This Marine survived 5 combat tours. Now a Tri-Cities program is helping him live

January Wells served in five combat tours during his 11 years as a U.S. Marine.

While they trained him how to be tough, the experience left it hard for him to deal with civilian life. He felt like he couldn’t trust anyone, didn’t know how to communicate and he would lash out without thinking.

“January was trained to be ruthless, tough and show strength at all times, and I kind of had the impression that he was really, really good at it. That his was a guy that you would really want in a foxhole next to you.,” Benton County District Court Judge Dan Kathren said.

Wells spent the past year and a half working through Benton County Veterans Court to improve his coping mechanisms and importantly let himself be vulnerable.

And Tuesday, he became the 50th graduate as part of the therapeutic court specifically geared to helping veterans get treatment.

The program started in 2019 and brings together law enforcement, therapists and a volunteer veteran advisor to help guide the veteran through.

It helped Wells re-establish structure in his life. He said it’s a necessary program.

“It’s part of the solution,” he told the Herald. “It’s definitely a sea change in a lot of people’s lives. It’s needed in the community. People like Judge Kathren, they’re there to help correct a situation (and) hold people accountable.”

The path wasn’t always easy for the former Marine, who had built up a persona for himself as a “playboy genius philanthropist” — a reference to Tony Stark in the movie Iron Man.

Therapeutic Courts Coordinator Ryan Washburn started as Wells counselor, and said that he was a hot mess in the beginning.

“He was definitely a handful. He had no coping skills. The slightest thing would send him into a tailspin. I spent hours a week on the phone with him, talking with him, getting through these difficult moments,” Washburn said.

James Torres, a behavioral health specialist, took over Wells’ case when Washburn became the courts coordinator. He credited Torres’ involvement with helping Wells make a breakthrough.

“Every week, I’d always hear playboy genius philanthropist. I’d always cringe when I would hear it, because it was your mask,” Washburn told Wells during the graduation. “You finally took your mask off after you started working with James. I remember the first day in court, when you said, ‘It’s OK to be January.’”

It’s hard within the veteran community to admit being vulnerable, because in the military it’s seen as a weakness, Torres told Wells. When he was able to open up and be vulnerable that was when he changed.

“As one combat vet to another, that’s hard to do, because you leave your soul on the battlefield,” Torres said.

While Wells could have graduated earlier, he extended his time in the program until he felt ready.

Wells wasn’t the only graduate this week. He was joined by Chris Poland, the 49th veteran to make his way through the program.

Veterans Court

Veterans Court kicked off in Benton County in 2019 based on the already successful model of drug and mental health courts. The aim is to treat the underlying issues that lead to criminal behavior and break the cycle.

The participants are required to have mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, regular drug testing, perform community service and are monitored for their compliance.

The special feature with this court is the addition of a mentor through the Columbia Basin Veterans Center.

Washburn told the Herald that it’s taken a lot of work to get to 50 graduates over the course of nearly four years. They had their first court date on June 11, 2019, and the first graduate was in June 2020.

“They’re putting in the hard work and we’re holding them accountable,” he said. “We meet them where they are. It’s a testament to everyone who graduates how much they want to turn their lives around.”

The work has shown to be worth it for the community as well.

So far, only two of the programs 50 graduates have committed any other crimes. This is well below the national 16 percent recidivism rates for therapeutic courts, Washburn said.

Kathren helped found the program, and he said he’s proud of what the team has been able to accomplish.

“Through their support, 50 veterans have faced their demons and come out powerfully on the other side to resume their life of service to the county they love,” he said in a release.

“It wasn’t easy, but these men and women are showing immense strength and courage, and I am honored to be there to witness it.”