Crime and punishment: inside Fort Leavenwoth's historic U.S. Disciplinary Barracks

Airman, Nov, 2002 by Gail Dillon

The air swells with harsh institutional sounds - the clanging of metal gates, the jangling of handcuffs, the guards' voices raised in the age-old routine of checking and double-checking Ids as workers and visitors come and go.

There's nothing informal about the atmosphere here. When a soldier salutes his superior, the greeting is "Vigilance," and the snappy response is, "Soldiers First." A visitor would immediately notice the medieval ambience of this institution - the well-worn native stone and brick walls constructed by long-forgotten inmates when "hard labor" meant exactly that have witnessed thousands of inmates' prayers, curses and pleas over the past 128 years.

It's like stepping back in time or suddenly being part of a kitschy movie set about a prison bust. The is the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, affectionately nicknamed. "The Castle". Located at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., it's the only maximum-security prison in the Department of Defense and the oldest penal institution in the federal prison system. In fact, the Air Force detachment offices are in one of the original quarter-master buildings, that supplied the wagon trains heading to the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. The city of Leavenworth is hardly a stranger to penal institutions; the community is home to approximately 5,000 prisoners held in four imposing buildings on the outskirts of town.

Force of five

Blending seamlessly with hundreds of Army soldiers here is an Air Force detachment of five airmen. Maj. Kevin Colyott commands this small but vital group. Fit and stocky with a high and tight haircut that could rival that of any soldier, he feels honored to be part of the barracks.

"This is a great opportunity to do something different and a chance to learn from another service," he said.

As Air Force liaison, Staff Sgt. J. Blair Toellner's job involves handling former airmen's administrative needs. On a three-year assignment, he takes care of their financial and legal requests, ensures their dependents have ID cards, tracks education records and handles a myriad of other paperwork.

"I've always wanted to come work [at the barracks]," said Toellner, whose specialty code is security forces. "What an experience to see all these strange, odd, unique personalities here."

Toellner is under no illusions about the importance of staying vigilant and alert, however.

"If somebody's working here and they're not on guard or they're lackadaisical about their duties, they're a fool. You never know when an inmate is going to have a bad day," he said.

It would seem to be an intimidating, perhaps even depressing atmosphere in which to work, but the Air Force contingent is surprisingly upbeat and committed.

"I love it," said Senior Airman Randilyn Bennet, a mental health technician who works with inmates from all the services. She's a case manager and, among other duties, leads inmates in therapy sessions. Although she feels safe at the barracks, she finds the job very challenging.

"You never know what's going to come at you," she said wryly.

The airmen emphasized the strong relationship they've built with their Army brethren at the barracks, and said there's a mutual respect for the way both services do business.

"I've been impressed with the professionalism of the soldiers and the other psychologists and social workers I've worked with," said Capt. (Dr.) David Cordry, who said deciphering "all the Army acronyms" was one of his biggest challenges. He helps inmates adjust to their current situation, under what can be difficult circumstances. He said counseling inmates isn't so different from dealing with civilians and their problems.

"Some of them can be kind of scary, but for the most part, they recognize that you can be helpful to them."

D & A board

In addition to his commander responsibilities, Colyott is also the president for the discipline and adjustment board, helping settle conflicts between other inmates and/or staff. The position has traditionally been the responsibility of the ranking Air Force person to ensure impartiality.

"We evaluate facts and circumstances surrounding alleged inmate misconduct," he explained.

The incident is written up and investigated, then the director of operations decides if a board is necessary. Depending on the severity of the alleged incident, Colyott then presides over a one- or three-member board.

"I think this assignment has given me a lot of insight into Department of Defense and Army corrections," Colyott said. "I have a lot of respect for what those [Army] guards do on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes the [inmates] can vent. The guards have to listen to that for 12 hours a day. It takes a special person who can maintain their composure -- they have to have a lot of self-control."

Colyott said he's constantly reminded that most situations shouldn't be viewed as black or white. "You just see [the inmates] as human beings," he explained. "A lot of them have made onetime mistakes -- a guy gets drunk once, drives and kills somebody. I'm very empathetic -- I think that's important for my job. You have to put yourself in their shoes, and ask yourself, 'In the same circumstances, would I do this?' That helps me make a decision."