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I also hope to motivate the read-
ers by sharing a personal example
of how a humble idea such as
a “Veterans Unit” that initially
housed seven inmates was able to
make a difference in the lives of
veterans incarcerated at my facil-
ity, the Garland County Detention
Center (GCDC) in Arkansas. In fact,
I recently interviewed one of our
first ever Veterans Unit participants
five years after his release, and he
freely stated that his experience in
the Veterans Unit literally saved his
life and the lives of his daughters.
Changing lives is what we do in
corrections, and to hear him vali-
date our success meant more to me
than he will ever know.

Some Veteran Background
Vietnam was anything but a
gentleman’s war, and the American
public watched every detail from
the televisions in their living rooms.
For the Vietnam veterans who were
fortunate enough to survive, return-
ing home became its own hellish
experience. Because the American
people did not fully support the
war, the veterans returned home
to a country that viewed them as
savage failures. For many, the war
waging inside their heads never
ended, and 25% of American com-
bat veterans were arrested within 10
years of coming home—mostly for
drug-related charges.

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