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Retiring VSO leaves lasting impression on Le Sueur County veterans
Military life wasn’t easy for now veteran Emily Teberg. She left service in 2003 on medical leave after a traumatic experience, but when she got back home to Minnesota, her troubles didn’t stop. Unable to cope, she turned to drug use and her life was on a downward spiral until, Teberg said, Jim Golgart saved her life.
Golgart is retiring after serving as the Le Sueur County Veterans Service officer for more than 20 years. In that time, Golgart has become well known among local veterans for his compassion, tough love and willingness to go above and beyond the requirements of the job.
Teberg saw more compassion from Golgart than she ever expected. When Teberg needed to take her leave from service, Golgart worked with her father to get her out. When she became hooked on drugs, it was Golgart who personally drove her to rehab.
Teberg recalled that Golgart showed up at her workplace in Shakopee, telling her boss that Teberg would not return to work until she was recovered. He then turned to Teberg, and told her to get in his car.
“Of course, I was mad,” said Teberg. “I was upset at him and I walked into the treatment center and said ‘I’m done. I’m not staying. I don’t want to be doing this.’ He said, ‘Well I’m leaving. You are not getting in my vehicle and you can lose my number and find another veterans service officer if you don’t complete this. You have to because otherwise you will not be here.’
It was a tough love approach, but that tough love was the unexpected push that Teberg needed. She completed her 30-day program, and all the while, Golgart checked in on her to make sure that she would do just that.
“Jim saw something in me that needed to be saved,” said Teberg.
Le Sueur County
Golgart came into his position as the director of the Le Sueur County Veterans Service Office as a veteran himself and a member of a big military family. He served in the United States Army until retiring in 1999; he also has three brothers that joined and a son currently on active duty in the Army. With service playing such a fundamental role in his life, Golgart said he developed a passion for helping veterans.
“The drive was the passion to help veterans and their families,” said Golgart. “To get them the benefits that they earned and they deserved.”
His favorite part of the job? Getting a veteran’s claim for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs approved. When he has conversations with veterans about those claims, Golgart said he can see their lives change for the better.
“Just seeing the veteran's life change as a result of some of the benefits that they get," he said. "Getting them health care, getting them service connected disability for something that happened to them while in the military. Getting that accomplished and seeing the changes in their way of life is what it’s all about."
Golagart’s drive to assist veterans eventually took him to the national stage. In 2014 and 2015, Golgart served as the president of the National Association of County Veterans Services Officers. The NACVSO constitutes 1,800 members from 36 states. As president of the organization, Golgart would go to Washington D.C., advocating and promoting the organization's goals of standardized quality training in county veterans services offices across the country and collaboration with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Locally, Golgart sought to bring more funds to veterans by establishing the Le Sueur County Veterans Service Council. The council holds golf fundraisers at courses across the county every year to raise money for trucks to transport veterans to VA medical clinics and to assist veterans in need.
While the work is important, it's also challenging. Golgart said he’s had his ups and downs while working as a VSO. Connecting veterans with the care they need is one of the most uplifting parts of his work, but sometimes it isn’t enough. Over his career, Golgart has encountered some extreme circumstances, including two veterans who ended up committing suicide.
“I think about those veterans every day,” said Golgart. “It’s difficult. You do everything that you can to help, but unfortunately those demons stay with them.”
Mental health has become one of the most significant problems facing former service members, said Golgart. Helping veterans bear and overcome those issues has been the most challenging part of the job.
In handling claims for health and disability, Golgart said that he’s favored a two-pronged approach of connecting veterans with the benefits they can receive for disability and then also connecting them with treatment for the disability.
Over his time at Le Sueur County, Golgart has seen growing support for veterans.
“We’ve changed a lot of lives over the last 20 years,” said Golgart. “When I first started, there was only $1 million dollars worth of benefits coming into Le Sueur County. Last fiscal year there was almost $13.8 million worth of benefits coming into Le Sueur County. About $6 million is compensation and about $6 million is health care. It’s an impact. That money is going to the veteran and they’re going to spend it within the community of Le Sueur County so it does make a big difference.”
A Lasting Impression
Veterans across Le Sueur County spoke on how Golgart changed their lives.
One such veteran was Rick Walters, who started seeing Golgart after moving to Cleveland. While Walters was satisfied with the Nicollet County Veterans Service Office, Golgart’s ambition quickly impressed him.
“He’s done wonders for veterans around the area and personal friends of mine,” said Walters. “He’s changed my life quite a bit. I had a heart problem about a year ago, and he helped me out on that.”
Like Teberg, Walters appreciated Golgart’s willingness to speak his mind and offer tough love when needed.
“He didn’t mince any words,” said Walters. “He’s aggressive, but he’s aggressive in the right way.”
Veterans and colleagues admire Golgart, not only for his straightforwardness, but his compassion and willingness to go above and beyond his duties to help veterans and ensure that they are safe and healthy.
“Ever since the coronavirus has been around, he calls on you and checks on you.” said Walters. “And he didn’t have to do that, but he does it. You appreciate that. You know he’s thinking about you all the time.”
Ed Keogh, president of VFW Post 5340 in Montgomery added, “(Golgart) would go out of his way to make sure every veteran needing assistance received it. He had made sure each veteran in Le Sueur County received the benefits they deserved from the VA. He would not hesitate to assist veterans when he was called by Le Sueur County agencies. He just was a go-getter; he helped every veteran that he knew.”
Golgart was also a friend to American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts in Le Sueur County. Whenever there was relevant news or changes in protocol, Golgart would be quick to relay that information to organizations within the county.
“Twice a year he came to our VFW meetings, and twice a year he came to our Legion meetings,” said Le Sueur VFW Commander Shannon Frost. “He did the same with all the Legion and VFW posts in the county. If we mentioned that a veteran was sick, he would always ask about them and follow up. He didn’t just do his job when someone came to see him. He honestly always wanted to follow up and see how people were doing.”
Those follow-ups extended even to veterans that left Le Sueur County. After completing rehab, Teberg eventually moved to North Dakota, but Golgart never moved out of her life. After helping Telberg get the treatment she needed, the VSO had practically become family, and Telberg affectionately refers to him as “Uncle Jim.” Golgart has even continued to help connect Teberg with VA benefits and treatments.
“He really cares and he’s compassionate,” said Teberg. “Where someone’s everyday struggle may not be the same from veteran to veteran, he will listen. He is there for a phone call … It just says a lot about his personality and character that he will go above and beyond.”
When Golgart concluded it was time to retire, he ensured she would have proper care afterwards. Teberg said Golgart had been preparing her for his retirement for two years prior to his resignation and searched for a VSO that he believed she could trust. It was just another example of his above and beyond approach.
“If there could be 10 more Jim Golgarts as veterans services officers, life would be so much better,” said Teberg.
