On March 12, 2025 Monroe County Veterans Court Judge Dwayne Thomas held the first commencement ceremony in 2025 in his courtroom. Monroe County Mayor Mitch Ingram, Monroe County Assistant Mayor Stacy Chambers, and Monroe County Veterans Service Officer Andy Boyd and McNabb Military Service Center Therapist Lou Danner were present.
A new milestone for the Monroe County Veterans Court was achieved when eight justice-involved Veterans graduated. This is the largest graduation number in ten years. Three new Vet to Vet Tennessee Mentors had their first JIVs graduating. The new mentors are, Roxy Hurley, Ronny Collee, and Johnny McKinley
Justice-involved Veterans Branch of Service Mentor Jurisdiction
Jeremy Lee Barton Army Reserve JD Phillips Monroe
Chelysa White Army Reserve Gail Evans Monroe
Derek Sohmer Air Force Michael McGrail Monroe
John Stallcup Navy Ronny Collee* Monroe
Melissa Starkey US Marine Corps Tom Hatley Monroe
Dennis Abernathy Army/Air Force Ted Carter Monroe
Zachary R. Scott US Marine Corps Johnny McKinley* Mc Minn
Ryan Hammers Army Roxe Hurley* McMinn
Click here to view the graduates and mentors. We are grateful to the justice-involved Veterans, Monroe County Mayor, Judge, Veterans Service Officer, McNabb Military Services Center and Vet Tennessee’s mentors and mentor coordinators. God bless America.
Below is the article that Lucas Boring included in the March 22, 2025 The Monroe County Buzz newspaper. The paper and Mr. Boring have been best supporters that Vet to Vet Tennessee we have. Thank you, Lucas.
Prevailing Over Circumstance – Improving Lives
Mentors Accompany Veterans Within Judicial Interdiction
By Lucas Boring, The Monroe County Buzz
Judge Dwaine Thomas convened a special court session earlier this month, hearing from men and women of the military and reviewing pending cases of a handful of justice-involved veterans working through the Monroe County’s Veterans Court recovery program.
Meeting in the upstairs room of the county Justice Center, Thomas said Veterans Court was unique in the state of Tennessee.
“Having someone who has been through what you have been through makes this court different,” he said, addressing and recognizing eight veterans and their mentors.
Thomas said the court – and all Americans – owed veterans a debt of gratitude for their service to the country. Vet Court was a path to return that debt.
“It’s the least we can do as a county and a community to support our veterans,” he said.
Thomas was quick to point out Veterans Court was not a get out of jail free card. It took grit, determination, and maybe hardest of all “standing and answering the call for yourself.”
And it was a big day for the justice-involved graduates. Months and months of self evaluation, conversation, effort and energy put into changing habits and reshaping responses, mending relationships, a long path of finding forgiveness and being forgiven.
Mentors by their sides, grads were celebrated for choosing to take a different course.
One graduate, Chelsea White, told the court she experienced a rough start entering the program. She said had been in and out of rehab, working through a tough situation, her mentor Gail never giving up on her. Gail described White as a “kind person” who self-referred for treatment, “one of my hardest working JIVs.”
White triumphantly said through treatment and mentorship she finally kicked her addiction to alcohol. Gail recommended she graduate the program and the court obliged. Thomas told White he was signing paperwork ordering her charges and record cleared.
“Booking, arrest, anything attached expunged from the record,” he said.
Accolades not over, Vet to Vet Tennessee presented White with a “You’re Worth It” t-shirt, a Challenge Coin reminder to “reach one and teach one,” and a certificate solidifying her progress.
Accompanying White were seven more JIVs, or Justice Involved Veterans, each accepting similar praise and recognition.
Dennis Abernathy, car wreck, became a grandfather, inspired to break habits and grateful to avoid criminal charges, planning to become a mentor in time.
Jeremy Barton, referred to McNabb Military Center for therapy, described Vet to Vet Tennessee mentors “anything I needed, they’re figuring it out” and “without the program I’d probably be dead.”
Ryan Hammers, arrest in McMinn County, veteran-friendly Judge Wylie Richardson agreed to Monroe County program, mentor Roxy: “Ryan has been awesome, I witnessed him propose to his fiancée.”
Zachary Scott, “struggling to quit, blessing to have a wreck, glad I didn’t hurt anyone, this has worked for me,” Scott thankful to VA Knoxville Outpatient, Vet to Vet Tennessee mentorship, Judge Thomas’ support.
Derick Somer, arrested April 21, 2024, absent from child’s life for eight months, Veterans Court “the brakes to my out of control train wreck,” working to re-establish relationship with daughter.
John Stalcup, “you guys have given me the tools to succeed.”
Melissa Starky, moved away from family, “you can’t get better where you got sick,” mentor Tom: she was put out of program, came back, “went overboard with how much she put into it.”
Before court adjourned graduates were given one final task: be an aegis and help someone else who may be struggling.
“This is a team effort,” Vet to Vet Tennessee president Jamie Sands said, thanking a growing list of people involved in the continuation of Veterans Court, including Judge Thomas and assistant Beverly Powell, county mayor Mitch Ingram and staff, Veterans Service Officer Andy Boyd, McNabb Military Center, local law enforcement, and mentors, friends, and families of justice-involved veterans.
