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Dortell Williams is an inmate at the Los Angeles County California State Prison in Lancaster, California. Dortell has been published in a number of community newspapers, including the San Francisco Bay View, The Final Call and The Los Angeles Sentinel. He mentors at-risk kids through San Francisco's The Beat Within and is an inside correspondent for Families to Amend Three Strikes. You can email Dortell at: dortellwilliams@yahoo.com. For more information about the Honor Yard Program, visit: www.prisonhonorprogram.org

Prison War Vets? Shame on Us

Commentary by Dortell Williams, recorded 12/5/07

1) 3:09 MP3 Radio Essay

Prison; War Vets – Shame on Us!

I had a really nice visit the other day from a caring friend named Mary. During the visit she asked a profoundly thought-provoking question: “Dortell, what are we going to do when all if these Iraq and Afghanistan was vets come home, so they don’t end up in places like this?”

Ever insightful, Mary had given me a real nugget to chew on.

Right here, at the state prison in Los Angeles County there are about 600 prisoners on this yard; a relatively small population by comparison. Just under 60 are military vets of one type or another.

I hit up Raul, a fellow prisoner and former Marine (or at his insistence, “a Marine for life”), and asked about the veterans group they recently formed. Raul invited me to their next monthly meeting.

The meeting comprised of some 25 prisoner-vets and 5 civilian-vet sponsors. Many of the other prisoner-vets either had to work or had other obligations.

One of the civilian vets, Stan, a clean-cut, burly Marine kicked off the gathering by introducing everyone. He began his spiel: “We’re here to support you. I’m so grateful I didn’t get caught, ‘cause I don’t know if I could handle this.” His point made clear, he left it at that.

Of course, the prisoner-vets before him did get caught, and their stories and experiences are as diverse as they are. Whites, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Latinos…you name it. A colorful array of America’s brave.

Nelson, a prisoner-vet, strong framed with a mellow voice, shared how he couldn’t relate to civilian life following discharge from the Army after Vietnam. He was numb, void of emotion. So he went back into service, this time with the Navy. Discharged honorably again, he “ended up on death row,” he says.

“These young kids are trained to kill people, then never de-programmed,” said another empathetic civilian-vet.

“Yeah, add drugs and alcohol to the mix,” and we’ve really got a problem, says Fred Jackson, a tall man with a medium complexion.

“According to the veteran support group, Pointman Ministries, in Antelope Valley, California, as many as 75 percent of Vietnam vets abused drugs and alcohol to cope. Over half a million Vietnam vets have been arrested or incarcerated, and they estimate that some 300,000 are in prison, jail or on probation.

Another prisoner-vet, William John, shared how he recently underwent a medical procedure wherein he had to endure the smell of burning flesh. The odor caused a teary-eyed flashback of Vietnam burning fields.

Raul, an Afghanistan War vet said he worries about triggers. “I’m a time-bomb waiting to explode,” he shared somberly.

Indeed, Mary’s question is a mind-blower. It’s a question that can’t be ignored. The men and women who sacrifice their innocence, their freedom for ours – and perhaps their very sanity – deserve so much more than the horrid conditions of our nation’s prisons.

What are we gonna do…to keep our vets from coming to places like these?

Update:

Senate Bill 299 sailed unscathed through the Senate Public Safety Committee, the Senate Public Safety Commission, Senate Appropriations and the full Senate. The bill is scheduled to go before the Assembly Public Safety Committee, August 31st, where it is expected to hit turbulence. Old fashioned, traditional letters are requested of the public for legislative supporters of the bill to offset expected opposition.