Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

December 31, 2008, Front Page 

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Veteran’s Service Office in good hands

Clark County Veteran’s Service Officer (VSO) (l) will retire from the VSO position after 11 years and will be replaced by Clint Langreck.  (Photo by Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)

By Peter Spicer

Although Clark County Veteran’s Service Officer Don Lander will retire from his post after over one decade of service, he is confident the office will continue to serve veterans well once Clint Langreck takes over in January 2009.

When Langreck, a 1999 Neillsville High School graduate, returned to the area after serving two tours with the U. S. Army in Iraq, he visited the Veteran’s Service Office.  He talked to Lander, who mentioned he was retiring from his position.  Langreck inquired about the job, later applied and was offered the job.  Langreck has received on-the-job training from Lander since Nov. 10.

The Clark County Board of Supervisors appointed Langreck to the position at a Nov. 12 meeting. 

Lander’s final day on the job will be Jan. 9.  He took over that position on Dec. 1, 1997, and has enjoyed working with veterans throughout his time at that position.

“Serving veterans in itself is a very rewarding career,” explained Lander, who served 20 years in the U. S. Navy.

Lander helps veterans receive the benefits they deserve by guiding them through the paperwork process and helping prove to the VA regional office in Milwaukee the veteran should receive those benefits.

Clark County has 2,666 military veterans, said Lander, who works hard to screen each veteran to determine what benefits they should receive. 

Clark County is successful at helping veterans receive benefits, said Lander, who has helped veterans win their cases 90 percent of the time; because of this, the amount of veteran benefits per capita for the county ranks fourth in the state.

Lander has no doubts this success will continue with Langreck at the helm.

“[Langreck’s] just excellent,” said Lander.  “The county could not have asked for a better replacement.”

Langreck was a member of the ROTC program while at Ball State University in Muncie, IN, where he graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in political science.

Langreck was on active-duty with the U. S. Army for five years until last February and was a second lieutenant.  He is now a guardsman with the Wisconsin National Guard.

The Veteran’s Service Officer Job gave Langreck a “chance to stay in Neillsville and help veterans.”

Langreck had already received some training about the language and laws of veteran benefit cases before he applied for the position, said Lander.

The Veteran’s Service Office handles approximately 200 cases at one time, explained Lander, who added it will probably take Langreck one or two years to feel comfortable with the job.

As a veteran himself, Langreck said veterans have camaraderie with each other.

Lander encourages veterans to join a local VFW or American Legion, which is a great place to build camaraderie and also helps the Veteran’s Service Office connect with and help veterans.

Langreck is currently learning about the office’s current cases from Lander and is researching many cases.

“Every veteran’s case is so much different,” explained Langreck.

Although paperwork and case research is a big part of the Veteran’s Service Officer Position, Lander and Langreck are there for veterans and their families when they just need someone to talk to in times of need or hurt.

Langreck looks forward to helping veterans in any way he can and already enjoys his job.

“It’s been very rewarding so far,” said Langreck.