Veterans Court ‘saved my life’ – Monroe Evening News

One man's story

Fed up with the unrelenting pain and feeling despondent about his life, Gerald Duvall stuck the loaded gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger.The arthritis in his knees and feet, the herniated disc in his back and the effects of a brain injury had become overwhelming. After serving 10 years in the Army that included five deployments to the Middle East, Duvall came back home to Monroe and battled feelings of worthlessness and depression. And he drank.But the alcohol mixing with the 20-some prescription pills he ingested daily led to blackouts that were confusing and frightening. And when he did pull that trigger, the gun simply clicked. It was a misfire. And it was also a sign.I said to myself: What am I doing? Duvall recalled. It meant that I needed to be here.During one of his blackouts, he drove and was pulled over. Arrested for drunken driving, Duvall could have become another statistic, another defendant in the criminal justice system. Instead, he entered Veterans Treatment Court. And after a year of counseling, treatment and supervision Duvall is now much more content and has remained sober for the past six months.They really do care, Duvall said. They treat you like a human being. It probably saved my life.Duvall, 37, said he was worried at first about sharing his story publicly but decided that by doing so, he might make a difference in another veterans life. He said he knows there are others out there like him who had to battle substance abuse, despondency and feelings of worthlessness that accompany many servicemen and women who return from the war and find themselves in transition to civilian life without direction, order or even reasons for living. He fought all those demons before receiving the help he needed.You start feeling worthless, he said. The anger was probably the worst.As a member of the 82nd Airborne, Duvall made 67 jumps during his decade in the Army. All those landings from the jumps damaged his back and injured his feet and knees. He said he lost three inches from his height.Every year from 2002 to 2010 was spent in Iraq or Afghanistan. And while he didnt see much combat, the nearby explosions were ever present and threatening. Back home, he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).But the booze mixing with the pills led to serious problems, such as the blackouts where he couldnt remember arguments or even fights.I definitely had drinking issues, he said.After his arrest in 2016, Duvall entered the Veterans Court program and began intense therapy that involved four trips a week to the VA hospital in Ann Arbor. He said those involved with the program are veterans so they could relate to his issues. He understood that he needed help and realized that he either must complete the program or be sent to jail.He had a relapse while in the program that involved alcohol, anger and guns. Again, it was a wakeup call and hes remained on course ever since. Duvall completed the requirements and after a year he graduated from the program. Now he wants to become a mentor and join the countys Veterans Court to help others.Im all about helping veterans, Duvall said. Im definitely a success story.These days Duvall and his wife of six years, Melissa (theyve been together 12 years), are hoping to close on a house in Jackson where the couple and their four children can live hopefully in peace. He said he is happy and focuses on being a better husband and father.He is confident he will remain sober and stay out of trouble. He says hes doing well and is ready to move forward while enjoying life, something he believes might not have been possible without Veterans Court. His legal issues also have been resolved.If I didnt go through Veterans Court I would be in prison or dead by now, Duvall said. And I do know I have friends if I need to talk.

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Veterans Court 'saved my life' - Monroe Evening News