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by Tom Miller
The Blinded Veterans Association once again participated in the
International Congress of the War Blind (IKK) General Assembly
in Brighton, England. The meeting, held every three years, occurred
September 20-23 and was the 12th of its kind.
I was honored to represent the United States and BVA at the General
Assembly. Other countries represented were Canada, the United
Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, and
Sri Lanka. Pakistan, the Philippines, and Portugal were invited
but unable to participate.
Each country representative gives a report on the benefits and
services offered to the war blind in his/her respective nation
during the business session of the Assembly. Many of the organizations
from these countries are on the verge of going out of business
because membership has been strictly limited to military personnel
blinded in war. BVA and St. Dunstan’s British Rehabilitation
Center for the War Blind in the United Kingdom are the only two
that have opened membership to those who have lost vision regardless
of cause.
It is almost embarrassing for me to listen to the benefits offered
by other countries to veterans who have lost their vision. We
in the United States take so much for granted and have so much
to be grateful for. The opportunity to meet and share experiences
with blinded veterans from other countries is extremely worthwhile.
In addition to reporting on benefits, services, and activities
of the various organizations and countries represented, the General
Assembly also elected officers for the next three-year period.
Ray Hazan of the United Kingdom was re-elected president. The
representative from Italy was elected first vice president. The
two other vice presidents are from Germany and Poland.
The exact site of the General Assembly was St. Dunstan’s,
established in 1915 and operating continuously ever since. The
facility is a seven-story building. It has a rehabilitation program,
40 nursing beds, and 80 assisted living beds. St. Dunstan’s
employs nearly 200 full-time individuals and provides coverage
24 hours a day seven days a week.
St. Dunstan’s is the creation of Sir Arthur Pearson, a blind
man himself who was appalled by society’s indifference to
the fate of soldiers and sailors blinded in the service of their
country. From the very start, St. Dunstan’s became a beacon
of hope that allowed the thousands of war-blinded veterans returning
to the country to rediscover a practical sense of independence.
The experience in Brighton was a most rewarding one. I am pleased
that our organization has been able to participate in such significant
international conferences, both past and present, as a means of
sharing our experience and expertise.
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