Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 11/18/2002

Dear Sgt. Shaft, we need your strong endorsement on the issue of CENTRALIZATION OF THE CORE VALUES IN THE VA TREATMENT OF BLINDNESS AND THE BLIND

The Core Values for Blind Rehabilitation Services (BRS) must be respected and upheld if our nation is to maintain the quality, service stability and effectiveness of the rehabilitation-training program for our blinded veterans. These core values are the essence - the equity - of what the BRS represents worldwide. The values include dedication, a belief in human dignity and support for a process that helps restore independence and personhood to those who have lost their sight in the service of their country -- as well as those deserving veterans who are aging. 

The post World War I blind rehabilitation experiences were not materially improved until well after World War II. Frequently, the "old guard" of the Veterans Administration prevented the adoption of training that really met the needs of World War II veterans. A similar mentality prevailed during the previous leadership of the Under Secretary of Health about 8 years ago. He felt it appropriate for medical services including the BRS to be governed by local VISN management. This approach may have worked for the VA medical community in a given VISN area, but the Hines BRC alone draws veterans from 14 States involving 9 VISN areas and creating budget demands that are almost impossible to accommodate. Decentralization has had an adverse effect on services available to blinded veterans, compounded by the fact that only ten such Centers service the entire country! Yet, VISN Directors, with little knowledge about the rehabilitation needs of the blind, continue to support this position.

To maintain quality control and accountability of services, the BRS needs to be controlled on a national level. Current VISNs concerns are primarily financial and programs low on its hierarchy of needs receive inadequate funding. Therefore, VISN managers look to efficiencies and budget cutting and not programs. BRS is funded at a high rate because of the time and professional staff needed to deliver services not to fund other VISN programs. Decentralization today has also seriously impacted the National Blind Rehabilitation Outreach Service (BROS) and Visual Impairment Service Team (VIST) programs and Blind Centers. 

In the 1950's, the VA Blind Rehabilitation Services were guided by a set of sound principles formulated by the founding pioneers. They knew no cookie -cutter approach to guiding human behavior existed and understood that these-- our wounded -- require the specialized care that human complexity demands. 

The well-disciplined staff of the BRS knows the value of the program that highly regarded World War II blinded veteran, Russ Williams, established for blinded veterans. For these reasons the fundamental set of core values of the BRS should not change any more than one would alter out Nation's belief in the value of Freedom and Liberty. The BRS practices of 55 years ago may not be those we need today but the core value established for the blind programs remain valid. Simply, those values consist of dedicated and customized service, the belief that blinded veterans can be restored as active and fulfilled citizens, an understanding of the importance of well established training principles, and a deep appreciation of the significance of this sensory loss.

These core values of the VA's blind rehabilitation programs throughout our country must continue to endure. Solidly organized and centralized they are the reason for the quality of our program for blinded veterans. Poorly thought out change will seriously erode what the dedicated experts who preceded us had so carefully built.

Respectfully submitted,
Stephen M. 
Korean War Blinded veteran

Dear Steve,
You as a blinded veteran know first hand the value of the VA's comprehensive blind rehabilitation program. For fifty years you have been able to contribute to our beloved Nation because of the dedicated blind rehabilitation professionals such as Donald Blasch, Warren Bledsoe, Fr. Thomas Carroll, Kathern Gruber, and of course, the great titan of blind rehabilitation, Russ Williams.

These Hall of Famers of blind rehabilitation experts advocated a standardized, centralized, and comprehensive approach to rehabilitation for our American blinded veterans; a program dedicated to the individual blinded vet, his or her psychological adjustment to blindness, inclusion of family and of course, vocational testing, training and job placement. 

I urge the Secretary of veterans Affairs and his Undersecretary of Health to restore centralization of the VA's blind rehabilitation program. ---A blinded veteran is a terrible thing to waste. 

SHAFT KUDOS
The Sarge applauds American Legion Post 136 in Greenbelt, Maryland for their recognition of Pearl Harbor Survivors. 

Pearl Harbor Survivor Roger K. Thomas, President PHS Association, Maryland Chapter 1, will address statewide American Legion Family Members and area citizens attending the Legion's Fall 2002 National Defense and Foreign Policy Educational Forum on "Pearl Harbor Day", Saturday, December 7, 2002 at the Greenbelt Post , located at 6900 Greenbelt, Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770-3302.

A "Social Warming" Reception with Cash Bar will start at 5:00 PM. Dinner will be at 6:00 PM, followed by the Program. Opening Ceremonies will include Prayer, Posting of United States Colors, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, Singing of the National Anthem, and conduct of the September 11, POW & MIA Service.

A Special Tribute will be rendered to attending Pearl Harbor Survivors and their Ladies…honoring their sacrifice and distinguished service to America. Special honorees will include Past Department Commander and long-time Department Judge Advocate Raymond E. Callegary for his many years of voluntary service to The American Legion. G. Michael Schlee and D. Michael Duggan, Director and Deputy Director respectively, of The American Legion's prestigious National Security-Foreign Relations Commission will bring us up to date on a broad range of National Defense and Foreign Policy Issues. 

The American Legion, Department of Maryland, is the sponsor of this Educational Statewide National Defense Forum. Dinner/Admission ticket (Donation $10) may be obtained by calling the Post.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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