by Daniel Parker, RDPFS Contributor:
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently awarded grants totaling $15.9 million to “fund adaptive sports, recreational activities, and equine therapy for Veterans and service members living with disabilities.” These grants were given to “91 national, regional, and community-based programs for fiscal year 2024 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.” Adaptive sports are sports which have been modified for people with disabilities. They can be played on a competitive or recreational level. Among those the VA supports are Paralympic sports, archery, cycling, skiing, hunting, rock climbing, and sky diving. “These activities allow Veterans to rehabilitate through recreation and encourage an active and fit lifestyle.” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said of the program. “‘These grants give Veterans life-changing opportunities to participate in adaptive sports in the communities where they live all across the country. We know adaptive sports and recreational activities can be transformational for Veterans living with disabilities, improving their overall physical and mental health, and also giving them important community with fellow heroes who served.’” Veteran A.J. Mohammed, who has vision loss, agreed: “‘It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me post-injury – to be amongst a community of other disabled veterans, other veterans who were like me, or had been like me. It was also the scariest thing I’ve ever done … It’s been quite a journey. It’s produced who I am now.’” Information about the grantees can be found on the VA’s adaptive sports website, and more general information is available in this press release from the VA and this one from the Blinded Veterans Association (BVA). Also check out our articles on veterans’ issues, and in particular this article about how veterans have contributed to sports for people with vision loss.
