By Paige Lambert
Kristopher Silva walked out of his last meeting with the Veterans Court, thinking about his completion of the strenuous program. It marked a victory over the anger, substance abuse and other issues that arose after serving overseas.
Silva and four other veterans graduated from the Veterans Court program in Hays County on Wednesday. This marked the first successes within the infant program.
Alan Cameron, AMVETS Post 115 veteran services officer, said the state legislature created the specialized court in 2009 and Hays County adopted its own in 2014.
Around 50 Texas counties now hold Veterans Court, five being along the I-35 corridor. Cameron said the number of courts will rise because there is no set decompression process for veterans who are discharged into civilian life.
“These young folks are being asked to do unnatural things,” Cameron said. “They are expected to go fight in a war zone then come back and function normally. How unnatural is that?”
While driving to his home in San Antonio, Silva was detained in Hays County. When he heard the county was trying to get a Veterans Court going, he stalled probation until the court was created.
“I knew Hays County would give a fair hearing to things,” Silva said. “People are beginning to recognize we need help instead of punishing us.”
The goal is to keep veterans from reentering the jail system, Jude Prather, Hays County veteran service officer, said.
While Hays County doesn’t have a lot of data yet, Travis County has lowered its recidivism, or relapse in criminal behavior, to the single digit percentage.
“The standard is 20-30 percent,” Prather said. “We are recognizing their service and addressing the underlying cause of why they are there in the first place.”
The process begins immediately, from the moment someone is charged with a misdemeanor and self-identifies as a veteran.
If they meet the qualifications and finish the year-long program, the charges are expunged. While they go for the hanging carrot, many do so reluctantly, he said.
“They are really here just to get it off their record,” Prather said. “Then they realize there are other reasons and have ah-ha moments.”
Participants have to visit the court so many times a month, depending on the program phase. He said they are placed in wrap services, where they have to work on getting benefits, their mental health and addictions.
Silva said he never went to group meetings at the Veterans Affairs office and always felt alone. His heart began to soften after a few of the court-forced group meetings.
“I realized time at the VA was helping and put a positive outlook on everything,” Silva said. “I found God again and my personal wellbeing.”
Veterans are paired with battle buddies, or confidants, who help them keep momentum during the process, Cameron said.
Prather said his favorite days are when he goes to court. Instead of a typical court where guilt hangs in the air, flags from each branch drape the walls and everyone is supporting the soldier at the podium.
“As they graduate each process, we applaud them and show that we are rooting for them,” he said.
While Silva has seen many successes, he said the program and participating veterans still have room to improve.
“It chaps my butt when I see young veterans here who think it is going to be easy,” he said. “It was hard but I did what I know I needed to do.”
While some veterans will leave the court after graduation, or after not adhering to the standards, Silva said he plans to make the long trip from San Antonio again.
He wants to mentor those who have gone astray and need help, like he did a year ago.
“I don’t feel like I have to return to substance abuse and anger,” Silva said. “I can just enjoy living.”
