Former servicepeople sought for Veterans Treatment Court

Calling all veterans - the Judiciary of Guam wants you! Veteran mentors are needed to assist with the recently-launched Veterans Treatment Court.

"What I'm looking for are a bunch of mentors from all the branches of the armed forces. The Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, Navy, Army, and Air Force," explained administrator of the courts Joshua Tenorio. He says he and Presiding Judge Maria Cenzon recently met with a Hawaii Veterans Treatment Court judge who gave them advice on how to manage the new program.

"These would be volunteers who would be willing to step up and mentor the justice involved service members who are in this court system - many of these veterans may have some PTSD issues or some substance abuse issues. And so the objective of the court is to try to find ways to deal with these underlying issues and give these folks a second chance and recognize their service to the country," he said.

There's an obvious demand for the specialized court. 15 servicemembers and veterans are currently in the system with another 90 pending admissions and going through screenings. "So the demand is there but the key component to getting this court to be effective is having mentors. So these mentors are basically vetted by the court. There's a little training involved and they're assigned to these defendants, and they're there to try and be helpful and encourage them through and to complete any programs that are recommended for their treatment. Or to deal with some of the mental health or behavioral issues. But also to be there so they can try assimilate out there and restore their productivity in society," he said.

Tenorio will be reaching out to veterans groups in coming weeks. If you're a veteran and would like to assist with the Veterans Treatment Court, you can reach Tenorio at 475-3278.