Veteran Treatment Court helps vets connect, empower, heal
Veterans Treatment Court helps vets connect, empower and heal
Friday, November 30, 2018
By: Lucy H. Caldwell, Director of Communications, Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board
“This docket is all about respect….
You’re drug-free and that’s a good thing.
Feel encouraged.
A long trip starts with a first step.
Life is fragile and not easy; it can be difficult to heal.”
Judge Michael Lindner
On a cold November afternoon, a handful of veterans (and one large German Shephard service animal) sat in the Fairfax County Courtroom facing The Honorable Judge Michael Lindner, one by one.
Sprinkled among the veterans were people in royal blue polo shirts with small American flag emblems- shirts that identified them as mentors for Veterans who were part of the Fairfax County Court’s Veterans Treatment Docket. Many of the volunteer mentors were older, with greying hair and deeply creased faces-but all exuded a warmth and a passion that was generous, kind and deeply proud of their service and commitment to the country-and continued service to helping others.
A quiet, petite man, with day-old beard and dark glasses approached the judge and shared “I saw my son this month and I want to tell you about that.” The judge listened as the man recounted a recent experience with his 6 year old. “I took him to the Redskins game in Tampa; a stranger offered us passes to stand on the sidelines-where the defensive coordinator tossed the football with my son. Then, we went to Legoland.”As he continued- still eager to share- the conversation steered towards his PTSD treatment and weekly classes; and a new lease of an apartment he planned to sign. The judge smiled broadly and said simply ,”Stay away from drugs and alcohol, keep your day structured; your son needs you.”
Another man expressed that he hoped to go home to Texas for Christmas. The judge asked him about that. By the end of the chat, the judge granted permission for the trip. “Stay clean; your community needs you,” he said- and the veteran agreed and said “there are 12 step groups wherever I go and I use them.”
Virginia is home to nearly 800,000 Veterans; 87,000 of those live in Fairfax County. The Fairfax Veterans Treatment docket is a voluntary, court-supervised, comprehensive treatment program for Veterans. Here in Fairfax County, the program is coordinated by the CSB’s Brooke Postlewaite.
“Transitioning out of the military to civilian life can be a difficult process. There’s a loss of the identity and structure that the military provides– along with dealing other stressors such as combat-related trauma, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and subsequent substance abuse to cope with these issues. These veterans sacrifice so much for our country and I strongly believe it’s the community’s responsibility to make sure that they get the treatment and services they need.” She continued, “This program provides that treatment, while still keeping them accountable for their decisions that tangled them up in criminal justice system in the first place. The goal of the Veterans Treatment Docket is to help these men and women develop and bolster the necessary skills and resources to be successful in the community. The veterans work really hard towards this goal and as we witnessed today, that transformation was so evident.”
After an hour of proceedings, two men were asked to approach the front of the courtroom. Both were celebrating their graduation from the treatment program. After a year and a half of court check-ins, counseling, treatment, and support, the two men would now be fully returning to their lives in the community as sober, stronger individuals. Both men thanked the court, and most of all, the Veteran mentors: “I learned things about myself I didn’t know- I kept my head up- and I kept moving. This program saved my life. The mentors had already served their country; they didn’t have to be here for us; but they were. They put their lives on hold for us and we’ll always be grateful for that sacrifice.”
Judge Lindner concluded, “All of us have faced tragedies; every single one of us deserves the full attention from the court- especially those who have served in the U.S. military. Their level of sacrifice is unlike anything else.”
Learn more about Veterans issues at Justice For Vets https://justiceforvets.org/
Lucy H. Caldwell, Director of Communications
Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board
Lucy.Caldwell@Fairfaxcounty.gov
703-324-7006-desk