{"id":8292,"date":"2024-04-11T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8292"},"modified":"2024-04-11T18:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T18:30:00","slug":"a-veterans-journey-of-redemption-thanks-to-va","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8292","title":{"rendered":"A Veteran\u2019s journey of redemption thanks to VA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-04-11T18:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

After a series of unfortunate events, Marine Corps Veteran Daniel Mock found himself in a position he never thought he would be in: homeless, penniless and alone. His is a story of redemption.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy wife of 23 years left me. I was fired from my job of 16 years. My brand-new house in Colorado was taken from me. My car was lost\u2026 all because of my drug addiction,\u201d Mock shared.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Mock ruined every relationship in his life\u2014including those with his parents, his girlfriend, close friends and loved ones. Realizing there was nowhere else to go, he visited his local Colorado VA in hopes of finding a way out. A VA social worker recommended he enroll in VA Domiciliary Care (DOM) at West Texas VA.<\/a><\/p>\n

The DOM serves as an active clinical rehabilitation and treatment program. That\u2019s when Mock decided to pack his bags and set out on what would become his first step toward healing: \u201cThrough intense therapy, my mentality changed from angry victim to someone who appreciated the little things. It was then I truly recognized this was my second chance at life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Used time to focus on sobriety<\/h2>\n

When it came time to think about life post-program, Mock learned about VA Supportive Housing. This collaborative program pairs Housing Choice Voucher (HUD) rental assistance with VA case management. HUD-VASH is designed to help homeless Veterans like Mock obtain permanent housing and other necessities. He applied and was granted a voucher to cover 12 months of rent. He used this time to improve his credit score, pay off debts and begin a career, but, more importantly, to focus on his sobriety.<\/p>\n

Through another VA program, Compensated Work Therapy (CWT), he received support through the next phase of his journey to recovery. \u201cI landed a job as a kitchen aide at the George H. O\u2019Brien VA,<\/a>\u00a0thanks to the CWT program. That relieved a lot of stress for me because I no longer had to worry about how I was going to pay for things I needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I want to do is help other Veterans.\u201d<\/h2>\n

Having graduated from the DOM rehabilitation program, Mock was not shy about returning to campus to seek additional support.\u00a0VA never shut the door and continued to guide him along his wellness path. \u201cThere were so many resources offered by VA, even after I left. VA can truly change a person\u2019s life for the better. It did for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mock said that he desired to be a productive member of society with one goal in mind: \u201cI was a taker for most of my life. But for the first time ever, I am finally able to give back and contribute. And that\u2019s all I want to do, help other Veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mock currently works as a medical records technician for West Texas VA. He has been a federal employee for more than eight years and continues to celebrate his sobriety.<\/p>\n

If you are interested in learning more about VA Domiciliary or any other Veteran resource, please reach out to the VA National Call Center<\/a> at 1-877-424-3838.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Marine Corps Veteran packed his bags and set out on his road to redemption. Here’s his story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"\nA Veteran\u2019s journey of redemption thanks to VA - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A Marine Corps Veteran packed his bags and set out on his road to redemption. 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