Helping Veterans and Families: A Message from Staff Attorney Matthew Gaudin

Matthew Gaudin

I remember the look on his face. It was a mixture of shame, sadness, and regret. His eyes twitched as he told me his story. He looked up and down, right and left. But he wouldn’t meet my eyes.

I’d seen this before; it happens often when people have to share their past mistakes and failings.

I met Oscar* through Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic’s partnership with HVAF of Indiana, Inc. HVAF provides housing and reintegration services to veterans that experience homelessness, and the Clinic then provides legal services to those same veterans. This is why the Clinic’s partnership with HVAF is so effective. Together, we provide holistic services. 

Almost every Monday, I meet with their clients and I often encounter legal issues related to debt collection, unpaid child support, and suspended driver’s licenses. In Oscar’s case, he needed help with getting an expungement.

When Oscar first told me his story, he grimaced when he mentioned his criminal record. He shared what happened on those dark days almost ten years earlier. Before then, he had had a career, a family, and a life. The cost of his mistakes was high. But now, he was on the right path again, and seeking the assistance he needed to move forward.

After Oscar struggled through his story, he slouched down, exhausted—the emotional drain on his face evident. I was then able to offer him the hope that he could eventually clear his record, find a job, and reintegrate back into society.    

Together, Oscar and I started the process. He gathered the paperwork from his old cases, and I prepared the expungement petition. I remember the day he signed it. Gone was the shame. Instead, I saw relief and confidence. After a few weeks, the court granted the petition and Oscar got his fresh start.

I’m privileged to serve veterans like Oscar. The need for such service is especially meaningful to me because my own grandfather was a veteran of the Army Air Corps. He served in WWII, where he flew many missions, including one on D-Day. He was even awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. I think of him often when I’m at HVAF.

This month, as we celebrate our partnership with HVAF, I encourage you to donate your time and resources to their organization. While it is important to thank our veterans for their service and to honor them with words, it is also important to honor them through action. 

To learn more about how to take action with HVAF of Indiana, Inc., please visit their website.

*Name has been changed