I am stepfather to Ted J. McClenny, who has found himself in trouble. As a decorated Marine veteran of the Iraq war, he experienced several harrowing situations, including being in a vehicle that was blown up by an IED, being shot at by snipers, and more situations too gruesome to describe. As a result, he suffers from severe PTSD. It appears through nightmares, hallucinations, anxiety, insomnia, severe back pain from the IED, and alcoholism.

He is a 100% disabled veteran in Boise, Idaho. He finds strength through having successfully raised his two sons as a single parent. They are fine young men and have both recently joined the Marines. He also golfs with military veterans who understand his plight due to their shared experiences.

He recently acquired a dog to train as a Service Dog. He was looking forward to the companionship, help if he has nightmares, and being able to go into crowded places without fear. Unfortunately, that training came to a complete halt after his arrest in May.

After several years of sobriety, stability, and counseling through the Veterans' Administration, Ted had a relapse. The result was an arrest for DUI, which for him was also a probation violation.

Our goal here is to save and restore his life by providing legal representation to get him the help he needs. We hope the court will be sympathetic to his plight. We do not believe that incarceration is the best solution for a mental health breakdown:

• We hired an excellent local attorney who will vigorously defend Ted, and hopefully steer the court toward the help he needs. This includes, but is not limited to, Veterans' Treatment Court, and help through the VA. This service, along with other legal and financial matters that we are managing for Ted, are extremely expensive.

Ted McClenny, a decorated military veteran who served his country honorably, now needs our help. Your assistance through this fund would be most appreciated.

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