I wouldn’t be where I am today without the VA
Dustin Atwell grew up in Kokomo, Indiana and at the age of 19 he joined the U.S Army as a Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator-Maintainers.
"From an early age I had an interest in the military. My dad always expressed his regret in never serving and after September 11th, the choice was easy,” said Atwell.
Atwell quickly developed into a standout soldier. He graduated top 10 percent of his bootcamp class and was selected as an honor graduate. He rapidly promoted through the ranks and was awarded 2 Army Achievement Medals and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
In 2011, Atwell was honorably discharged from the Army and moved back to Indiana with his wife to start their new life. He enrolled and attended Indiana Wesleyan University for his degree in Business Management.
“My post army life looked promising, but my life was turned upside down when tragedy struck in September 2012.”
On September 15, 2012, Dustin’s older brother, Marine Sergeant Bradley Atwell, was killed at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, when revolutionaries breached the base using small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.
The death of Bradley caused Dustin to spiral into a deep depression. He developed substance abuse issues which led to his divorce and reckless behavior. In 2016, Dustin found himself in trouble with
the law and spent 3 years incarcerated. In 2021, he entered the Howard County Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Program.
VJO programs focus on building and sustaining partnerships between the VA and key elements of the criminal justice system. Unlike traditional criminal courts, Veterans Treatment Court ensures that the Veterans receive treatment to address unmet clinical needs like mental health and substance abuse.
“I hated the person I became, and I needed to make a change, but I didn’t find the support I needed until I entered the VJO program.”
Atwell was assigned a VA social worker and started receiving the support he desperately needed. He was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and started utilizing VA Northern Indiana mental health services to support with his PTSD and substance abuse. He also found housing with the Housing and Urban Development-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH).
“I meet with my peer support specialist on a weekly basis, he takes his job and sobriety very serious. I always enjoy our conversations.”
Peer support specialist are VA employees who have a mental health or a co-occurring disorder. They are trained to help Veterans with these disorders identify and achieve life and recovery goals.
“I could talk for hours about Dustin’s transformation, and I couldn’t be happier or prouder of him. If I had to make just one point, it would be that Dustin has not only changed his life, but he also gives hope to Veterans in the VJO program. He is an example of what is possible if they follow his path”, said Kevin McClafferty, VANIHCS Peer Support Specialist.
With the help of the VJO program and VA services, Atwell has found success, stability, and sobriety. Atwell has remained sober since 2021.
He is engaged to his Fiancée Brittany, and they welcomed a healthy baby boy in 2022. He’s one year away from receiving his degree in Automotive Technology and is getting ready to graduate the VJO program.
“The employees at VANIHCS have gone above and beyond, they do more than what their job requires, and I wouldn’t be where I am without the VA,” said Atwell