According to a news release on the Cobb County website, the Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court graduated three veteran participants at a 9:30 a.m. ceremony Friday, Feb. 6, at the Cobb County Superior Court Building.

The graduation brought the total number of participants who have completed the court’s 18- to 24-month intensive treatment program to 72, officials said.

The Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court began June 13, 2014, under the leadership of the late Judge Reuben Green, part of a nationwide expansion of accountability courts tailored to veterans. The program is designed to address post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and other mental health issues through counseling, job training and other supportive services.

Green, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served as a judge through 2020, died in 2025. During Friday’s ceremony, the court honored his legacy by unveiling a painted portrait and placing a custom embroidered streamer on the Marine Corps flag. Organizers said the portrait will be displayed in courtroom 6100, home of the veterans court.

“As a Marine, Judge Green brought his passion for helping military servicemembers in need into the courtroom,” Superior Court Judge Robert D. Leonard said. “He was a trailblazer with a reputation for excellence and for changing lives. Veterans Court is his legacy.”

The court’s mission is to increase public safety by reducing recidivism, easing the cost of incarcerating veterans and helping participants become productive members of the community. The program provides intensive case management to address mental health needs while using structure and accountability similar to military service, officials said.

Participants receive alcohol and drug treatment through contracted providers and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Once a participant is stable in recovery and treatment, the veterans court team works to address other barriers to success, including unemployment, lack of stable housing, the need for continuing education and family counseling.

One distinctive feature of the program is its Mentor Program, which pairs each participant with a veteran mentor who has experience navigating the challenges veterans can face while working toward completion. Mentors must be honorably discharged, have no prior criminal record and commit to assisting at least one participant for the duration of the 18-month program, officials said.

The three veterans who graduated Friday completed the program with their mentors beside them, marking a milestone that court officials described as a step toward long-term stability for the participants and their families.