BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – A former U.S. Marine is offering a rare glimpse inside Bexar County’s Felony Veterans Treatment Court, a specialized program designed to rehabilitate veterans facing criminal charges.
The veteran, Travis Westbrook, who served in Afghanistan, said his path to the courtroom was shaped by years of unresolved trauma, personal loss and a search for meaning after military service.
“I joined the Marine Corps in 2007,” Westbrook said. “I was stationed in Okinawa, and I deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. I got out in 2011.”
But his motivation to enlist ran deeper than a desire to serve.
“My brother was killed in Iraq,” Westbrook said. “So, I joined not only to finish what he started but honestly … I wanted to pull the trigger on some bad guys.”
Westbrook described carrying “a lot of hate” into combat and said his deployment experience revealed that vengeance offered no healing.
“That hate and vengeance is a lot of weight for really no reason,” Westbrook said.
After leaving the Marines, Westbrook said he entered “survival mode,” cycling through jobs and trying to fill the void left by his military identity.
“You go from being willing to die for your country to asking, ‘What do I do now?’ That purpose is hard to replace,” Westbrook said.
Eventually, Westbrook’s choices and emotional state caught up to him.
“I wasn’t thinking things through. I was in reactive mode,” Westbrook said. “That kind of living catches up to you, and I got in trouble with the law.”
He was facing a felony charge when his attorney introduced him to Bexar County’s Felony Veterans Treatment Court — a program that offers structured rehabilitation for veterans through treatment, accountability and community support.
“You’re facing jail time at the start. It really makes you realize how much you’ve been half-stepping through life,” Westbrook said. “But this program gives you a reset.”
Veterans in the court are required to stay sober, attend counseling, meet regularly with court staff and support one another in a cohort-based system.
“You can’t cheat this program,” Westbrook said. “It will get you sober. Guaranteed.”
Now, several months into the process, the veteran said his new purpose is faith — and is using his story to help others find hope before it’s too late.
“I hope I come across another veteran who’s struggling, and they believe me,” Westbrook said. “And believe in themselves enough to stop what they’re doing.”
The county’s Veterans Treatment Court has operated since 2017 and is one of several specialty courts in Bexar County.
Participants who complete the program may have the charges expunged.
Westbrook hopes his story isn’t just one of redemption but prevention.
“I’m completely reorganizing my life,” Westbrook said. “And, honestly, I’m thankful it worked out the way it did.”
Westbrook’s story is one KSAT will be following over the next year. We will check in on his progress and what it takes to rebuild.
