Every year, on Nov. 11, Americans across the country join together to commemorate the men and women who served our great nation in the U.S. Armed Forces. While this tradition dates to the early 20th century and coincides with Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I, there is a group of veterans who are often forgotten. As Americans gather for barbecues and beers, there are incarcerated veterans who must trade in the warmth of the sun for the coldness of a cell. While they are ultimately responsible and ought to be held accountable for breaking the law, we must do more to ensure this population of people—who signed up to sacrifice their lives for this nation—are given an opportunity at redemption that builds upon the foundations they learned in the military.
The United States military is an all-volunteer force with 1.4 million men and women on active duty today. Throughout the nation, we have over 16 million veterans—many of which, disproportionately to the civilian population, have a disability. This paradigm does not end with our nation's incarcerated veterans. Due to their service, many incarcerated veterans suffer from debilitating disabilities—both mentally and physically—that increase the likelihood of incarceration. In fact, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are 60 percent more likely to be incarcerated than those without the traumatic injury.
Moreover, PTSD can also lead to increased likelihood of a substance abuse disorder as many veterans struggle to heal from their time in service. Given their time serving our nation—and of course depending on the severity of the crime—are they not worthy of redemption?
I am not the only one who sees this demographic as especially worthy of rehabilitation and redemption. I helped advocate for bills in the U.S. Congress, like the Veterans Justice Outreach (VJO) Improvement Act, which sought to expand outreach and education to our nation's servicemen and women. According to the members of Congress who introduced the bill it worked to "identify and support ... veterans needing legal assistance and other critical resources to tackle mental health and substance abuse issues." In 2020, over 36,000 veterans were assisted via the VJO.
Although a good first step, there needs to be more done across all levels of government. While much of the attention is focused on the federal level, there are steps to be taken on the state level—where most incarcerated Americans serve their sentences.
While the VJO is a preventative step, there is more to be done for the veterans currently incarcerated. Programming ought to include avenues to build camaraderie—an essential part of any military unit—akin to a peer group with other incarcerated veterans, greater access to educational benefits so that they can learn a trade while incarcerated, and increased access to treatment for illnesses like PTSD while in prison. Participation in these programs, alongside others, could also serve as an avenue for these veterans to receive time off their sentence.
The treatment for these individuals also needs to be sustained once they re-enter society. The rehabilitation process often takes years and time in prison is certainly not going to solve all potential issues. The federal and state governments do not hold all the answers, as NGOs like mine—The Jack Brewer Foundation—also can help. With The Jack Brewer Foundation 2nd Chance Centers, located in Geo Group facilities, we combine spiritual healing with concrete resources such as job preparation, substance abuse rehabilitation, community service, and mentorship programs to help veterans re-join society.
Once these veterans can reintegrate back into society, a public-private partnership offering work release programs centered on caring for other at-risk veterans ought to be an option, allowing veterans to serve as a bridge for their peers. Other programming like access to mental health resources and educational opportunities should be extended as well.
With these steps, we can help take care of those who signed up to take care of us. As many laws are currently written, many of these incarcerated veterans are punished and forced back into society with limited resources and endless mental and physical health issues—unquestionably contributing to the enormously high veteran suicide rate.
I personally saw firsthand how gathering these veterans together increased morale, deepened camaraderie, reinvigorated their pride for their service, and furthered their friendly interservice rivalries. From the color guard to saluting the flag, their time in service is not forgotten, especially among themselves.
On this Veterans Day, let us not forget those who served us and now unfortunately serve time.
Commissioner Jack Brewer was appointed by the president of the United States to serve on the federal Commission for the Social Status of Black Men and Boys. While playing in the NFL, Brewer founded The Jack Brewer Foundation, which has grown
to a global nonprofit that has delivered over $70 million in medical aid, disaster relief, and
programs to some of the most underserved populations on the planet. Brewer is an ordained minister who has dedicated his life to serving the fatherless and
spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
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