Riding on second chances | Collin County leads statewide charge to help veterans behind bars

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/collin-county/collin-county-leads-statewide-charge-help-veterans-behind-bars/287-015ab711-ddbc-4483-84a2-d3b9d8a899a0 by WFAA-TV

COLLIN COUNTY, Texas — A special program to help veterans who are incarcerated has added a new element to their therapy: equine therapy. 

The VALOR program, founded by Collin County Judge John Roach six years ago, is helping veterans and incarcerated individuals rewrite their stories. Traditional rehab practices have not helped veterans who are dealing with traumatic brain injuries and undiagnosed post-traumatic stress.

"They've seen the horrors of war and they've lost friends," said Sheriff Jim Skinner who has helped build the program.

"I kept seeing veterans appearing in front of me who were put on regular probation and they weren't successful at regular probation," said Roach, who served in the Marine Corps.

Many participants arrive broken, having struggled with addiction, trauma, and the weight of prison life. There are currently 33 inmate veterans who are a part of the VALOR program. Josh Benavides, a former Army veteran, is one of them. 

After hitting rock bottom at 27, Benavides found himself facing 12 years behind bars. His journey with addiction led him to the VALOR program. Benavides, who was raised in California, was deployed to Colombia and served as a signals intelligence analyst.

"I think we all get put in the same box of 'criminal,'" said Benavides.

The program, housed in Collin County, takes in veterans statewide and has four in-house therapists who help veterans with their specific issues. Equine therapy, which started in the last three months—led by legendary cowboys Pat Puckett and Punk Carter—is proving transformative.

"There is nothing in the world like these [horses] to touch your soul. I've known that my whole life," said Skinner. 

The connection with these animals goes deeper than riding; it allows participants to confront trauma, rebuild trust and discover a new sense of self.

"That veteran has to learn how to calm himself down, and to relax himself, and open himself, and that horse will feel that," said Roach.

Benavides was initially denied by Roach and Skinner because of his criminal history.

"Josh kept coming to us and kept coming to us and said, 'I want this program,'" recalled Roach.

Benavides, who was facing 12 years for his crimes, will not have to face any jailtime provided he complies with his probation and completes the VALOR program. Today, instead of a prison cell, Josh has the opportunity to build a new life as a working cowboy. Skinner tells WFAA a number of recipients already have jobs coming out of the program.

"[The therapy] allowed me to go deeper into myself and really find who I am,” Benavides said.

The VALOR program is proving that second chances can come with the right support—and sometimes, a saddle and a horse. For Roach and Skinner the plan is to make this a more robust program. Skinner tells WFAA "not a single dime of taxpayer money has been used" to get this program going. The Sheriff hopes to appeal to other sheriffs across the state of Texas. Organizers believe they have capacity to help more veterans who are suffering inside jail cells.