This episode of Oscar Mike Radio is one of the most personal and emotional conversations I’ve had. I sat down with Courtney Millett to talk about her brother, Joseph “JJ” Millett, not as a headline, not as a court case, but as a human being. A brother. A veteran. Someone who served his country and then came home carrying wounds most people will never see. Courtney opens her heart about JJ’s military service, his battle with PTSD, and the moment everything changed. What should have been a cry for help turned into something far more painful for their family: confusion, fear, and the shock of watching a mental health crisis treated like a crime instead of a call for compassion. This episode isn’t just JJ’s story. It’s about every veteran who feels like they must suffer in silence. It’s about families who are trying to hold everything together while watching someone they love struggle. And it’s about the urgent need to respond to mental health with understanding, support, and humanity, and not punishment. If you listen to one episode that reminds you how powerful empathy can be, let it be this one. We are JJ Strong. And JJ — you are not alone. 

 In part three of my Oscar Mike Radio series on J.J. Millett, I sit down with his aunt, Emily Wheeler, to share a story that demands attention and action. Emily describes J.J. as a kind, respectful Army National Guard veteran who served in Afghanistan and later battled PTSD after returning home. We talked about the moment everything changed. In February, while experiencing severe side effects from VA-prescribed medication, J.J. did what we ask our veterans to do: reach out for help and call a mental health crisis hotline. He cooperated fully with the authorities. Yet today, he faces serious charges that could lead to a 20-year sentence. In this episode, I share Emily’s perspective and why she is urging the public to act. We discuss the dangerous precedent of criminalizing veterans for seeking mental health support, and how that could discourage others from reaching out when they need it most. 

 If this story moves you, I encourage you to make your voice heard: 

Orleans County State’s Attorney's Office 

c/o Attorney Farzana Leyva  

Attorney Vincent Illuzzi 

217 Main St #2 Newport, VT 05855 

Phone: 802-334-2037  

We need to amplify this story, not just for J.J., but for veterans everywhere who are fighting battles most people never see. J.J., you are not alone.