The Bexar County Veterans Treatment court is set aside to handle misdemeanor cases, ranging from drunken driving to domestic troubles and mental issues, including PTSD.
The presiding judge is County Court 6 Judge Wayne Christian, who has been at the helm of the program, which is funded by state and federal funds, for 3 1/2 years.
He says the program is designed specifically for veterans and currently has a waiting list of 200 people who want to join.
"It is designed with an understanding of where they've been and what they've done and what they've been exposed to with an eye on treatment," Christian said.
The vets say the program is easy to adapt to since it embraces many military concepts.
"We're not out on the battlefield anymore, but this is a battlefield for us," said Bobby Rice. "We take each other in our arms and help each other."
Rice is one of 127 veterans currently in the program. Like many others, he has a drunken driving record and is on probation -- something that is not a far stretch from military service, according to Christian.
"When you volunteer to join the military, you subject yourself to being a member of the largest probationary organizations on the face of the earth," he said.
When state and federal funding runs out in the fall, Christian said he is hoping county commissioners will fund the program.
"We are Military City, USA," he said. "We have one of the largest populations of military veterans in the United States and it is an absolute perfect fit."
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