Dane County court officials held a special ceremony Friday to honor the first graduate of the recently established Veterans Treatment Court.
The court is one of 11 statewide. It offers veterans facing criminal charges stemming from alcohol or drug addiction or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to have their charges dropped if they complete a treatment program.
Travis Kielpikowski is an Army veteran sentenced to probation for drug possession in 2012. By completing treatment through the Veterans Court, he’ll be able to clear his record. Kielpikowski said the court offers veterans like him the chance to start over again.
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“As a vet, you’re expected to be strong but there are times that you need to lean on somebody and that opportunity can make all the difference in the world,” he said.
The Madison VA provides the drug treatment free of charge and a volunteer mentor who is also a veteran helps keep participants on track to kick their addictions.
At his graduation, Kielpikowski received a special set of Veterans Court dog tags to keep with his official Army ones and a framed diploma declaring him a drug court graduate.
Judge David Falangan, who presides over the court on a volunteer basis, urged Kielpikowski to become a mentor for other vets who, like him, are using the court to kick their habits and and clear their records.
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