One military veteran who was charged with crimes graduated on September 1 from Lancaster County’s Veterans Court for a chance to have the charges reduced, dismissed, and/or expunged.

The Veterans Court mission is “to promote public safety and reduce recidivism in a cost-effective way by providing veteran offenders with intensive Court supervision and a comprehensive Veterans Administration-driven treatment program.”

One Marine serviceman graduated Thursday, earning a certificate from Judge Jeffery Wright. In other business, one Veterans Court member moved to the fourth and final phase, a previous graduate completed his aftercare and had his record expunged, and another graduate had his charges reduced and supervision terminated after completing aftercare.

The graduation began with the pledge of allegiance and recognition of veterans.

Veterans Court participants are assigned a mentor, who are also veterans. Stephen Shaw is the Mentor Coordinator. Mentors of Team Alpha include Missy Hinerdeer, Alex Degenhardt, Bill Gasperetti, Steve McClune, Denise Erbal, Bob Chavous, Mike Heisey, Nick Burkholder, and Fae Skuya. Mentors of Dan Natividad, Johnny Pistone, Chuck Cott, Marcus Zito, Charlie Goss, Lisa Nogueras, Jeff Runz, Chuck Brought, Rich Wilson, and Sam Bigler.

Next was guest speaker Major Rodney Ebersole, a retired member of the United States Marine Corps, who spoke of his time in the military and difficulties he faced when returning to the United States. Ebersole spoke of how he had to seek help to address his trauma and adjust to civilian life. His advice to participants and graduates was to adhere to two core values he learned as a Marine: know yourself and seek self-improvement and take responsibility for your actions.

Courthouse Facility Dog Hamlet drew a name out of a fishbowl of participants before Judge Wright gave his closing remarks.

Members of the Veterans Court include Karen Andreadis, Coordinator; Devin Orme, Senior Probation Officer; Paige MacBain, Senior Probation Officer; Stephanie Smith, Assistant District Attorney; David Romano, Assistant Public Defender; Carla Cyr, Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist; David Miller, Drug & Alcohol Commission; Anne Bingaman, Law Clerk; Eric Eshleman, Behavioral Healthcare Corporation; Christina Fluegel, LCP Counselor; Sergeant John Donnelly, Manheim Township Police; Trina Brown-Hinton, Treatment Court Clerical Specialist; Hamlet, Courthouse Facility Dog.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.