most of the benefits for SC BV's which were sought.  For many years, the BVA has attempted to insure that all BV's received the services they needed.

NSC Pension:  World War I veterans pressured Congress to establish a Pension for all WW I veterans.  Congress never provided a general Pension.  However, in later years, it established the NSC Pension for totally disabled veterans in financial need.  Initially this was a small monthly amount with severe income limitations.  After WW II, the BVA, with the cooperation of the PVA, and DAV, worked with Congress to provide an improved NSC Pension Program.  Again the BVA worked to provide an increase in NSC Pension for the more severely  disabled veterans.  As a result, 3 NSC Pension levels were established:  Basic Pension, House Bound Benefits, and Aid and Attendance Allowance. 

The Basic Pension provides $985 monthly to a single veteran, House Bound - $1207 monthly, and Aid and Attendance Allowance - $1644 monthly.  These amounts may be increased for each dependent.  There is still a significant income limitation.  The above listed amounts are reduced dollar for dollar by any incomes, what-so-ever, the veteran or his/her household receives. However, there is an annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) which provides small annual increases in the Pension levels.  BV's earnings can be reduced by the amount of medical expenses which the BV pays, thus increasing the amount of Pension he or she may receive. 

As indicated earlier, the BVA got the VA to open the first BRC at Hines in 1948.  Since then, the BVA has continued to work with the VA and Congress to fund the opening of nine more BRC's around the US.  For example, in 1995, the BVA obtained $500,000 from Congress to complete the renovation for the Augusta BRC.  As the age of the veteran population has increased, the incidence of blindness in that population has significantly increased.  The BVA has worked with the VA Blind Rehab Service (BRS) to alter the training at the BRC's to meet this challenge.  In the early days, the BRC training lasted about 16 weeks and was geared primarily to the totally Blinded Veteran.  Now, about 85% of the BV's attending a BRC have some limited residual vision.  The BVA has worked with the BRS to update the training to meet the needs of this population.  Now, the training is designed to maximize the BV's remaining vision and to provide the skills to help the BV remain independent.

Most BV's in Georgia have had some contact with a Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) Coordinator.  This was not always the case.  In the early 1960's, the BVA became concerned that due to the isolating effects of blindness, many BV's were not getting the services and benefits they needed and deserved.  In 1963, the BVA entered into  a research project with the VA, to evaluate that situation.  The project, conducted at 10 VA stations, an completed an evaluation, similar to what is now the Annual VIST Review.  The BVA took the results of that project to the VA Central Office.  In 1967, the VIST Program was started at 60 VA stations (1 in Georgia - Decater).  Initially the VIST Coordinator was a part time Social Worker.  It quickly became apparent to the BVA, that in most cases, the VIST Coordinator needed to be full time and there needed to be VIST Programs at more than 60 VA stations.  The BVA went to the VA and, in 1978, six full time VA Central Office funded VIST Coordinator positions were established.  The BVA has continued to work to expand the VIST Program.  Now, there are VIST Programs at 158 VA stations.  Including the 11 added this Fiscal Year (2009), there are now 105 full time VIST Coordinators and 53 part time VIST Coordinators in the US.  the BVA has obtained 57 through the VA Central Office, 45 directly funded by Congress, and 3 were obtained through the local VAMC.  Georgia has 2 full time VIST Coordinators, one in Decater and one in Augusta. There is a part time VIST Coordinator at the Dublin VAMC.  In addition BV's in the Columbus area are served by the VIST Coordinator in Tuskegee, AL and those around Valdosta are served by the VIST at Lake City, FL.  Many years ago, the BVA requested that the VA provide outpatient blind rehab training in the local community.  This request went unanswered until 1995.  At that time, the BVA obtained $5 million from Congress to establish a 15 bed BRC at Augusta, GA, to add 22 VIST positions, and to establish 16 Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist (BROS) positions.  In 2007, the BVA secured authorization for 35 more BROS positions.  In 2008, 20 of those BROS positions were funded and the remaining 15  were funded in FY 2009.  There is a full time BROS at the Decater VAMC and two BROS at the Augusta VAMC.     

Since its inception, the BVA has promoted residential training at the VA Blind Rehab Centers (BRC). It is the best training of its nature, any place in the world.  Consequently, when possible, the BVA urges all BV's to attend a BRC, at least once in his or her life.  Initially, many prosthetics and sensory aids were not available to NSC BV's.  The BVA worked with Congress and made it possible for NSC BV's to get some prosthetic and sensory aids through a BRC.  Due to the long waiting list at the BRC's and since some BV's cannot go to a BRC, the BVA went to Congress to permit mechanical and electronic equipment to be provided on an outpatient basis.  Through that effort,  the law was changed, making that equipment available to NSC BV's on an outpatient basis.  The BVA is working with the BRS to identify local facilities that can provide quality training on certain complex devices (computers, etc.).

     Why Join the BVA? The information above includes only a small part of the benefits and services obtained by a small group of dedicated BVA staff and a large number of volunteer BV's dedicated to helping all Blinded Veterans.  The BVA was formed 64 years ago  by BV's who realized that by joining together they had strength in numbers.  The problems of the Blinded Veteran is unique and requires individual attention to solve.  In 1945 when those original BV'S joined together, the political climate was very different from the present.  A grateful country was anxious to provide any assistance to individuals who had made such great sacrifices in service to their country.  Today, the Blinded Veteran is older and our needs have changed.  Congress has a majority of members who have never served in the military.  A grateful country is no longer aware of the sacrifices and problems faced by an aging population.  It is only by joining together that we can make our voices heard by the Nation and Congress.  The strength of your voice is needed by The BVA to make Congress and VA listen to the special needs of Blinded Veterans.  We need your membership to stay strong.  By joining your voice with the BVA, you increase your chance of being heard on the national, state, and local levels of government.  The BVA is for any veteran who is legally blind which was  brought on by aging, illness, injury, or military service.  You become a part of a very special brotherhood to support you in your time of need with advice, encouragement, and information.  Together we can make a grateful country listen. 

Use the application enclosed in this Newsletter and JOIN THE BVA TODAY.

Annual Membership (M) and Associate Membership (AM) dues are only $8.  Better yet, consider becoming a Life or Associate Life Member then, you won't have to pay dues ever again.  Your life dues go into the Life Membership Fund, the principal of which is never touched.  The dividends and interest from that fund are apportioned to the Regional Groups according to the number of Life Members (LM) and Associate Life members (ALM) in the Group.  LM and ALM dues run from $40 to $80 depending on your age.  You may start a LM or ALM with a down payment of $10 with the balance payable over the next 2 years.  The enclosed application  form indicates that Life and Associate Life Memberships run from $80 for BV's age 44 and under, $70 for BV's 45 to 54, $60 - 55 to 60, $50 - 61 to 65, and $40 age 66 and over.  If the coding next to your name on the label on this Newsletter is M, LM, PLM, AM, ALM, or PALM you are presently an active member of the BVA.  If the coding is FM or FAM it means you have previously been a Member or Associate Member, but not this year.   If it is NM or MAN it means that you have never been a member of the BVA. PLEASE USE THE enclosed APPLICATION to JOIN THE BVA TODAY and add your support to the work the BVA does for all Blinded Veterans.