Program for Blind Vets Seeks VA Support

Week of October 06, 2008

There are as many as 160 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who are considered legally blind and 1,600 servicemembers suffered battle-related eye injuries that required surgery. And, many of the more than 8,000 veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries complained of visual problems. The president of the Olmsted Center for the Visually Impaired, Ron Maier, said he needs allies in Veterans Affairs and veterans service organizations. Maier wants to fling open the doors of the Olmsted Center's highly specialized training program that is already giving others who are sight-impaired a chance to step into the mainstream economy. "Forty years ago if you lost your vision, you came to a place like the Olmsted Center and you were here for life in a sheltered workshop. The training often leads to careers in the hospitality industry, booking hotel rooms, auditing ledgers and performing front-desk duties.  Read the full article on Military.com.