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The SpokeSman • WedneSday, march 23, 2022 P3 FIRST IN HIS CLASS Redmond man is Central Oregon vet program’s 1st grad BY GARRETT ANDREWS For the Spokesman Outside the Central Ore- gon Vet Center, Julian Duran became the first graduate of Veterans Intervention Strategy, a novel alternative justice pro- gram for military veterans in Deschutes County. But instead of a diploma, Amanda Juza, director of the Central Oregon Vet Cen- ter, passed Duran a challenge coin in the palm of her hand Wednesday morning. Challenge coins are given by military commanders to recog- nize special achievement — a fact not lost on Duran. “This started out as a hor- rible nightmare,” Duran told a small crowd composed pri- marily of his support network for the past year. “I made some bad choices, and never in a million years did I think it would turn out to be like this.” After a decade of military service, including overseas de- ployments, Duran had moved to Redmond in 2018 but strug- gled to adapt to civilian life. Last March, Duran, 34, was arrested for fighting in a bar in Redmond, his fourth arrest in- volving alcohol and violence in two years. With three prior convictions for assault, the bar fight meant Duran likely would have been sentenced to at least a year in prison, according to prosecu- tor Matthew Nelson, who rep- resents the Deschutes County District Attorney’s office at the intervention program. Instead, Duran found a path to recovery. Duran was raised in Carson City, Nevada, and went as far as eighth grade in school. In 2007, at 18, he married his childhood sweetheart and joined the U.S. Air Force. He served six years active duty, specializing as an F-15 crew chief. Always mechanically dean Guernsey/The Bulletin Julian Duran is congratulated by Amanda Juza, director of the Central Oregon Vet Center, left, as his girlfriend, Melanie Coffman, looks on during a graduation ceremony Wednesday in Bend. inclined, he then worked as a contractor for two years for NASA, before returning to the military as a contractor for the Department of Defense. He supported special operations as a flying crew chief, traveling to conflicts in Syria and Africa. This role included support work for private military com- pany Blackwater and Sierra Nevada Corp. “We went on a lot of weird missions, and I was gone a lot,” he said. Civilian life challenged him. “No meals provided. No scheduled downtime. It was just really different,” he said. “It was just complete disarray.” He had nightmares, too: “It was a lot of chaos.” His first wife left Redmond for Texas with their kids. He turned to drinking and found himself in bars night after night. He had no family in town, no human connections. And “trauma doesn’t mix well with alcohol.” In the military, guys would go out at night in packs, he said. But, as a civilian, “when another man starts acting drunk or lippy toward you, you don’t have all your buddies there pulling you away,” Du- ran said. “I think that (fighting) was kind of typical in the military. It wasn’t like that big a deal,” he said. “But in the civilian sector, it’s totally unreasonable.” Duran’s attorney, Casey Bax- ter, suggested he consider a new program offered by the district attorney’s office — Vet- erans Intervention Strategy. The program involves the dis- trict attorney’s office, local de- fense attorneys and the Central Oregon Vet Center. For years in Deschutes County, limited resources pre- vented the creation of a treat- ment court for veterans, Juza said. The intervention program is an attempt to get around that by effectively conducting vet court proceedings outside of a courtroom. There are currently eight program participants, and the program hopes to hold grad- uation ceremonies every third Wednesday of the month. To Duran, the program sounded better than prison. “I thought it was going to be like another government pro- gram, but it wound up being a really interesting adventure,” he said. “I wound up digging into some things, like PTSD and childhood trauma, that were causing me to not be func- tional in society.” He appreciated that the pro- gram had formal expectations clearly spelled out for him. He FFA Continued from P1 Two years ago, Oregon FFA members were preparing for the annual state convention when the first COVID-19 re- strictions were announced. All public gatherings were banned to prevent the spread of the vi- rus, forcing the cancellation of the convention a week before it was scheduled to begin. Oregon FFA leaders moved quickly to pivot to a virtual convention in 2020, then again in 2021. While not ideal, the format still allowed members to compete in events, attend workshops and elect new of- ficers. Kendall Castrow, a senior at Redmond High School, said she is excited to be coming out of the pandemic and reuniting with her fellow FFA members from across the state. “I feel like there’s been a lot of built-up energy,” Castrow said. “Everybody gets to kind of release that energy and just Citizen Continued from P1 “I was bored after I retired and didn’t want to stay that way.” The “Business of the Year” award went to AccuAir Heat- ing and Cooling and its own- ers Dave and Kristen Sale. The SCP Redmond Hotel won “New Business of the Year,” which was accepted by hotel general manager Tobias Colvin. The customer service award went to Nichole Meagher of Willow Wild, while the community impact award went to Roxia Thornton Todoroff, who retired after a long career at the De- schutes County Fair and Expo Center. Teri Jansen was named “Ambassador of the Year.” The 38th Annual Redmond Chamber of Commerce & CVB banquet took place Fri- day, March 11 at Eagle Crest Convention Center. Nomina- tions for each category were accepted throughout Decem- ber 2021. ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin Students dance and sing March 17 before the opening session of the Or- egon FFA State Convention at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center. be themselves.” Bush, the Tillamook FFA advisor, said this year was his 15th state convention as both a teacher and student. It was at here, Bush said, that he met his best friend and the future best man at his wedding. It was also here that he decided he wanted to become an agriculture teacher in his hometown. “The kids learn stuff here they can take home,” Bush said. “Perhaps most importantly, they learn who they are.” Gary Walls, a senior from Ione, met Saturday morning with Corrina Smith and Da- kota Anderson, both sopho- mores from Elgin. Walls, who joined FFA in seventh grade, had just earned his State De- gree, the highest award a state FFA association can bestow on its members. The friends said they re- member feeling disappointed when the state convention was Besides the night’s honorees, attendees enjoyed the tradi- tional “mad dash” to the in- dividually decorated tables in anticipation of the giveaways and prizes. Multiple local busi- nesses sponsor tables each year, which they decorate with a theme complemented by give- aways, games and prizes. Get great service & great rates. Joe A Lochner Ins Acy Inc Joe A Lochner, Agent www.joelochner.com Redmond, OR 97756 Bus: 541-548-6023 was to stay off drugs and alco- hol and participate in mental health treatment. He took part in eye move- ment desensitization and re- processing therapy to treat his unaddressed post-trau- matic stress disorder. He and his counselor focused on his dreams and that helped him develop a new, healthier way of thinking His parole and probation of- ficer, Nicole Taylor, remembers Duran was “all over the place” when she met him. “It wasn’t bad. He had all these plans he wanted to tell me about. It just seems like he was always looking for that af- firmation,” she said. About six months after en- tering the intervention pro- gram, he “calmed down” con- siderably, Taylor said. Duran thinks he was suc- cessful because fellow veterans in the program met him at his level. His mentor, Roger Riolo, said it was because of some- thing else: “He was ready.” To close the graduation cer- emony, Riolo, a retired Air Force veteran, read aloud the Marc Kelly Smith poem, “Pull the next one up.” “When you get to the top of the mountain, pull the next one up. Then there will be two of you Roped together at the waist, Tired and proud, knowing the mountain, Knowing the human force it took to bring you both there.” Duran, a father of three young children, now dates a preschool teacher with two children of her own. He’s an aircraft maintenance manager for AI Systems Inc. at Redmond Airport. He’s completed the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and is now a sponsor. He wants the next phase of his life to involve helping others. “There are lots of guys who are still in that bar.” e Reporter: 541-383-0325, gandrews@bendbulletin.com canceled in 2020. Now it was time to celebrate. “You can feel all the positiv- ity and great emotions in-per- son,” Walls said. “I’m really a people person,” Anderson added. “I like to meet new people.” Phil Ward, Oregon FFA CEO, said this year they eclipsed 14,000 total members statewide — the most in the state organization’s history. For the majority of these students, Ward said this was their first in-person state con- vention. “They’re seeing it for the first time with fresh eyes,” he said. “It’s been fun to watch.” Though Ward said he is proud of Oregon FFA for how it has responded to the pan- demic, there is simply no sub- stitute for being together in person. “It just reminds me of what FFA is all about,” he said. “This is an organization that builds potential in young people.” Calendar Continued from P1 High Desert Stampede: a fast- paced, entertaining rodeo event that draws a wide variety of spec- tators; 7 p.m.; $20-$30; deschutes county Fair & expo center, 3800 SW airport Way, redmond; expo. deschutes.org or 541-548-2711. Olivia Awbrey Band: The indie singer, songwriter will perform; 8-10 p.m.; $8; high desert music hall, 818 SW Forest ave., red- mond; highdesertmusichall.com or 541-527-1387. Friday 3/25 Oceanography: The oak- land-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist will perform; 8 p.m.; $5 advanced, $10 at door; high desert music hall, 818 SW Forest ave., redmond; highdesertmusichall.com or 541- 527-1387. Countryfied: The country rock based band will perform; 7-10 p.m.; $20; General duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW Forest ave., redmond; facebook.com/Gener- alduffys or 541-527-4345. The Sometimes Island & Spe- cial Guests: The indie pop band will perform; 8 p.m.; $5; high des- ert music hall, 818 SW Forest ave., redmond; highdesertmusichall. com or 541-527-1387. Sunday 3/27 Central Oregon Ag Show: Something for everyone from Farmers, ranchers of all opera- tion sizes and equine enthusiasts; 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; free; deschutes county Fair & expo center, 3800 SW airport Way, redmond; north- westagshow.com or 541-548-2711. Sunday Brunch and Kara- oke: Join for brunch and kara- oke; 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; free; General duffy’s Watering hole, 404 SW Forest ave., redmond; facebook. com/Generalduffys or 541-527- 4345. Coffee Clatter — Toastmasters: Join for a morning of business networking and check out what’s new with Toastmasters; 8:30- 9:30 a.m.; free; redmond Grange, 707 SW kalama ave., redmond; visitredmondoregon.com or 541- 480-4495. Cantastic Pay It Forward Barrel Race: The barrel race will be held; 12 p.m.; deschutes county Fair & expo center, 3800 SW airport Way, redmond; expo.deschutes. org or 541-548-2711. Central Oregon Comedy Scene presents Standup Comedy: Local comedians will perform; 7-10 p.m.; $15-$20; General duffy’s Watering hole, 404 SW Forest ave., redmond; facebook.com/ Generalduffys or 541-527-4345. Comedy Night: comedians cody michael, carl click, dillon ko- lar, and katy Ipock will perform; 7 p.m.; $20; porter Brewing co., 611 ne Jackpine ct #2, redmond; facebook.com/porterbrewingco or 541-504-7959. High Desert Stampede: a fast- paced, entertaining rodeo event that draws a wide variety of spec- tators; 7 p.m.; $20-$30; deschutes county Fair & expo center, 3800 SW airport Way, redmond; expo. deschutes.org or 541-548-2711. Monday 3/28 Saturday 3/26 Central Oregon Ag Show: Something for everyone from farmers, ranchers of all operation sizes and equine enthusiasts; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; free; deschutes county Fair & expo center, 3800 SW airport Way, redmond; northwestagshow.com or 541- 548-2711. Growing Vegetables in Cen- tral Oregon: Join the central oregon chapter of oSU master Gardeners for a free one-hour, on-demand video class and 2 live Zoom Q&a sessions on vege- table gardening; 10-11 a.m.; free; oSU extension Service, online; extension.oregonstate.edu or 541-548-6088. Live in the Tasting Room — The Substitutes: The local self-pro- claimed rock and roll band will perform; 5-8 p.m.; $15 adults, children 12 and under free; Faith, hope and charity Vineyards, 70450 nW Lower Valley drive, Terrebonne; faithhopeandcharit- yevents.com or 541-526-5075. High Desert Stampede: a fast- paced, entertaining rodeo event that draws a wide variety of spec- tators; 7 p.m.; $20-$30; deschutes county Fair & expo center, 3800 SW airport Way, redmond; expo. deschutes.org or 541-548-2711. Growing Vegetables in Central Oregon: Join the central oregon chapter of oSU master Gardeners for a free one-hour, on-demand video class and 2 live Zoom Q&a sessions on vegetable gardening; 7-8 p.m.; free; oSU extension Ser- vice, online; extension.oregon- state.edu or 541-548-6088. Tuesday 3/29 Writers Writing — Quiet Writ- ing Time: enjoy the focus of a quiet space with the benefit of others’ company; 10:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.; free; redmond public Library, 827 SW deschutes ave., redmond; deschuteslibrary.org or 541-312-1050. Ladies of the Green Kick-off Brunch: prospective lady golf- ers and returning members are invited to attend this “Get ac- quainted Brunch” to hear the fun things the golf group has planned for the 2022 golf season; 11 a.m.; free call to rSVp; The redmond Grange hall, 707 SW kalama ave., redmond Virtual City Council Workshop: a regular meeting will be held; 6-8 p.m.; free; redmond city hall, online; redmondoregon.gov or 541-923-7710. Trivia Tuesday: Go with a team or team up there to play genuine UkB Trivia live and possibly win gift certificates; 6:30-8:30 p.m.; free; Initiative Brewing, 424 nW Fifth St., redmond; facebook. com/InitiativeBrew or 541-527- 4380.