MS News featured Mississippi Statewide Incarcerated Veterans Program
Veterans serving time in MS prisons get help from new program Soldier On
Posted by Maggie Wade, News Anchor
Veterans behind bars in Mississippi are getting help before and after their release from prison. The Mississippi Department of Corrections , MDOC, is offering the Mississippi Statewide Incarcerated Veterans Program or Soldier On.
Since it’s launch May 9, 2016, 59 inmates have been enrolled. Right now, 32 former soldiers are participating, including April Williams, who served in the U.S. Air Force.
Williams is a repeat offender who is hoping Soldier On helps her stay out of prison.
April Williams said, “it helps for education, for assistance on bettering your life instead of having to go back to the same hassles. Selling drugs, doing drugs, selling yourself. Whatever it may be.”
This is Williams second time in prison. She is serving two years for shoplifting.
The program is a joint effort between MDOC and Voice of Calvary Ministries. The program has 11 full time volunteers and three part time volunteers in addition to eight correctional officers and one case manager.
Each week veterans receive 20 hours of intensive instruction which includes meditation, life skills, marriage and family, budgeting, wills and estates, resume writing and dealing with consequences.
