George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School

Substance Use and Abuse: The War on Terror, Mental Healthcare, and the Problems Facing Our Troops

Written by Fall 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Alden Campo.

Introduction:

Mental Healthcare for U.S. Servicemembers and Veterans who have experienced the War on Terror is wholly insufficient to deal with the traumas they have undergone in service of their nation. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”) is commonplace throughout the armed forces amongst personnel who have seen active-duty combat, and many Servicemembers and Veterans turn to Substance Use to cope with the traumas related to their service, often concurrently developing a Substance Use Disorder (“SUD”). Read more

Establishing A Drug Treatment Court

Written by Fall 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Dylan Sparks.

Introduction:

Combatting drug addiction calls for a collaborative partnership between the criminal justice system and substance abuse treatment programs. Establishing a drug treatment court is a great way for a community to establish such a partnership, and this article will explain the benefits that drug treatment courts bring and detail the steps a community should take to establish one. Read more

The Veterans Treatment Court: A Resurgence of Rehabilitation as a Goal of the Criminal Justice System

Written by Summer 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Rebecca McGuinness.

Since the criminal justice system’s inception, rehabilitation has stood as a primary end towards which policymakers direct legislation.[1] The premise underpinning this objective is that the human person has the capacity to both abandon criminal activity and reform their behavior. Read more

The DARB: A Second Chance for Veterans or Just Another Military Board?

Written by Spring 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Connor Brantley.

Background

On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA) into law. As part of the Act, Congress created a new remedy for DOD Service members separated on or after December 20, 2019 seeking an appeal of their discharge characterization and who have exhausted all available appeals with the appropriate Service Discharge Review Board (DRB) and Board for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR).[ Read more

The Woes of Military Recruitment: Contributing Factors and Recommendations for Change.

Written by Spring 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Megan Jones.

Background

The United States military is experiencing arguably the most challenging recruiting environment since the establishment of the all-volunteer force in 1973.

In 2022, all branches of the U.S. military struggled to reach their active-duty recruitment goals, with the Army, missing its goal entirely. Read more

COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Recession: Effects and Implications for Current and Previously Discharged Service Members

Written by Spring 2023 M-VETS Student Advisor Kyle Elzey.

Background

On August 24th, 2021, following the approval of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) issued the Mandatory Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination of Department of Defense (DoD) Service Members memorandum, to ensure the health and operational readiness of the Force. Read more