A trembling veteran stood before a judge, ready to turn himself in to serve a night in jail for lying to the court. What that judge did for him that night will remain with that vet the rest of his life.
Judge Lou Olivera presides over the Veterans Treatment Court in Cumberland County, N.C. The Veterans Treatment Court program assigns judges, typically vets themselves, to oversee treatment of veterans caught up in the criminal justice system. The program combines strict treatment with personal accountability, something most veterans understand and respond to.
The goal is to end the merry-go-round of substance abuse, mental health problems and criminal activity.
One veteran whom Olivera’s seen a lot of since the Cumberland County program began is Joe Serna. Serna, a medically retired Special Forces Green Beret, has had a rough time of it since his 2008 return from his fourth tour in Afghanistan. Serna suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after nearly drowning in a submerged truck. The only survivor of that incident, Serna is now understandably afraid of small, tight spaces.
A series of problems sent Serna off-track in his post-military life. After an arrest for drunk driving, one of the conditions of his probation was to avoid alcohol. Serna reported for urinalysis to Judge Olivera’s Veterans Treatment Court every two weeks. Recently, he lied about a urinalysis result, but then came clean to the court.
“I gave Joe a night in jail because he had to be held accountable,” Olivera told CBS News. Olivera came to realize, however, that he couldn’t send Serna there alone.
http://www.care2.com/causes/hero-judge-serves-jail-sentence-with-veteran-to-make-sure-hes-ok-2.html
Serna showed up trembling, fearful due to his PTSD, but ready to do his sentence. Olivera personally drove him to the jail. He decided along the way to do something he’d never done before. He would stay with Serna inside that cell all night.
“I knew what Joe was going through and I knew Joe’s history,” Olivera told CBS News. “And he had to be held accountable — but I just felt I had to go with him. I felt I had to go with him.” Serna, surprised and grateful, spent much of that night talking to the judge.
“We talked about our families,” Serna told CBS News. “The walls didn’t exist anymore. He brought me back to North Carolina from being in a truck in Afghanistan.” Even the sleeping arrangements demonstrated Olivera’s kind understanding.
“He gave me the bunk,” Serna told the Fayetteville Observer. “The judge took two of the mats and slept on the floor.”
Let’s face it — Judge Olivera is a rock star. He went above and beyond to help a fellow veteran. In that situation, he understood two absolutes. It was unquestionably necessary that Serna be held accountable for his lie to the court. It was also unquestionably necessary that someone help Serna get through that terrible, difficult night inside a cage.
Olivera took personal responsibility for Serna’s well-being. He kept Serna talking. He gave him the comfy bed. In all ways, he treated Serna with kindness and respect, to get him to the finish line and back into successful treatment. Our hats are off to you, Judge Olivera, for your intelligence, your compassion and your service to our country.
We don’t do nearly enough for our troubled vets. This judge knew that. He went the extra mile to be sure the vet he had to incarcerate made it back out with his head screwed on straight. If more people took responsibility for their fellow humans in the way Judge Olivera did, the world would be a happier, healthier place for us all.
Stunning and brave
>>42368
i was going to prepare a graph showing how little of a shit i cared, but cba so ill settle for shitposting
I fucking wish this wasn't a pr stunt
>blek leivs muttr
Who gives a shit if it was a PR stunt?
Oh no! He did something good in the name of... looking like a guy who does good things....
>>42447
IF HE KEEPS THIS UP, WHO KNOWS WHAT HE'LL BECOME
>>42451
A paragon, heaven-bent on doing as many good things as possible in order to convince people he does good things.
Thats a cycle of madness.
Social media killed society's belief in kindness.
>>42477
Seven post in to destroy a good story.
Good job anons.
>>42447
The notion of "HE DID GOOD THING FOR X REASON I THINK IS BAD" is so utterly ridiculous. Oh someone saved my life but got sexual pleasure out of it. Who gives a shit, they saved my life. Let them whack off to their life-saving fetish.
>>42368
That is very inspiring.
>>42368
God bless him
