Business Manager at San Diego Correctional Facility
Good manners landed this Soldier a civilian career.
by Warren Duffie
In 2005 Richard Crouch interviewed for an administrative position at Dawson State Jail in Dallas, Texas. The 20-year Army veteran didn’t get the job but still sent a nice “thank you” letter. The gesture impressed the warden so much he invited Crouch back to interview for a vocational instructor position.
“My transition classes taught me I should send a thank-you note after each interview,” said the former sergeant first class. “As I interviewed the second time, I was speaking with the principal of the education program when the assistant warden walked in and said, ‘Got your letter,’ and walked back out. The principal told me that they rarely received letters like mine and felt someone who paid attention to follow-up should be hired somewhere within the facility.
“So to all my fellow transitioning veterans, remember: Thank you notes work!” Crouch said with a merry laugh.
On the Job
Such attention to detail has allowed Crouch, 42, to ascend beyond an instructor’s role. He’s now the business manager of the San Diego Correctional Facility, run by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), a private corrections management company. The prison is medium-security and houses 950 inmates, most of whom are incarcerated for immigration violations and awaiting deportation.
Crouch oversees the commissary and warehouse operations; the handling of inmates’ money; the prison’s financial activities; and the allocation of funds for purchases, supplies, and construction projects.
“Organization, prioritization, and leadership are the main military skills that help me today,” said Crouch. “Corrections is a very regulated industry and you have to adhere to procedures and systems, much like the military. There’s not much room for error because I’m taking care of people. I approach caring for inmates the same way I did for caring for the Soldiers under me.”
A Great Company for Military Veterans
Corrections Corporation of America runs more than 65 correctional facilities around the country as the nation’s fourth-largest correctional system (behind the federal government and two states - California and New York). It does business with all three correctional agencies of the U.S. government: the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It also partners with about half of all states and about a dozen municipalities, managing local jails. In all, CCA’s 17,000 employees have charge of 75,000 inmates.
The company is one of G.I. Jobs’ “Top 50 Military-Friendly Employers®” and ranked among “America’s Best Big Companies” by Forbes magazine.
CCA actively recruits military veterans – offering competitive salaries, abundant promotion opportunities, and a benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), a 529 College Savings Plan, and paid time off.
In Uniform
A Philadelphia native, Crouch enlisted in 1984 to escape the snares of inner city life.
“I wanted to leave, see the world, and do something meaningful,” he said. “The Army seemed like a good way to accomplish all three.”
Crouch completed boot camp and construction engineering training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He served in Georgia, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Haiti, Kuwait, and Washington. Crouch also participated in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“For Iraqi Freedom, we moved in before the start of the ground war,” he said. “My engineering battalion cleared the DMZ barrier between Kuwait and Iraq and followed the initial surge, establishing camps for the troops coming afterwards.”
The Transition
Crouch attended several transition classes and searched for jobs in newspapers, magazines like G.I. Jobs, job fairs, and the Internet. He was contacted by CCA.
“I didn’t think I would get a job there. Good thing I wrote that thank-you note,” said Crouch.
Hired as a vocational instructor, Crouch taught inmates how to write résumés, search for jobs, and develop their career skills. Within a year and a half, he transferred to the San Diego Correctional Facility.
“One great thing about working for CCA is the number of military people in the company,” said Crouch. “In San Diego, 50 percent of our employees are veterans and company-wide that number is 20 percent. It makes sense in this industry because you need people who are cool under pressure and can make quick decisions.”
Crouch’s Advice:
Use your GI Bill benefits. “Get as much education as you can before separating. That will allow you to command a higher salary.”
Pay attention during your transition classes. “They’re full of valuable and insightful information.”
Save money and get out of debt. “Try to save at least six months’ worth of money for living expenses. Better yet, use some of your terminal leave to search for a job, that way you’re still getting paid without touching your cash Reserve.”