I'm a 56 year old Vietnam veteran. Came home at age 20 in 1968 strung out on heroin. Since then I have spent a total of 20 years in state and federal prisons. Arizona State Prison, FCI Ashland, KY (1975-83) FCI Phoenix, AZ (1992-2000) USP Lompoc, CA (2000-2002) FCI Sheridan, OR ((2002-2003) Got out on supervised release on December 4, 2003. Still have two and a half year tail. Drug free 4 years. Did it on my own. No programs. Just finally had enough. My last trip inside lasted 11 years. No more for me.

Hello and Welcome to PTO!

We're looking forward to you sharing your insight!

Welcome to PTO!!!

Thank you.

WILEYCOYOTE-YOUR NAME SHOULD BE IN CAPS!!! YOU DESERVE THAT AND SO MUCH MORE.......I want to be the first to thank you for your service for our country--not enough people do nor will they ever. Twenty years is such a huge part of anyone's life and to know that you were in the hellholes of Vietnam before you spent the next 20 in the hellholes of the American prison systems you are to be commended for coming out alive and also with enough fortitude to finally decide that you had had ENOUGH-that I'm sure was probably worse than all of the others combined. As cjjack said above ( and many more will!) welcome to PTO! If you've looked around at all ypu'll find a lot of us with loved ones hooked on many things and more than one in some cases. My son is also in a Federal prison-USP Beaumont and has also been a guest of FCI Memphis. He still has 3+ yrs. to travel and I hope and pray every day that he has , as he says, given up his addictions. I want so very much to believe him and a large part of me does but still I know the greatest tests are yet to come when he walks out those gates back into society. I will always be by his side to do what I can for him but I know that is a battle he will have to fight & win on his own because only he can do this for himself!
What did you find the most difficult when you were released besides getting clean? Employment I know will be difficult because so many don't want to even give ex-felons a chance. I hope you don't mind my asking but my son spent 4 yrs. in the Navy and is now 30 yrs. old so maybe there will be some similarities?
If you care to share I know I'm not the only one who will be very interested in anything you might share.

Take care & God Bless You & once again, THANK YOU!!
I salute you!!

Bonnie

Wiley,

Welcome home to PTO. We are so happy you are out and have joined us here. I know you will have much insight to share.

Welcome to PTO! Great to have you here!!! :)

wileycoyote

Welcome to PTO!

So glad you are out, done, not going back! And also glad you have found us!

I'm curious, you went from an FCI to a higher security. From there it looks like you spent 2 years in higher security before being brought back down. Could you share some on that, if you feel up to it!


Diane

Welcome to PTO! I am glad your here!! :)

Welcome to PTO! You will find this site and its members to be very helpful! Congrats on your sobriety. :) Keep up the good work :thumbsup:

WileyCoyote--Let me join the others in welcoming you to PTO!

Congratulations on kicking that monkey off your back.

;)

I spent 7 years in FCI Phoenix. Because I had priors I could have been sent to a USP but my atty requested that I be allowed to do my time in Phoenix since that was my home. The judge agreed. During my stay there I worked in UNICOR and magage to keep doing heroin fairly regularly. As the years passed more and more illegal aliens were being housed in PHX and when that happens the drugs become quited plentiful. After 7 years inside I found myself strung out, realized I still had nearly four years to go, and that if I did not find out how to stay clean I was destined to do the rest of my life in prison on the installment plan.
It was a tough decision to make but I knew it was down to life or death because at that time I was seriously considering suicide. So, I went to my counselor, admitted I was strung out on heroin and told him I wanted to be locked up where I couldn't get any drugs. He immediately obliged me by putting me in the "Special Housing Unit", commonly know as the hole. I was given a urinalysis which came bac postive for heroin which increased my custody level and I was sent to a maximum security penitentiary where I remained in the hole for two and a half years. While in the hole a prison shrink suggested I try Prozac to fight my depression. I tried it and today I can truly say that I believe that it saved my life. I have lost all desire to use drugs or drink alcohol. I feel a much higher level of maturity in my life. I no longer blame others for stupid decisions that I made. After those couple of years in the hole my security level went back down so they transferred me to a lower level again. I turned myself in on June 14, 2000. That was the last day I used any drugs.
One thing I can tell you is this; if your loved one is using drugs in prison and telling you it's the only way to cope in there and they will quit when they get out? Forget it, If you can't quit in there you won't quit out here.
Another thing. If any person in prison tries to get you to bring them ANY kind of contraband. DO NOT DO IT! If that person truly loves you they would never put you in that spot. You could very well wind up locked up too. They might as well be asking you to go rob a bank so you can send them a money order.
Believe me, I'm not anti-inmate or anything like that. It's just that I know there are a whole lot of schemers in there who spend all their time trying to hustle and scam people on the outside.

Wow, Wiley. Your story is so inspiring! This will give others hope that they can change their lives, too. I commend you for getting off of drugs and staying off especially since you did it in such a stressful environment. You're an inspiration to others.

Mr. W.Coyote !!
Welcome to the family here at PTO. My son is a club-Fed member at Tucson FCI. He just got transfered there last week. We live in Tucson and have not seen him in over a year !! Our first visit is this coming Sunday......I just wanted to welcome you and let you know that you have MANY family members here....there is ALWAYS someone here to lend an ear, a shoulder or a prayer if you need it. I personally have gotten through some tough times with the help of these wonderful people. I will call on you from time to time with questions in regards to the "inside", I hope you wouldn't mind answering some of them if you can, but only if you are comfortable with that. You have been added to my prayer list. God and your stregnth of character got you through this and both will continue to carry you. Congratulations on staying clean. You have SO MUCH to offer....