The Hawkins County Commission gave its final approval last week to allocate $95,000 from the county’s opioid lawsuit settlement funds to Rogersville’s Veterans Center of East Tennessee.
Eight people spoke on behalf of the funding approval during citizens comments at the beginning of the Feb. 26 county commission meeting, most of whom are either volunteers and/or clients of the Veterans Center (VCET).
One exception was Erica Hicks who spoke about Riley Hicks, her ex-husband and father of her children. Riley was a combat veteran with PSTD who died in April of last year and was discovered by Erica.
“If he’d had a place like that to go, maybe things would have been different,” Hicks said. “Finding him in the situation I did was very difficult. They
(VCET) have been a huge support to me and my family. I do see the benefits of it, and I do see other veterans there who go through the process. I do feel like Rogersville should support the veterans because (Riley) felt like nobody understood where he came from and what he went through. If he did have the veteran support, maybe it would have turned out differently.”
‘Veterans can get better’
Morgan Bartley, a service connected disabled combat veteran, also spoke to the commission in favor fo the VCET.
Bartley served in several countries including Iraq.
“When I returned from Iraq, unfortunately things like the Veterans Center of East Tennessee did not exist,” Bartley said. “Part of my journey home was the inability to learn how to transition from military lifestyle to civilian lifestyle. I began to isolate because I felt as though I was on my own. I wasn’t sure how to connect with other people in my community once I was released from the service, and during that time I became a drug addict and alcoholic myself.”
After failed attempts at recovery he met VCET founders Michael and Jessica Paul and because connected with the Vet Center.
“I’ve now been three years free from drugs and alcohol,” Bartley told the commission. “In May I graduate with a major in criminal justice and a minor in social work. A lot of that has to do with them being on my side and helping me propel, and trying to better my life and the lives of other veterans.”
Bartley added, “I want to commend that, and I also want to be a part of that. I want to show the way that veterans can get better.”
‘People who care about the veterans’
The last speaker was Michael Paul, who asked everyone in the audience who supports the VCET to stand at the podium with him as he addressed the commission.
“I wish that me and my wife could take the credit for Veterans Center of East Tennessee,” Michael Paul said. “But we can’t. Everyone that you see standing here is the Veterans Center of East Tennessee. These are the people who care about the veterans in this community. These are the people who want to see veterans lives saved. I ask you folks, is a veterans life really worth money?”
The commission voted 13-0 with one abstention in favor of the funding. Commissioner Jeff Barrett abstained.
The funds will be used to expand current recovery and PTSD programs, as well as other activities such as crafts and woodworking.
A video of the entire Feb. 26 discussion can be seen in the online version of this article at www.therogersvillereview.com
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