About Us

Many veterans have successfully re-entered society after coming home from overseas deployments.

ABOUT THE VETERANS NATIONAL RECOVERY CENTER

The VNRC is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service in 2011. Our IRS Tax ID is 27-3714537. Our Address is 204 Arch Street, Suite 101, Burlington, Iowa, 52601, and out telephone is 515-657-0069. 

Currently we have exceptionally low overhead in that all of our work is conducted by volunteers. So, your gift to us really does go a long way in our quest to educate policy makers and the general public about the special needs of PTSD, TBI, MST and Burn Injury vets.

Many veterans have successfully re-entered society after coming home from overseas deployments. 

Many veterans have overcome conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Military Sexual Trauma (MST), and even Burn Trauma. However, many veterans have also found it quite difficult—if not impossible—to reintegrate into society. The VNRC’s mission is to advocate for those veterans who are struggling to adapt to a normal life and assist them with the transition. We do so with the general public, state and national policy makers, and with the veterans themselves.

ABOUT BOB KRAUSE, PRESIDENT OF THE VETERANS Debatepic-Iowapress NATIONAL RECOVERY CENTER

Bob Krause, President and Chairman of the Board of VNRC is an outstanding veterans’ advocate who has been tested by time and circumstance. He is a leader dedicated to elevate our veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, MST and other illnesses and conditions of war.

BOB KRAUSE – A VETERAN

He is a retired colonel with service in the National Guard and Army Reserve as well as past Iowa state president of the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) and past national public affairs officer for the ROA. He also served as state chair of the Iowa Democratic Veterans Caucus. He was military spokesperson during the mobilization of Des Moines’s 3rd Corps Support Command when it was called up for Bosnia, and was also Army Reserve spokesperson during Hurricane Andrew in Florida. He travelled to Korea often and wrote a portion of the contingency war plan for the Korean theater. He is a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

BOB KRAUSE – A RECORD OF CARING

Bob is a caring person. It shows in the positions and projects he has undertaken during his very active life. He is a native Iowan who has been a state legislator, school board member, top federal official in the USDOT, national think tank director, colonel in the Army Reserve, international consultant, operator of a small business, and founder of an active veterans’ charity.

CREATING THE VNRC

Bob announced the creation of the Veterans National Recovery Center at a press conference at Java Joe’s coffee shop in Des Moines, Iowa in October 2010. Initial attendees and board members included Steve Mulcahy, Vietnam combat veteran and past chair of the Iowa Veterans Council and past president of the Iowa Chapter of Vietnam Veterans of America, Dan Steen, Vietnam Navy vet and past Commandant of the Iowa Veterans Home, James Marren, an Army medic in Vietnam, and Vicky Krause, Bob’s wife and constant advisor.

BEGINNINGS

Bob was born in Algona and raised on a Century farm near Fenton in Palo Alto County, of which he is part owner. After graduating from Sentral High School in 1968, he went on to attend the University of Iowa.
At the University of Iowa, Bob pursued his studies and completed his degree in 1972. His upbringing on a family farm played an important role in shaping his strong work ethic and values. Growing up in rural Iowa gave him a deep appreciation for agriculture and community life. Even after furthering his education, he maintained close ties to his hometown root

BOB IN THE IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

After graduating, Bob ran for state representative from his home area and won a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives. During his tenure, he chaired the Transportation Committee and served as a floor whip to help secure passage of Iowa’s Public Employees Collective Bargaining law.
Throughout his legislative service, Bob earned recognition for his effectiveness and leadership. The The Des Moines Register named him one of the “Top 10 Most Effective Iowa Legislators.” He went on to serve three terms as state representative, building a reputation for hard work and bipartisan cooperation.

BOB IN THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION

Bob left the legislature when he ran unsuccessfully for Treasurer of State. He then joined the Carter Administration as Regional head of the US Department of Transportation. There he was in charge of the field response to the bankruptcy of the Rock Island and Milwaukee Railroads, and also served as advocate to rural America on railroad deregulation. His recommendations resulted in the successful transition of 98 percent of rail shippers to other private sector railroads, and avoided a permanent government takeover of a major portion of the Midwest rail system.

BOB AS AN EDUCATOR, RESEARCHER, WRITER, ADVOCATE

Bob left the US DOT at the conclusion of the Carter Administration, and went to Iowa State University, where he taught in the business school and also took graduate classes. He later joined the staff of the Council of State Governments (CSG), the national association for state government officials based in Kentucky. There, he ran a national think-tank on transportation policy and wrote several books on transportation policy. Recommendations from one of his books became national highway safety law. Bob later moved to Palm Beach County, Florida, which is the largest county in Florida with current population of 1.42 million people. There, he managed intergovernmental relations with federal, state and local governments.

In 1993 he returned to Iowa, and joined the Iowa DOT as district planner for a large part of eastern Iowa. He left the Iowa DOT in early 2008 to advise the government of Dubai, United Ara Emirates, on transportation policy. Upon his return to Iowa, he worked for a defense contractor in Des Moines until his retirement in January of this year. In his position he inspected weapons and equipment of the US Army Reserve for a multi-state area.

BOB’S FAMILY

Vicky M. Krause, Bob’s wife, is an Indigenous member of the Māori tribe in New Zealand. Together, Bob and Vicky operate a small firm that rents apartments and engages in new construction and property renovation projects. Through their shared work, they have remained active in their local business community.

Vicky has four grown children—Joseph, Paul, David, and Luke—as well as four children from her first marriage to the late George Matthiessen: Saul, Daniel, Ann, and Fiona. Bob has two children from a previous marriage, Laurel Krause and Janelle Krause. He also has three stepchildren from his marriage to MaryAnn, who passed away from cancer: Geoff Mills, Joshua Mills, and Jared Mills.

Bob and Vicky reside in Burlington, where they attend the Episcopal Church and remain active in their faith and community.