What We Do

There are men and women who are away from their families and friends, putting on a uniform and protecting the rights and freedoms we enjoy daily. Their choice to serve in the military comes with incredible sacrifice. Imagine being injured as a result of that sacrifice, coming home from a foreign land without using your legs, arms, or both while surviving a tour of duty where bombings and gunfire are an everyday occurrence, only to suffer a life-changing injury in your hometown. Every year, more than 12,000 people in the US sustain a spinal cord injury, and this does not take into account the thousands more diagnosed with spinal cord diseases such as MS or ALS.

The Paralyzed Veterans of America, a congressionally chartered Veteran service organization founded in 1946, has developed a unique expertise on a wide variety of issues involving the special needs of our members - Veterans of the Armed Forces who have experienced spinal cord injury, dysfunction, or diseases (MS, ALS). Paralyzed Veterans will use their expertise to be the leading advocate for:

  • Quality health care for our members,
  • Research and education addressing spinal cord injury and dysfunction,
  • Benefits available as a result of our members' military service,
  • Civil rights and opportunities, which maximize the independence of our members.

Membership is free and is open to those who have served in the military and have a spinal cord injury, dysfunction, or diseases such as MS or ALS.

Our Mission

The  Paralyzed Veterans of America - Wisconsin Chapter (PVA-WI) aims to improve the quality of life for our American veterans and others with spinal cord injury, dysfunction, or disease through our programs: quality healthcare and access to benefits, adaptive sports and recreation, membership and outreach, advocacy and legislation, and research and education. PVA-WI strategically collaborates with the Zablocki VA Medical Hospital Spinal Cord Injury Center (SCI) to identify and address gaps while developing a course of action to continue to support the Zablocki VA Medical Hospital SCI Center and its external clinics in delivering exceptional results. 

Our Objectives

  • To advocate for and monitor the delivery of high-quality and appropriate health care benefits and services.
  • To assist in identifying and securing veterans' benefits and other benefits for spinal cord injured and diseased veterans and others.
  • To promote medical research to cure spinal cord dysfunction.
  • To educate society on the attitudes and physical and legal barriers that confront persons with disabilities and to influence the removal of those barriers.
  • To provide opportunities for health promotion, recreation, employment, sports, services, and camaraderie for spinal cord injured veterans and others.

Our Credentials