Former MTL coordinates recovery care program Published Nov. 20, 2010 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affaies KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss -- During Dan Ransom's 26-year military career, he spent two decades teaching professional military education and serving as a military training leader. Those responsibilities gave him valuable skills for his civilian job as Keesler's coordinator for the Air Force Recovery Care for Wounded, Ill and Injured program. "These positions allowed me to learn how and who to refer people to," said Mr. Ransom, who served as an MTL in the 81st Training Group for eight years, in addition to assignments at the Air Force Academy for nine years and Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., for nine years. "I became proficient in management, as one key element is the ability to coordinate different functions and lead people. Mr. Ransom became the first person to serve as recovery care coordinator at Keesler when he assumed the position 15 months ago. "Originally, there were 18 Air Force RCCs hired, and now there are 33 located throughout the continental U.S., Hawaii and Germany," he stated. Mr. Ransom's job focuses primarily on the non-clinical needs of wounded warriors in Mississippi and Alabama, including active duty, Reserve and National Guard members. "I work closely with Donna Anderson, our wounded warrior nurse case manager, and a multidisciplinary team to ensure that a service member's care is complete, both medically and non-medically," he explained. "The collaborative effort between many Team Keesler agencies in assisting our wounded, injured or ill is phenomenal." The mental health clinic is instrumental in providing post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury screening and counseling. The airman and family readiness center assists with Air Force Aid Society loans and financial counseling. Naomi Kraima, counselor for the Disabled American Veterans transition assistance program, provides disability information for members who are being medically retired or separated. "A large number of service members are referred to us from their units," Mr. Ransom pointed out. "Keesler's first sergeants and chiefs group are exceptional in using our program. It's truly a collective effort to ensure today's warriors are taken care of completely." The non-clinical needs of service members are great -- financial, legal and administrative. One challenge Mr. Ransom faces is breaking through the bureaucratic red tape that's inherent to the Air Force. "Sometimes when regulations state that something can't be done, it is my job to find someone that can do it," he stressed. "The needs of service members don't go away when they're told we can't do anything for them--they still have house payments, car payments, children to feed. "All of Keesler has been outstanding in understanding my role and referring people to me to assist," he continued. "We have one of the best first sergeant corps that I have seen in 27 years of service, as well as senior leaders that understand the program and encourage people to seek assistance." Mr. Ransom knows his job is important for several reasons. "For as long as I can remember, we've had the best, most comprehensive medical care in the world," he said. "However, someone that's injured often has more problems than medical care, such as personnel and legal issues, and it's my job is to assist them so they can focus on their medical recovery. They want to know that their families are being taken care of while they recover." The biggest rewards for Mr. Ransom are often small victories, like getting a treadmill for someone who needs to work out for health reasons, but who can't leave home due to post-traumatic stress because they have to have someone with them and their spouse works nights. Mr. Ransom is passionate about taking care of people who are suffering. "When you have a 30-yearold reserve senior airman who cries in your office because he was evicted from his apartment, had his car repossessed, exhausted all of his savings and is filing for bankruptcy who can't understand why the military isn't taking care of them, especially when they have deployed three times since graduating from technical school--those types of situations really bother me," he admitted. "When I encounter a situation like that, it makes me mad and determined to find assistance for this individual, either through their unit, local non-profit agencies or other sources." Mr. Ransom believe he has the most rewarding job in the Air Force. "I'm honored to be able to assist those warriors who have sacrificed so much, deployment after deployment," he remarked. "All they really want to know is that someone is going to take of them and their families because they took care of ours."