CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Crisis Intervention Team recognized the outstanding work of first responders with persons experiencing a mental health crisis.
The CIT said each award recipient represents critical and impactful acts of service.
One of those recipients was an officer with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, Miguel Jaco-Vargas.
Vargas served four tours in Iraq with the United States Army. He now leads the county’s training for veterans.
He said people who have served in the military often struggle with mental health issues once they transition back to civilian life.
Those struggles may include anxiety, depression, or even post-traumatic stress disorder.
“Anything that happens, you deal with together, and when you come back into that social circle, that comradery kind of goes away,” Vargas explained. “Some people just need that extra little bit of help to get them on the right path.”
>> Vargas spoke with Channel 9′s Anthony Kustura about how much the award meant to him, in the video at the top of the page.
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