Facility Festivities for Veterans' Day
In recognition of Veterans' Day, employees companywide shared comments and well wishes by sounding out on "Courageous for Our Country: Celebrating Veterans' Day." We asked employees how their facilities commemorated Veterans' Day this year and here's what they shared.
Cimarron Correctional Facility
Here at Cimarron Correctional Facility, We, the Employee Engagement Committee put together a bulletin board with photos provided by our active/inactive personnel. On Veterans' Day, some members of the EEC came in and brought the cake and took a picture of the cake being held by 2 of our active/inactive military employees. We hung the photo of them holding the cake on the wall with the photos. Our employees were very receptive of our gratitude to those who served in our nations military, plus they all got to enjoy the cake to help celebrate and say thanks.
-Kimberley James, Manager, quality assurance manager and public information officer
Eloy Detention Center
Employees at Eloy Detention Center are celebrating by having a Facility Recall for Veterans’ Day. The recall included the EDC Special Operations Response Team (SORT) posting the colors, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and a PowerPoint presentation that includes all of the EDC Staff and the Public Health Service staff by displaying their military photos along with their names and which service they served in.
-Bryan Martin, public information officer
Idaho Correctional Center
There were many positive comments from staff, not only about the display case but also the flags lining the sidewalk along the main entryway. A couple of our correctional officers, who are in the military reserves, commented that it was nice to see the flags out front. I talked with a couple of the staff who brought in their mementoes for a display case in the facility, just to find out what their military duty was like, and they thought it was a great idea to honor our veterans and they were proud to bring in their mementoes. The display case has drawn a lot of attention, and I hope that next year, we will have more participants. Additionally, I wrote a feature article about Veterans’ Day in the facility newsletter. We have 96 staff who are current of former military personnel. That represents approximately 25% of our workforce at this facility. One of the reasons may be because we are only six miles from Gowen Field, which is a National Guard base, and 45 miles from Mountain Home Air Force Base.
-Linda Sevison, public information officer
Marion County Jail II
For our Veterans Day we had our Chaplain’s Servant Leadership group draw some beautiful Veterans’ Day posters to put throughout the facility. A few of our inmates in the servant program are wonderful artists and it was very impactful to the staff... We also have a staff member named Carla Williams who is serving in Afghanistan and many of the staff donated items and put a care package together to send to her to make her feel more at home.
-Michelle Ryder, assistant warden and public information officer
Northeast Ohio Correctional Center
We have a bulletin board in the front lobby where we display the name, photo and branch of the military that each of our staff members are involved in. Also, during a staff recall the week before, we presented each staff member with a card from the warden and acknowledged each on all three shifts during the recall. Last year, we ordered commemorative pins for all veterans as well.
This recognition and thanks by the warden and staff has done a great deal in boosting morale and appreciation and brought honor to all of our staff.
-Jillian Shane, executive assistant and public information officer
North Fork Correctional Facility
I visited a local school where I spoke about my military history, my experience in Kuwait and the hardship, other veterans and what they went through. I joined the National Guard in 1987. I joined the Army in 1992 and spent three years in Germany, two and a half years at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I was released from Army and went back to the National Guard in 1997. In 2002 I was deployed on Noble Eagle at Fort Sill for one year. In August 2008 I was deployed for Operation Iraq Freedom in Kuwait until August 2009. I still serve in the National Guard as a E-7 Sergeant First Class (platoon sergeant).
-Clay Cox, unit manager
Red Rock Correctional Facility
Red Rock was happy to hand out to our 45 Veterans “Proud to Serve” caps. We congratulated them for their service to Red Rock, CCA and our country. A banner was up all week to remind everyone who passed through the administrative hallway of the observance of our Veterans’ service. We currently have our PIO, Trevor Harvey, on active duty and other several other veterans that have been put on notice. Let’s keep them all in our thoughts and prayers.
Red Rock’s vets are also active while on duty at the facility. They have recently started a staff veterans group who raise and lower the flags in front of the facility each day.
-Penny Hart, assistant warden
Silverdale Detention Facility
Silverdale placed a sign-up board in our front lobby for all veterans to sign and write in information about their years of duty and assignments. On Veterans’ Day the Silverdale Moral Committee (Helping Hands) served all of the CCA & Canteen veterans with a great meal from Famous Dave’s BBQ and gave a gift bag.
-Elijah Light, public information officer
Willacy State Jail
Willacy held a celebration for all employees of the unit, UTMB medical department and all staff who are veterans of our military Branches. The Willacy Unit has a total of 26 veterans walking through our doors every day. Breakfast was served, a flag raising ceremony was conducted by members of the SORT team (one member being Army and the other Marines) and framed certificates were handed out. Recognition was done by Warden Orlando Perez and PIO John Butler. All preparation was done by several staff members to include Maythe Guerra, Evangelina Gutierrez, Jacob Guerra as well as others.
-John Butler, public information officer
Did your facility commemorate Veterans' Day with special activities? Have ideas to share for Veterans' Day 2010? Tell us about them by sounding out.