Hon. Beau Liegois and WI Sec. of Veterans Affairs stands with Thomas Hinz Veterans Treatment Court graduates Kevin Gille, Katie George, and Matthew Harris during their graduation on July 18, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Brown County graduated three people from its Veterans Treatment Court program. The graduates are the first to finish the program under its new name.
There were hugs — cheers and even some tears as Katie George, Matthew Harris and Kevin Gille graduated from the newly renamed Thomas Hinz Veterans Treatment Court –in Brown County.
“I’ve been sober for about two years now, which I’m forever grateful for,” said George.
Harris said, “If it wasn’t for me happening onto the program, as others has happened onto the program, this program basically saved my life.”
“Through this court and through the good works of the VA I’m a whole man again. I can walk tall and hold my head up high,” added Gille.
An alternative to incarceration, the program was renamed in honor of former Brown County executive and sheriff Tom Hinz who passed away in May.
Hon. Beau Liegois, a Brown County Circuit Court judge said, “Launching the program himself when he was county executive and then being a mentor through the entire 13 years of our program and he wasn’t just administrating the mentor program he was going one-on-one with our participants. Every single one of our participants in the program has been impacted by Tom Hinz.”
Hinz impact, not just as the brainchild of the program, but his participation lifechanging for these graduates and everyone else to complete the program.
According to Gille, “If it wasn’t for this court I’d be sitting in jail right now. I’d be in prison. So yes, I’m very thankful.”
“He helped me get my car and he helped me get my car loan and he was very supportive and very inspiring and very active it the community,” added George.
And Harris said, “He’s came up to me a few times and congratulated me and thanked me and told me that some of the essays I wrote for my phase up packets were great.”
With not only Hinz’s help and inspiration, but the friendship, mentorship and support of the Thomas Hinz Veterans Treatment Court program – all three graduates know they are forever changed.
And they look forward to the future.
“My goals are to get into tech school and go be a lineman, what I wanted to do to begin with,” said Harris.
“Being a busy mom, doing school myself and just living life, being happy,” added George.
“My future looks really really bright,” said Gille.
Since its inception, veterans court has graduated 92 people in Brown County. A dozen are currently in the program and six more in the application process.
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