LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Virginia Department of Corrections is the largest state employer of military veterans. Since 2015, more than 480 vets have been hired.
Before he retired from the military, Eric Graves was in the special forces for 20 years.
"I did four tours in Iraq. Each one was about eight months long,” Graves said.
After leaving Iraq 10 years ago and working in law enforcement in North Carolina, Graves wanted something new.
“In the military someone tells you to something, bam, you just go do it. In the civilian world it's a little bit different. Usually you still end up with the same goal in the end, but it’s just how to get there is a little different,” Graves said.
Graves currently works as an intake officer at the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center.
The Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority has been recognized as one of the highest agencies in the area for hiring veterans.
“But I think that we owe the veterans that have served in this country an opportunity to get a job to reintroduce them into society,” Tim Trent, administrator at Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority, said.
The agency partners with the Virginia Values Veterans, an organization to help veterans get back into the work force. Right now, they have 58 veterans and are just two people shy of their goal. Jail officials in Lynchburg say hiring veterans also puts them in an environment similar to the military.
“Here at Blue Ridge we do have some kind of military structure as far as our supervisory positions, our rank structure, they're used to that. They're used to organization. They're used to being team members,” Trent said.
Although Graves' mission is to not go back into law enforcement, he says given the privilege to work at the jail gives him more time to spend with his family.
"It’s actually a very good opportunity for the stability and staying at home. One of the things you're always deploying and so on and so forth. I have a young son and being able to see him grow is one of the best things,” Graves said.
If you are a veteran and would like to apply for a job you can go to Virginia Values Veterans or Blue Ridge Regional Jail websites.