For Immediate Release
07/02/2020
Contact: Tina Pinedo
202.408.9514 x119
[email protected]
The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) are proud to honor our veterans with disabilities for their service and sacrifice on this 4th of July and throughout the year. And part of honoring that sacrifice means doing more than taking a day off to grill hot dogs with your friends and family. One way to truly honor our veterans means becoming politically engaged, demanding accountability from lawmakers and officials, and calling for policies that will support our veterans with disabilities. That includes ensuring quality care at Veterans Health Administration (VA) hospitals, supporting those who were exposed to toxins in the course of their service, and ensuring that they are receiving the veterans benefits they earned to include accessible homes and accessible vehicles.
For those reasons, NDRN and PVA partnered for this video featuring Stan Brown. Brown is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, who was paralyzed from the chest down in an automobile accident while on active duty in 1996. Brown is an attorney who was in the Judge Advocate General Corp, and is actively involved with Paralyzed Veterans of America.
In this powerful video, Brown discusses the progress that has been made for veterans with disabilities, but notes that there is still a long way to go. Brown calls for everyone including veterans, non-veterans and people with disabilities to go out and vote this November.
“As a veteran injured on active duty, I can’t stress…more strongly the need to vote. It’s right we earned, it’s a basic right of citizenship, and it makes a difference,” said Brown.
We at PVA and NDRN encourage everyone to heed Stan’s call. We hope you enjoy the holiday weekend, and also use this 4th of July to take the time to register to vote so you can be part of a much-needed change for veterans and all people with disabilities.
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The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and the Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the P&A/CAP Network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or disease. For more than 70 years, the organization has ensured that veterans receive the benefits earned through service to our nation; monitored their care in VA spinal cord injury units; and funded research and education in the search for a cure and improved care for individuals with paralysis.
As a life-long partner and advocate for veterans and all people with disabilities, Paralyzed Veterans of America also develops training and career services, works to ensure accessibility in public buildings and spaces and provides health and rehabilitation opportunities through sports and recreation. With more than 70 offices and 33 chapters, Paralyzed Veterans of America serves veterans, their families and their caregivers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Learn more at pva.org.
