FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Joint Allen County Veterans Court of the Allen Circuit and Superior Courts will hold a graduation ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, at 11:00 AM at the Allen County Courthouse Circuit Court Room. Colonel Joshua C. Waggoner, Commander of the 122nd Fighter Wing, of the Fort Wayne Air National Guard Base, Indiana, will be the Honored Keynote Speaker for the program’s ninth commencement ceremony.
This year’s ceremony commemorates 19 veterans’ completion of an intensive program designed to connect veterans suffering from substance abuse and/or mental health disorders with the benefits and treatment they have earned as a result of their service. “The impact of the Veteran’s Court Program affects the veteran, their family, and their community.
“These men and women volunteered to serve, they sacrificed for their country and were adversely affected by their service. This program gives them the opportunity to redirect their lives, address the service-connected trauma, and heal,” said Allen County Superior Court Judge Frances C. Gull. “I’m extremely proud of their dedication and accomplishments.”
The Allen County Joint Veterans Court is a judicially supervised court docket that reduces correctional costs, protects community safety, and improves public welfare. Veterans Treatment Courts combine rigorous treatment and accountability for veterans facing incarceration due to charges stemming from substance abuse and/or mental health issues.
“We are so proud of the nineteen veterans who are graduating from Allen County Veterans Court on November 10th. Their graduation is a success, not only for the veterans themselves but for the entire community,” added Allen County Circuit Court Judge Wendy W. Davis. “May Veterans Court graduation serve as a reminder to any veteran who may be struggling in our community: We care about you. You are not alone.”
Veterans Treatment Courts expedite access to veteran-specific resources, including benefits and treatments earned through military service, by involving the U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare networks, the Veterans Benefits Administration, State Departments of Veterans Affairs, volunteer veteran mentors, and veterans and veterans’ family support organizations.