{"id":7816,"date":"2025-08-16T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-16T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7816"},"modified":"2025-08-16T20:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-16T20:30:00","slug":"va-pittsburgh-dedicates-braille-flag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7816","title":{"rendered":"VA Pittsburgh dedicates braille flag"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-08-16T20:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

In July, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System<\/a> dedicated a touchable brass U.S. flag on its H.J. Heinz III campus<\/a>. The flag was donated by District 11 of the Pennsylvania Moose Association (PMA).<\/p>\n

The flag is mounted outside the Intermediate Low Vision Clinic in Building 71 on the Heinz campus. In the upper left corner are the flag\u2019s raised stars. Raised horizontal lines represent the flag\u2019s 13 alternating red and white stripes. The end of each stripe is embossed with braille dots indicating the stripe\u2019s color. The Pledge of Allegiance is embossed over the smooth red stripes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are more than one million Veterans with vision loss in the United States, with approximately 130,000 who are legally blind,\u201d said Teresa Costa of the PMA. \u201cThe braille flag ensures that every individual, regardless of ability, can recognize and honor the American flag.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than a marker on the wall<\/h2>\n

Gina Palastro, VA Pittsburgh\u2019s visual impairment services team coordinator, said the braille flag does more than just allow Veterans to experience the symbol of our nation through touch.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis flag is more than a marker on the wall,\u201d said Palastro. \u201cIt represents the spirit of our mission: that no Veteran is left behind, and that vision loss does not take away one\u2019s identity, one\u2019s patriotism or one\u2019s dignity.\u00a0Vision loss may change how someone sees the world, but it should never limit how they live in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy creating this tactile braille version, we are making a profound statement: that those who are blind or visually impaired<\/a> are integral members of our community who deserve to experience and connect with these symbols in a meaningful way,\u201d said Dr. Brooke Decker, VA Pittsburgh\u2019s deputy chief of staff. \u201cThis flag serves as a testament to our commitment to making this possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The American Braille Flag Project<\/h2>\n

The PMA donated the flag in support of the nonprofit American Braille Flag Project, which has a primary goal of placing touchable braille flags in VA facilities, cemeteries and other memorial locations. Other sites with PMA-donated braille flags include the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and VA medical centers across the nation.<\/p>\n

For more information on VA\u2019s blind and low vision services, visit VA Blind and Low Vision Rehabilitation Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tactile braille flag allows all to experience U.S. flag, regardless of ability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nVA Pittsburgh dedicates braille flag - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Tactile braille flag allows all to experience U.S. flag, regardless of ability.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7816\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"VA Pittsburgh dedicates braille flag - 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