HHRJ Veterans Make a Measurable Difference in Corrections
Sharon P. Scott, MPA
Hampton Roads Regional Jail’s (HRRJ) leadership salutes all veterans for their service and sacrifice to our country, especially those who work in corrections. HRRJ is fortunate to have approximately 46 veterans currently on staff and can boast of having many others who have retired in the past two years, with 20 plus years of service. HRRJ veterans bring a myriad of talents and experiences to the agency, which are vital in ensuring the organization’s mission is accomplished daily, especially during a time when corrections is in a state of flux. Fortunately, HRRJ’s top brass, Superintendent Jeff Vergakis and Deputy Superintendent William Anderson, have been stabilizers and brought balance to the organization, after a leadership reorganization. Corrections facilities across the United States are struggling with the same issues: Leadership changes, staffing, mandatory overtime to maintain efficient and effective operations, and limited funding sources.
The dozens of veterans at HRRJ also include women who have served in all four branches. Some of these female officers are both wives and mothers. They have raised families, with help from their village which includes family and friends. For example, one of the lieutenants is prior Air Force who came up through the ranks and now has over 22 years of service. Our intake officer is a former Navy Chief, with less than five years of service. Several high-ranking Officers, who retired within the past 12 months, did a brief tour in the military or retired after 20 Plus years of service. The discipline and structure that veterans have brought to HRRJ have been vital in keeping the agency operating as efficiently as possible, with the population housed at the facility. Fortunately for the jail environment, veterans tend to possess the resilience, demeanor, and interpersonal skills critical to managing a troubled population of residents. These characteristics work well in any environment and continue to make a measurable impact at HRRJ.
HRRJ veterans make strong, detail-oriented employees because of the valuable skills and experience they bring from their military service. Because military personnel are often trained in multiple skills and have experience in various tasks and responsibilities, their attention to detail is valuable in the Jail environment. Many veterans have learned what it means to put in a hard day’s work and to stay the course to complete assigned tasks for extended hours outside of their normal
schedule. With proven leadership skills, adaptability, and an understanding of the importance of cohesive teamwork in the workplace, veterans increase productivity and are the best at documentation, which is a vital component in corrections. Furthermore, veterans have soft skills that are an asset to most correctional facilities, such as cross-cultural collaboration skills, an ability to innovate, and a sense of how their behaviors impact themselves and others. HRRJ veterans have these qualities and more. In addition, they are savvy, fast learners and excel under pressure.
These are just a few of the agency’s proud veterans, who consistently bridge the gap to provide services, which allow inmates to become productive members of society again.
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Sharon P. Scott, MPA is the Public Information Officer for Hampton Roads Regional Jail in Portsmouth VA. She is a former elected official of 20 plus years and a former journalist and Managing Editor of the Hampton Roads and Richmond Voice Newspapers. She is the past Chair of the HRRJ Authority Board. Scott has a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Christopher Newport University and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Phoenix.
Marvin R. Blount, Programs Manager
Department/Title: Operations Dept/Core Programs
Years of Service at HRRJ: 25 years
US Navy/SM1(SW)-E6, 20 years
Learning to be flexible while on Active Duty, Blount said, prepared him for his career at HRRJ. “While in the military, my rate did not transition to the civilian work force; so, at my 13-year mark, I took orders to Military Police School.” He then began working in Military Brigs (Ashore and Afloat) until he retired in 1994. His most measurable impact, in his current part-time position at HRRJ, has been assisting with mental health inmates assigned to the CORE PROGRAM.
Ronald Durr, IT Manager
Years of Service at HRRJ 4
Navy ITC/E-7/Information Technology: 22 years
Durr’s last 5 years of service as an IT manager, while completing his assignment as Airwing fleet commander, prepared him for his position at HRRJ. He had 8 sub commands under his leadership, and a combined 56 personnel working for him, with an IT budget of $425,000. His most measurable impact at HRRJ has been assisting personnel with issues, reducing the amount of maintenance tickets, and utilizing his knowledge base to assist his co-workers. He is proud of completing tasks the agency would ordinarily pay someone else to do like run cables, build PC’s, and repair PC’s by removing and adding parts.
William Jeffrey Anderson, Lieutenant Colonel 27 years in Corrections
Years of Service at HRRJ: Deputy Superintendent, 3 years
Navy Seaman, 4 years
“I learned that I could do more than I thought I could; and If I learned and then applied the rules, I could even excel in the profession I chose as a career,” says Lt. Col. Anderson. His years of military service prepared him for a career in corrections by giving him a sense of discipline, which has served him well. It also gave him a healthy respect for rank. He says his most measurable impact has been making decisions which keep people safe and employed: This is accomplished by considering all facts in any situation, and making informed decisions which impact everyone involved in a positive manner. Anderson is touted among his leadership team as the go-to person for problem solving at the facility, and his high energy level keeps the daily meetings lively, fruitful, and extremely productive.
Avery Terrell McBride, Jail Officer
HRRJ Years of Service: 1
United States Air Force Reserves, 23 years
First Sergeant MSgt (E-7)
McBride says, “I have plenty practice using self-control. That’s why I am able to get along with just about everybody.” He has worked in two prisons and two jails. His years in the military prepared him to be patient with everyone including those with whom he may not agree. Between the military experience and his career inside the jails, he has acquired excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt to any situation.
Terry E. Walker, IT Department: Analyst
Years of Service at HRRJ: 23 years as an Officer, 2 years currently as civilian IT Analyst
Navy 4 years/ ET3 Electronics Tech Third Class Petty Officer
His first real experience, with the chain of command in the Navy, prepared him to be a Jail Officer.
Other people he met in the Navy introduced him to diversity and prepared him for the population he served. The discipline he encountered, while serving, taught him that he can do anything if he sets his mind to it. He believes that training individuals on the proper use of computers and software, helps the organization runs smoothly. The electronics training he received in the Navy prepared him for several of the tasks he is responsible for in the IT Department. Keeping the computer systems, phones, and network systems up and running, so that the jail can complete its mission in a safe and efficient manner, is a challenge he enjoys.
