AUGUSTA (AP) — A two-year-old program at the Kennebec County Jail is helping rehabilitate military veterans behind bars.

At their own request, veterans either awaiting trial or serving time at the Augusta jail can be housed in a special unit with other veterans aimed at treating military service-related problems that have contributed to their arrests.

Sheriff Randall Liberty said inmates who are veterans do not get special treatment, but they get different forms of treatment to address needs specific to their background. The special block is in addition to programs for veterans designed to address problems such as post-traumatic stress, substance abuse, mental health conditions, anger management and strained personal relationships.

Liberty told the Kennebec Journal (http://bit.ly/1b7vA6R ) it is the jail’s “moral duty” to help incarcerated veterans.

Liberty is a retired Army master sergeant.