LILLINGTON - Central Carolina Community College's Nicole Brown was among three individuals honored at the first-year anniversary and graduation ceremony of the District 11A Veterans Treatment Court.

Brown, who is the Coordinator of the Human Resources Development (HRD) program for the Harnett County Campus, was recognized for her contributions to the court, the first of its kind in North Carolina. Brown received the Silver Eagle Award for outstanding performance.

"I am honored to receive this award, and to be a part of a great team here at Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) and the Veterans Treatment Court to support our veterans," said Brown.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory and the Director of the State Division of Veterans Affairs, Ilario Pantano, were among the officials on hand Wednesday, Nov. 12, for the event.

Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) have gained national prominence as an innovative solution for justice-involved veterans. Eligible veterans receive the structure, mentoring, treatment, and services they need through the VTC. The VTC represents a collaboration between the courts, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration's Veterans Justice Outreach, the Veterans Benefit Administration, volunteer veteran mentors, the state, and other partnering agencies and organizations in the community that provide services to support veterans. Nationwide, there are 197 VTCs serving more than 10,000 veterans.

"We want to give our veterans a second chance because they are dealing with issues we can't even imagine," said Gov. McCrory. "What you've done here in Harnett County is fascinating because you have begun a process that will help seriously impacted veterans reclaim their quality of life."

"As a representative of Central Carolina Community College, I am often out in the community promoting the HRD program," said Brown. "It was exciting to learn about the VTC program and the opportunity for us to help our veterans in addition to the community as a whole."

Through the HRD program and others such as Veterans Upward Bound and Veterans Affairs at CCCC, veterans can prepare for a postsecondary education and polish their job seeking skills. The college has a number of resources designed to help veterans continue their education or reenter the workforce.

"Some of the participants of North Carolina's first Veterans Treatment Court program are enrolled in CCCC today," said Brown. "As a college, we serve as a bridge connecting individuals to their goals.

"The college is very happy to be able to support our veterans and the courts," said Bill Tyson, Provost of the CCCC Harnett County Campus. "We are very proud of the work Nicole Brown performed for the Veterans Treatment Court program in Harnett County and look forward to a long and successful relationship with the program."

For information about veterans' services at CCCC, contact Tracey Gross, Veterans Affairs Coordinator, at 919-718-7233 or email him at tgross@cccc.edu.