Military service was obligatory in South Africa. I decided to volunteer for a longer enlistment in the Permanent Force, and choose where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do, rather than be made into an Army cook (as the draft board wanted to do to me!). '75-'78, South African Navy, electronic warfare & communications. Learned a lot, got the youthful stubborn self-centered trip knocked out of me, helped to make me a man... also combat experience (on detachment to the guys in brown), which had a profound and life-changing impact on me. Further combat experience during the '80's and early '90's, on callup and as a civilian, in a civil war situation. All of that helped me to change my career direction entirely, and become a pastor.
I got into LE (specifically, prison work) as a chaplain after many years of trying. It seems that LEO's in general, and CO's in particular, are looked down upon by too many in the church. I've found quite a few of them to be men and women who genuinely want to make their world a better place to live. I've been associated with them as a Special Deputy in a Sheriff's Dept. for the past four years, as well as visiting chaplain at a couple of prisons. When the chance arose to go full-time with the BOP, I didn't hesitate, and I have no regrets about it today. CO's are great people to work with, and one can, indeed, make a difference in some inmates' lives (not many, alas... but that's their call, not mine).
