‘As many times as it takes’: A Veterans Justice Outreach journey of redemption

By Maureen Dyman, Communications Director, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

September 16, 2026

Jerry Butler joined the Air Force out of Texas with one goal in mind: to see the world. He certainly never imagined his path would eventually lead him to a Texas jail, sitting in a Veterans pod and staring at a stranger trying to convince him that his life could still be saved.

Butler served his time in the Air Force honorably, then built a second life for himself as a successful DJ. For a while, things were good. But underneath the music and the crowds, addiction was taking hold. What started as a habit spiraled into something he couldn’t control, and slowly he started on a path of self-destruction. Over the years that followed, he was arrested six times on drug-related charges and served several stints behind bars.