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Coming Home: Justice for our veterans

October 14, 2012 4:00 PM

An alternative court program in Harris County, Texas, seeks to rehabilitate veterans who turn to crime for the first time. Scott Pelley reports.

Coming Home: Justice for our veterans
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by thedickjoe January 31, 2013 4:16 PM EST
These people have obviously never seen MacKenzie in court. The guy is a real jerk, totally disrespectful of the people before him. He is also a publicity hound. He seems to revel on press attention. Results? -- they don't exist. I don't thinl he's made a difference; just made lives miserable.
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by LMBlanchard October 23, 2012 3:17 PM EDT
Thank you CBS for the wonderful story on Veterans Court. Veterans Courts help so many of our soldiers across our country make life altering changes. I see this firsthand as a volunteer in the Novi, MI 52-1 Veterans Court of Judge Brian MacKenzie. Judge MacKenzie knows how important VC is to our soldiers and as such added a new element to it, support dogs. In April 2010, the Novi District court added its first support dog (Rylan) to its courtroom. A courtroom can be a very intimidating place even for those who are not in trouble with the law. Rylan is there to help ease anxiety and provide a distraction to those who are facing hearings before the judge. In October 2011, Judge MacKenzie added a second VC support dog to his team (Carmina). There are two additional VC dogs in Michigan as well. To my knowledge these are the only Veterans Court support dogs right now in the country. It is my hope that there will be more in the future as these wonderful dogs provide a comforting service to our Veterans. If you would like to read more, please go to www.capmich.com or to Rylan's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rylan-The-Doberman-Veterans-Court-Support-Dog/188817657838012?ref=hl
Thank you.
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by Champion4Veterans October 19, 2012 11:47 AM EDT
I have received, through the VA, free hobby kits that have helped take me from suicidal to working part time again!!!!!!!!!

Please give these good people a call because getting on their program can help save you like I was.

They have a regular number 951 926 4500 and an 800 number which is 888 567 8387

OH and ask for Christy! Friendly and genuinely cares!!!!

Semper Fi my brothers and sisters,

Mac
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by peacefulfreedomfighter October 17, 2012 9:55 AM EDT
Thank you, CBS, for airing this important show. As the founder of a charity that I'm trying to launch, Help A Vet Now, I am trying to raise awareness of the challenges that our Vets face when returning home from the tours in the Middle East. PTSD is a very serious problem, and truly, you do NOT know - it's the Walking Wounded we need to worry about. All Vets need to be cared for properly, but these wounded warriors need our protection!
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by CSMRETIRED October 16, 2012 11:07 AM EDT
Thanks CBS for the great story. I am currently a Probation Officer in a Veterans Court. What we have experienced is many Combat Veterans are receiving Other Than Honorable or Bad Conduct Discharges which prevents them from Veterans Benefits. After our investigation, we found they were suffering from PTSD,TBI, Depresion etc., because of their Combat experience but were not provided the proper care while on Active Duty. The Service member leaders, seemed not be interested in helping or caring for their service memeber. They may have be told to suck it up and perform their duty. This is an area that the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration system need to look into because so many Combat Service Members are not eligible for any VA services or educational benefit due to their type of discharge.I currently have several service memebrs that received Other than Honorable and Bad Conduct Discharge that suffer from service connected PTSD. TBI, depression etc. Their discharges were for going AWOL for a long period of time, drug use while on active duty status, failure to follow orders, domestic assault, DUI etc. The Yale Law School conducted a study on wrongful discharges which is interesting. It would be recommended CBS conduct an investigation into Combat Service Memeber with Other Than Honorble and Bad Conduct Discharges and the cause of the discharges. Again thank you CBS for the Veteran Court segment.
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by citizenusa-2009 October 16, 2012 10:44 AM EDT
OMG! Does anyone know how our Vets are treated when they come home?? It's absolutely horrifying!

The VA has absolutely no conscience or accountability. OF COURSE, these Vets are going to be desperate because they are made to wait and wait and wait for any and all benefits PROMISED to them when they sign up. While patiently waiting to be "approved by the ratings board", they are starving and sick. The whole "take care our our Vets" promise is nothing but a HUSTLE.
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by ammo17 October 16, 2012 9:23 AM EDT
great story cbs,as a vietnam era navy vet you have to have to feel for this veterans.what i would like to see some t.v. network to look into why hundreds of thousands of vetetrans are being held out of the benefits they are entitled too for their service to this country.our congress gave the veterans administration a ton of money to move their pension and compensation cases along at a faster pace.so far the veterans administration has spent $6.1 million dollars for parties for the people in the v.a.while veterans have to wait years for their benenfits.why?
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by Mick_from_Amsterdam October 16, 2012 8:56 AM EDT
The tragedy is that if Judge Carter's enlightened and compassionate methods and policies were embraced in our courts nationwide (not very likely in a country that politicizes everything)

Think of the thousands of vets already irretrievably lost to the prison system...

And by "lost" I mean...if you think these brave, broken men were hostile, distrustful and prone to violent rage BEFORE they were incarcerated...wait until those who survive inside are eventually released...
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by Mick_from_Amsterdam October 16, 2012 8:13 AM EDT
A First Sergeant of Marines...looking at a 22 year prison sentence brought on by survivor's guilt...

UNTHINKABLE...but more and more commonplace in America today.

These men gave EVERYTHING to the job foisted on them by swaggering politicians who had always been careful to never walk in harm's way themselves...and then these men gave even more...more than anyone can afford to squander on an oil deal gone wrong

To some...since these returning vets have served their purpose...and are now damaged goods, clogging up our overburdened court and penal system...killers rendered far too dangerous by their training, and especially by their horrific experiences to be allowed to walk among "decent folk"

I'm sure that in some circles, having them all humanely put down has already been discussed...or soon will be...if they can only figure out a way to justify it as the, "patriotic, fiscally sound solution to all this expensive Lib whining......much of it from vets who hardly suffered any serious wounds at all"

Jay Gould (1836-1892) revered today as the patron saint of robber barons, once famously boasted that, "He could hire half of the working class to kill the other half"

Perhaps Gould's disciples of today have come up with some variations on his evil theme...

Like cutting away the protective net that millions of the elderly and disabled vets of ALL categories depend on to merely survive...

Thereby freeing up billions...not to lower the national debt they continually shout about while furtively increasingit...but to pour more into defense spending to be ready to fight the wars they're going to start in the future...

Sounds like a plan...
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by mattrick78 October 15, 2012 6:51 PM EDT
George W. Bush = worst president in U.S. History.
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