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Lloyd Adams and Mark Johnson outside the Mobile Vet Center before packing up.
On a sunny June day, the Mobile Vet Center was stationed on the square, parallel to the empty shell that was Memphis Mercantile and other businesses that line the south side of the square, the door to the mobile center open, for any local veterans who need someone to talk to or get information about specific services, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, bereavement, military sexual trauma, health enrollment counseling, marriage and family counseling, in addition to suicide prevention referrals and VA benefits information.
According to Lloyd Adams, the Mobile Vet Center comes to Memphis twice a year and goes to 38 counties in Missouri. Adams mentioned that “roughly six months are spent above I-70 and six months are spent below I-70.” He also mentioned events such as fairs and Veteran’s Day celebrations, places where veterans would be, is a way to meet with veterans in order to help get veterans services or referred to someone who can properly help them. Counties covered include Clark, Scotland, Schuyler and Putnam County.
Adams mentioned that the mobile vet center was put to use when Columbia received a mobile unit. Counseling is available through virtual means or over the phone, which may be an added bonus for veterans who are stuck at home during the Coronavirus pandemic. Adams pointed out that getting information to veterans would allow them to make decisions in how to move forward in regard to specifically what services they are seeking.
Jeff Hoelscher, Public Affairs Officer at Harry S. Truman Veterans’ Hospital provided additional information: “The purpose of the mobile resource unit is to provide confidential outreach and enrollment for veterans who live in rural or remote communities and that on average, the mobile vet center provides services to approximately 20 veterans each month.”
Local VSOs include Hannibal and Kirksville.
For anyone who knows a veteran or if any veterans are interested and would like more information, they are encouraged to call the Columbia Vet Center at 573-814-6206.
