Wanted: Veterans to Mentor Fellow Stearns Co. Veterans

ST. CLOUD -- If you're a veteran and you'd like to help other veterans in the area, here's your chance. The Stearns County Veterans Protocol Team is looking for volunteer mentors right now.

Veteran Service Officer Cory Vaske says the Protocol Team has been around since 2013. He says the program is for military veterans who are charged in court with a mental health or substance substance-related offering them an alternative court process.

If there's a mental health issue or substance-related root issue, we try to address what's leading to this behavior that might be contributing to an offense such as substance abuse, DUI or something to that effect.

Vaske says they are trying to increase their effectiveness by expanding the mentorship piece of the program. He says they are not looking for a big commitment.

Just communicate, have some positive interaction with them.  Could be a 30-second phone call once a week, it could be a coffee and a conversation.  We don't have any real formal expectation.

Vaske says mentors don't need a legal background or experience, just the desire to help a fellow veteran. He says their program has just one mentor signed up for their program right now.

If you want more information you can call Vaske at 320-656-6176, or you can email him at cory.vaske@co.stearns.mn.us