Veterans Court To Help Soldiers Get Back Up On Their Feet

A new specialized court for active military and combat veterans is getting started in El Paso. It’s meant to help soldiers charged with crimes get back on their feet.

The El Paso County Veterans Court began receiving cases in January. Officials say it’s a necessary program for soldiers to not get lost in the criminal justice system.

El Paso County Veterans Mental Health Treatment Court program director Cesar Prieto tells ABC-7 he’s dedicated to helping them. “What we first have to understand is that these individuals have dedicated their lives for freedom.”

“The increase of individuals with post traumatic stress disorder, veterans especially that are, that have not received services, now are coming to the criminal justice system,” he explained.

Recently, a SWAT standoff last month kept authorities at bay in far east El Paso County. Christopher Martinez barricaded himself and his children in a trailer and threatened his wife with a shotgun.

El Paso County Sheriff’s officials say he is a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq and is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Rather than serve time for a crime, in Veterans Court, the soldier would participate in rehabilitation, educational and treatment programs.

Prieto says to participate the soldier has to show their criminal conduct was affected by a brain injury or mental illness, resulting from military service in a combat zone or hazardous duty area. Those include PTSD, schizophrenia, bi-polar and major depression.

The military tries to prevent situations like the SWAT standoff from happening by offering soldiers returning from war and their families reintegration training.

It’s a mandatory 3 day program that helps soldiers adjust to civilian life and re-establish relationships with their spouses and children.

For soldiers, “Things in the household may have changed, so we teach them how to be better negotiators,” Fort Bliss Mobilization Deployment Coordinator for Army Community Services, Anotonio Cassagnol explains.

For families he says “We can start getting them used to the fact that, ‘Okay my solider is coming back.’ These are some of the things he or she may have faced while in combat.”

Cassagnol warns a soldier can come home a different person. “When you’re deployed for a year, in a combat theater, there are always changes. Mental, physiological.”

SFC Justin Carey and his wife Nina call the program a valuable tool for returning soldiers. Most importantly, learning who to call in case there is an issue. “These folks that come in and conduct the training are not going to make you smart on everything you need to know. But like I was saying, you need to know who the personnel are and how to contact them.”

If a soldier does end up in Veterans Court, Prieto thinks, “It’s fair for the community to offer them the opportunity to regain their life. {…} Not just toss them away because of that incident or whatever act they committed and close the door on them.”

Prieto tells ABC-7 often times those with mental illnesses commit crimes as a result of their illness.

The Veterans Court has 3 cases that are in their beginning stages. Prieto says the court is working with military officials for treatment support.