Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald today announced the awarding of up to $8 million in grants to eligible recipients with experience managing large-scale adaptive sports programs for disabled Veterans and disabled Servicemembers of the Armed Forces. The grant recipients may use these funds for planning, developing, managing and implementing adaptive sports programs.
The VA is awarding the grants to national governing bodies, which prepare high-level athletes for Paralympic competition; Veterans service organizations; city and regional municipalities; and other community groups to provide a wide range of adaptive sports opportunities for eligible Veterans and Servicemembers. The Grants will support sports ranging from rowing, cycling and skiing to golf, fly fishing and equestrian sports.
“Adaptive sports help Veterans heal both physically and emotionally,” said Secretary McDonald. “We are proud to partner with organizations nationwide to provide these rehabilitative opportunities for America’s Veterans.”
VA will distribute the grants to 89 national, regional and community programs serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. Approximately 10,000 Veterans and Servicemembers are expected to benefit.
Information about the awardees and details of the program may be found at www.va.gov/adaptivesports.
Topics in this story
More Stories
Over the five-year program, more than 14,000 VET TEC beneficiaries completed their program and nearly half have reported finding meaningful employment with an average starting annual salary of $65,000.
VA is calling for applicants for the 2024 Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology grant.
Updated COVID vaccines are available free of charge to Veterans receiving care at VA .
Here is a classic case of abuse. 8 million dollars for adaptive sports, I can’t believe it. I can’t get money to pay my legitimate medical bills and the VA is giving up 8 million dollars, say that out loud. Spend money the right way. Ludicrous.
I’m on your side. The V.A. are abusing veterans,WHAT ARE WE TO DO? ABOUT IT?
It isn’t possible for a VA employee to know the answer to every question. I would prefer that a person say “I don’t know” rather than guess or give out the wrong information. If a person hesitates or doesn’t sound sure; it is probably better to ask another employee. Asking the same question of more than one person is my solution and, it sometimes is worth the extra time or effort. Most of the service organization personnel are the best source of help and advise.
Hell, if they approve and pay out on veterans claims they won,t be able to give those huge bonuses to all those high level incompetents. The VA keeps crying for more funding but iv’e come to a conclusion that it is not a lack of funding thats the problem but screwed up priorities. A big beautiful hospital building is nice to look at while you wait to die!!!!
I was in the operational area of where they drop the Agent Orange during 1965/66. yes I was exposed to it on the ground with the 173rd airborne brigade All I can say is yes I am enrolled with the AO program and thank God I have no symptoms at 68. thank You LORD
.
I’ve waited 2 years on a appeal which didn’t climb high enough for them to pay me back pay. Now I got to wait 2 more years to get the rest and I will. All I got do is out live them. If you need to get on the agent orange list, go to a major VA hospital, not no out patient place. Go Veterans.
don’t give up ,that is what the VA hopes you will do.,it may take longer than you think it should but don’t let them get away with any of there BS. They are slow but they have more paper work to do than just your file. you are a veteran, who does not give up when the times get hard, just wait it out . I have though that they had lost my file ,but keep after them ,but be a human and do not scream at them. Dennis
My hat is of to the 102 year young. I should live that long
Thank you for this report
Stan
How about the Atomic Bomb dependents
Were taken care of the Marshall Island people
How about the US Veterans and there dependents
I have been trying to sign up for the agent Orange. The one I talked to says that I can’t sign up because there is not program.
Is this true?
You just proved my point, I attempted to send a message a minute ago and it did not go.
I am a 65 nearly 66 year old combat veteran of the War in Viet Nam with over 104 combat missions. I have been fighting the VA for more than 6 years to get benefits that I earned. Not only is the VA slow, they rarely get anything right. I have an appeal that is in the wait state (I’ve completed all the forms the VA has requested). I called the VA and was told the average wait time was roughly 450 days. This is RIDICULOUS. If and when they get around to my claim the VA will find another EXCUSE to grant me my claim. It is fairly simple for anyone to see that I qualify for the benefits. They have kept asking for more and more documentation from me to support my claim. To date, I have given them around a 1000 pages of documents which support my claim. They don’t seem to read anything. I don’t know how to get the VA to what they should do. Further, I believe the VA is just stalling waiting for me to die. Why do the VA employees believe that we, the Vets, are here to provide them jobs. I have always thought they are there to provide vets a service; be it medical or otherwise. I haven’t gotten a lawyer, YET. Why? Because I find it ludicrous that I have to sue the VA for my benefits. I volunteered to FIGHT a war for my COUNTRY; why is it that now I am FIGHTING a “war” against my COUNTRY (the VA)?
The VA tries hard but it moves like a snail. I have given up on getting there, sometimes I wonder who runs the place. When you contact them with a problem most times you get some person who only give you a run around.
The secretary cannot solve the problem for the agencies hide their problems from him. He will be lucky if he ever finds what is going on before he is canned.