LEBANON, Ohio — After a traumatic injury during his military service, Scott Horton found himself struggling to adjust to civilian life, self-medicating as a means of coping.
Horton, who served in the U.S. Army from 1996 to 2009 in the infantry, was deployed to Iraq in 2007 when he ran over an IED, sustaining a brain injury that ultimately ended his military career. Returning home, Horton grappled with the loss of his fellow soldiers and the lack of support he felt.
"I had a lot of demons going on from my deployment," Horton said. "We had lost a lot of guys while serving with, and when I got out, we lost more guys outside of their service with different issues happening. So I wasn't prepared to lose my like that, and didn't have anyone to fall back to the civilian side until I kind of became a downfall in a certain aspect."
His journey has been replicated by thousands of veterans over the years. The difference for Horton was he lived in Warren County, Ohio.
Horton ended up in front of Judge Timothy Tepe, and was recommended to the Warren County Common Pleas Veterans Honor Court — a specialized docket that provides a supportive, non-adversarial approach to helping veterans overcome their challenges.
"When I finally did get arrested, I was at my lowest point, so they recommended that court for me, like, 'Hey, this is a program,' and I signed up right away," Horton said. "As soon as I heard about it, I was like, 'This is for me.'"
The court, presided over Tepe, is a collaborative effort between the court, law enforcement, treatment providers and community organizations to support veterans in their recovery and reintegration into civilian life.
The program's non-adversarial approach and focus on addressing the root causes of veterans' struggles have made it a model for other courts nationwide.
"It's a great honor to represent Justice for Vets and to be a mentor court," Tepe said. "I just want to, it's all about the veterans. To me, it's not about me. This is again, this is a great honor, but it's not me. It's our court. It's our team that has earned this."
All Rise’s Justice for Vets and the U.S. Department of Justice named the Warren County Common Pleas Veterans Honor Court a national Mentor Court, a title they will carry through 2027 within the mentor court network. They are one of five across the nation used as a model for newly formed veteran courts and existing courts looking to tweak their current operations.
For Horton, the veteran court provided the support and structure he needed to turn his life around. He describes the experience as a "family" and the judge as a "father figure" who he didn't want to disappoint.
"Once I got in the program, it's just like a family, and I didn't want to let anybody down, and I was just happy to be a graduate," Horton said. "I didn't want to leave in a way, like I had that support system, and that's why I chose this do other jobs with them and volunteering with them, with the court, so I didn't want to leave because it's such a great environment."
For Tepe, the father figure title is something he’s proud of as he’s had to be play kind of a parental role to many veterans who don’t have a father figure in their life.
“That's OK because that's how I treat them. I treat them like a father, as opposed to being a judge. Sometimes I tell them, sometimes like a parent, 'I'm here to support you,' but if you get out of line, there's that, there's a disciplinary aspect of that too," Tepe said. "Sometimes I have to be harsh with you, but it's not because I'm trying to punish you. I'm trying to get your attention. I'm trying to get you back on track to where I believe you can be."
Horton's graduation from the program was a significant milestone, not only for him but for the entire team that had supported him throughout his journey. The sense of accomplishment and relief he felt was palpable.
"I was just so relieved because, like, a lot of people said, 'Oh, you're not gonna be able to do this' — even my own mother," Horton said. "Like he said, 'It's gonna be a hard thing for you to do. Stay the course,' and but once I got in the program, it's just like a family, and I didn't want to let anybody down, and I was just happy to be graduate."
Horton's success in the program has inspired him to continue giving back to his fellow veterans. He has become involved with the Warren County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition, a volunteer organization dedicated to addressing the alarming rate of veteran suicides.
"They say 22 vets die a suicide a day. I think it's even more now, but I was just really tired of getting a phone call about my friends and people had just gotten people I knew that, you know, committed suicide after the service, and it's something that we have, that we have to fix it," Horton said. "There's no excuses. We got to do better. We got to look out for each other. And it's a passion that I really need to keep on going. And it gives me, gives me a meaning in my life."
Horton said he hopes that as a peer mentor for the veteran court, he will be able to provide a unique perspective and understanding that can be invaluable to those navigating the challenges of transitioning to civilian life and going through the judicial system.
"Take advice from someone that's been in the system, been through that. I've been to jail, been out of jail. I've helped people, vice versa, so they're more likely to take some advice from me because I've been through that, and they want to see someone that's been through, they want someone like themselves," Horton said.
Tepe, who has presided over the court since its inception, has seen firsthand the transformative power of the program and the impact of having veterans like Horton give back to their community.
"To see him now fully engaged in giving back to the community and living up to that honor that he once had as a veteran, and that's, that's just the most fulfilling part is to see these guys,” said Tepe. “I know it's in there, that honor that you once had when you had that uniform on you. It's still there. Let's get it back out. Let's bring it back to the surface.”
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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