For William Von Steiger, the unlikely first step toward a better life began two years ago with a burning car. Von Steiger, an Overland Park veteran who served a year as an Army paralegal specialist before his discharge in 2008, started the car fire during a particularly dark time, he said. “Coupled with drug and alcohol use and not knowing how else to deal with my emotions, it just was a really rough time,” he said. “I kind of lashed out at the world.” But with the military service (he said he was honorably discharged for medical and mental health reasons), the non-violent nature of the crime and his marijuana use, Von Steiger was eligible for a special diversion court for veterans in Johnson County that has been widely praised as a way for veterans to get their lives in order. The classes, the mentors, the counseling and medical help from the Veterans Administration helped Von Steiger manage the anger, stay sober and be a better parent, he said. He was among this year’s cohort of graduates of the county’s veterans treatment court.
Read more: Johnson County Post
