| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: | RONALD L. TAYLOR |
| ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: | |
| MAILING ADDRESS: | POST OFFICE DRAWER 147 1719 SOUTHRIDGE DR. JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65102-0147 |
| LOCATION: | 1719 SOUTHRIDGE DRIVE JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65109 |
| TELEPHONE: | (573) 751-3779 |
| FAX: | (573) 751-6836 |
| E-MAIL: | Office of Director |
| LINK TO HOME PAGE: | Home Page |
| 1. SERVICES PERFORMED. |
A. Provide information, counsel, and assistance to veterans and their dependents through a statewide network of Veterans Service Officers |
B. Manage seven veterans homes, located strategically throughout the state. Administrators are licensed by the state, and report to the Executive Director through the Superintendent of Homes. |
C. Manage two state veterans cemeteries. |
| 2. STATE BENEFITS: |
A. State Veterans Homes: Providing three levels of long-term skilled nursing care. |
B. State Veterans Cemeteries: Two open in January 2000 at Higginsville, MO and Springfield, MO. |
C. Free Automobile License Plates: Veterans who are rated 100% for service- connected disabilities, or in need of adaptive equipment, as well as Medal of Honor recipients, former POWs and widows of former POWs. Other veteran plates are available for a $15.00 fee. |
D. Veterans' Preference: For employment, and when testing for any position with the state, a five-point preference, or ten points for a service-connected, disabled veteran. |
E. Free Hunting/Fishing Licenses: For 60 percent or more rated service-connected veterans. |
F. Agent Orange Settlement: Payments made from the Agent Orange Fund to a veteran or his dependents are exempt from state tax. |
G. Priority: State agencies which administer federally funded employment and training programs for veterans shall give priority to qualified veterans and other eligible persons. |
H. Tuition-Free Scholarships: Legislation passed in 1991 provides that certain surviving widows and children of Vietnam Veterans may qualify to receive tuition-free scholarships to attend institutions of post-secondary education in Missouri. The Veteran's death must be attributable to illness that could possibly be a result of exposure to toxic chemicals such as "Agent Orange" during the Vietnam conflict in order for the survivor to qualify. |
I. Veterans Memorial Renovation Grants: A Memorial Grant Program was established by the General Assembly through House Bill 1519 in 1998, authorizing the appropriation of up to $2,000,000 for matching grants to renovate dedicated veterans memorials in Missouri. The Commission accepted applications for this program from July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000. A total of twelve applications were received with eleven being approved for total matching funds in the amount of $1,365,000. Legislation signed into law in 2000 revised the statute to include the construction of new veterans memorials as well as the continued grants for restoration of existing memorials and extended the program through 2004. |
| 3. VITAL STATISTICS: |
| (Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce) Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics 920 Wildwood P.O. Box 570 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570 (573) 751-6387 |
| 4. USDVA REGIONAL OFFICE: |
| 400 South 18th Street St. Louis, MO 63103-2271 1-800-827-1000 |
| 5. USDVA MEDICAL CENTERS |
| VA Medical Center 915 North Grand St. Louis, MO 63106 (314) 652-4100 | VA Medical Center - Jefferson Barracks Division St. Louis, MO 63125 (314) 652-4100 |
| Harry S. Truman Memorial VA Medical Center 800 Hospital Drive Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 814-6300 | John J. Pershing VA Medical Center Hwy. 67 North Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 (573) 686-4151 |
| VA Medical Center 4801 Linwood Boulevard Kansas City, MO 63128 (816) 861-4700 1-800-525-1483 | Gene Taylor VA Outpatient Clinic 600 North Main Mount Vernon, MO 65712 (417) 466-4000 |
| 6. MISSOURI VETERANS HOMES: |
| MVH—St. James 620 North Jefferson St. James, MO 65559-1999 (573) 265-3271 Patricia Faenger, Administrator | MVH—Mount Vernon 1600 S. Hickory Mount Vernon, MO 65712 (417) 466-7103 Don Long, Administrator |
| MVH—Mexico #1 Veterans Drive Mexico, MO 65265 (573) 581-1088 Cheryl Tolbert, Administrator | MVH—Cape Girardeau 2400 Veterans Memorial Drive Cape Giardeau, MO 63701 (573) 290-5870 Jan Rau, Administrator |
| MVH—St. Louis 10600 Lewis & Clark Boulevard St. Louis, MO 63136 (314) 340-6389 Stan Smith, Administrator | MVH—Cameron 1111 Euclid Cameron, MO 64429 (816) 632-6010 Bryan Hunt, Administrator |
| MVH--Warrensburg 1300 Veterans Road P.O. Box 1076 Warrensburg, MO 64093 (660) 543-5064 Bill Willet, Administrator |
| 7. VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS, STATE HEADQUARTERS: |
| The American Legion Lynn Dorrell, Adjutant P.O. Box 179 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 893-2353 | Veterans of Foreign Wars Don Watts, Adjutant P.O. Box 26 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 636-8761 |
| Disabled American Veterans Paul D. Pealer, Adjutant P.O. Box 148 Portland, MO 65067 (573) 236-4478 | AMVETS Ben Haynes, Commander 3257 Pomme de Terre Flemington, MO 65650 (417) 253-4463 |
| 8. VETERANS EMPLOYMENT REPRESENTATIVE: |
| Mick Jones, Director Veterans Employment and Training Service MO Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations P.O. Box 59 421 East Dunklin Street Jefferson City, MO 65104-0059 (573) 751-3921 |
| Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (Open) 101 Memorial Drive St. Louis. MO 63125 (314) 263-8691 or 8692 | Springfield National Cemetery (Closed - except for cremated remains only) 1702 East Seminole Street Springfield, MO 65804 (417) 881-9499 |
| Jefferson City National Cemetery (Closed) 1024 East McCarty Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 (Call Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO for information) |
| State Veterans Cemetery — Higginsville 20109 Business Highway 13 Higginsville, MO 64037 (660) 584-5252 Jess Rasmussen, Cemetery Director | State Veterans Cemetery — Springfield 5201 S. Southwood Road Springfield, MO 65804 (417) 823-3944 Mike Robbins, Cemetery Director |
| State Veterans Cemetery- Bloomfield 17357 Stars & Stripes Way Bloomfield, MO 63825 (573)568-3871 Ken Swearengin, Director | State Veterans Cemetery - Jacksonville 1479 County Road 1675 Jacksonville, MO 65260 (660)295-4237 Jerry Quigley, Director |