This week we welcome Charles Brown, two-term President of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). From a very young age, Brown knew he wanted to serve his nation and had a calling to work with military aircraft. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1985 and was trained in aviation ordinance. In 1986, Brown sustained a spinal cord injury as a result of a diving accident while serving in Cherry Point, NC. During his initial rehabilitation at the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Spinal Cord Injury center in Augusta, GA, he was introduced to PVA and became a member of the Southeastern Chapter. PVA is a congressionally chartered veterans service organization founded in 1946. They have developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of their members – veterans of the armed forces who have experienced spinal cord injuries and dysfunction. “PVA helped me through the process of filing for benefits,” Brown says. “They gave me ideas for accessible bathrooms and entrances to my house. They have offered me sporting opportunities I never would have thought about.” In 1987, he moved back to his native Missouri. Wanting to give back to the organization who had given so much to him, Brown served on the Gateway Chapter board in a multitude of capacities, including as Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, advocacy director, treasurer, and vice president. While in St. Louis, Brown helped establish the Rolling Rams quad rugby team. He recalls recruiting players by making phone calls to rehab facilities, and even talking to people in wheelchairs at the mall. The team really took off when a couple of recreational therapists got involved and brought athletes with them. Brown believes in helping his fellow Veterans improve their quality of life and is passionate about continuing to help PVA improve the accessibility of our nation. Currently on the USA Boccia team, Brown was selected team captain for the Parapan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Ranked 63rd in the world after one international tournament, he fully believes that an active life has kept him healthy. Get ready to be inspired with this week's interview!
For more information about PVA go to https://pva.org.
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