A lot of great things have come of it: New Hanover County honors first graduates of Veterans Treatment Court [Video]

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – United States Army veterans Anthony Pritchard and Chris Sybo have both run into trouble with the law because of their struggles with substance use and addiction.

“There was a low point,” said Pritchard. “And during that low point as being a veteran, it seemed more or less like you have that hopelessness, you have that feeling like you just have no options.”

In January 2023, however, New Hanover County launched the Veterans Treatment Court program. Funded with county and federal dollars, the program offers eligible veterans a path towards recovery, similar to the Community Recovery Court program.

Pritchard and Sybo became the first to graduate from the program for veterans program Friday morning.

“It’s helped me stop drinking,” said Sybo. “Basically, I needed to be forcibly stopped or I would have died.”

District Court Judge Robin Wicks Robinson says the Veterans Treatment Court offers veterans on …