CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Gov. Bill Lee was in Clarksville Thursday to give the commencement speech for the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduation ceremony.

“Thank you for the long, hard road and the decisions you have made and taken on this path to recovery,” Lee said, speaking to the 17 graduates in the County Courthouse chambers. “It’s hard, and yet you’ve taken very difficult steps, and we are incredibly proud of the work you’ve done.”

Campbell Crossing makes a $2,500 donation to Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court at at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Graduates of Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court at their Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett at the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
State senator Bill Powers speaks at the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Governor Bill Lee speaks at the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court graduates meet Governor Bill Lee and Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the VTC Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. at the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Edward Moss Director of the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Graduates of Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court at their Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
State Senator Bill Powers, Montgomery County General Sessions Judge Jr, and Governor Bill Lee at the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).
Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court Graduation Ceremony, on Feb. 24, 2022. (Lee Erwin).

VTC Recovery Court provides needed treatment and services under judicial supervision to restore veterans and soldiers to their honored status after they find themselves involved in the criminal justice system.

One of the graduates, Logan Kear, shared his experience with VTC.

“With the changes I’ve made in my life. I’m in a better place all around than I was a year ago. I will be forever grateful to this program for the opportunity it gave myself and others in similar situations. Between graduating from VTC today and being eligible for promotion to staff sergeant, I think I am on the right track,” Lear said.

General Sessions Judge Kenneth Goble Jr. said the graduation is an important step.

“They work hard to get through this program. This is their day in the sun. They get to tell their story and they get to help us understand their journey. Every journey is different, and the thread that holds them all together is that they have all served our country. This is their chance to put this in their rear-view mirror and move forward,” Goble said.

At the graduation ceremony Campbell Crossing made a donation of $2,500 to Veterans Treatment Court. For more on the work of Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court and to support the mission of the program visit the Veterans Treatment Court website.