Returning Service Members

Striving to care for those who served

Richard L. Frank, MA
Licensed Mental Health Counselor
Seamless Transition Ombudsman
Readjustment Counselor
573-778-4795

Kevin Wagner, MSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
OIF/OEF Case Manager
573-778-4631

In an effort to continue as a center of excellence in the delivery of rural health care, the John J. Pershing VAMC has been commissioned to facilitate a seamless transition between a service member’s military medical treatment under DoD to the VA’s medical treatment and social support opportunities created for them. 

Part of our mission is to meet with and assist veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in this transition process and to direct them to the appropriate care for their individual situation. This includes, but is not limited to the dissemination of information, encouraging service members to enroll and seek appropriate services, and outreach to veterans unable to come to us.

We would like to meet with and provide clinical mental health services and case management services to veterans in the interim as they transition from the DoD medical system into the VA’s medical system.  This includes but is not limited to mental health services, case management, family assistance services, and other clinical services for active duty service members and their families.

The Seamless Transition Team would like to link service personnel to points of contact that accept claims for compensation from separating active duty service members as well as provide information pertaining to various benefits of potential entitlement including educational benefits, home loan benefits, vocational rehabilitation, pension benefits, dependency and indemnity compensation, life insurance and dental benefits.