Though it is often difficult for civilians to gain access to inmates detained in the brig at Naval Base Kitsap, Rock of Ages minister reaches out with a message of careful compassion.

The brig at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor is a small operation. Though it has maximum security capability, it does not often exercise it. According to Chaplain Puttler, regional chaplain for Naval Base Kitsap, the average number of inmates at any given time is around 10 to 15.

“The inmate population changes every day, but today it is about eight,” Puttler on Nov. 7.

The brig is a military prison and is divided into three levels. Level one is for offenders who are sentenced to incarceration of one year of less, generally the period is closer to 31 days. The brig at Bangor is an example of a level one facility.

Level two incarcerates inmates for a period of one month to five years.

Level three is for sentences from five years to the death penalty. The U.S. disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth and the NAVCONBRIG at Miramar in San Diego are two examples. Leavenworth houses 440 inmates while Miramar has the capacity for 372 prisoners.

Because the brig at Naval Base Kitsap is considered a transitional facility, it cannot always get specialized attention for inmate ministries.

Chaplain Puttler explained that while other brigs have a designated prison chaplain, there is no specialized prison chaplain for the Bangor facilities. Instead, the three chaplains on base take turns assuming the necessary duties. The majority of brig work coming down to Puttler himself.

“The Northwest is the only one that does it this way. We just don’t have the personnel,” said Puttler.

There are currently nine chaplains in the regional command, two at Whidbey, two at Everett, three at Naval Base Kitsap, and two at CREDO.

Outsiders, like civilian minister Lance Hohenstreet have stepped in to help.

Hohenstreet believes that strong ministry and outreach is important even with prisoners that are in transitional facilities.

“You can absolutely make an impact in a short amount of time. Ministry is just as important in the short term. There isn’t as much you can do in terms of a clinical environment which is what you find at longer term facilities like Miramar. But the experience of coming to the brig is a dramatic one. These guys are officers or role models, and they have a high fall. I believe all it takes is a single decision to touch the life of a person who has hit rock bottom. It is planting the seed,” said Hohenstreet.

Hohenstreet has been working with the brig at Bangor since 2004. He visits every Wednesday and has been granted an annual installation pass and full access to the brig by the chaplain’s office. The Army correctional command has also authorized Hohenstreet to come on their bases to lead programs.

The minister explained that base commands are often wary of who they let into their facilities.

“We don’t restrict who can come and go in terms of denominations, but we can’t give carte blanche for groups to come and go as they please and pester the inmates,” said Puttler.

Hohenstreet leads a mandatory “prison prevention” seminar. He said that these are emotional classes that face anxiety, anger, conflict, and bitterness head on. The minister believes that these emotions are common in all inmates, whether military or not, and when left unexplored are the primary cause of turning back to crime.

Civilian teachers and military chaplains are careful when teaching conflict or moral development classes to shy away from overtly Christian messages.

“The Navy is a pluralistic organization: atheists, agnostics, Christians, Muslims, no one is promoted over the other, you have to gravitate towards the various ideas to be effective and able to work in the environment,” said Puttler.

Hohenstreet recalls an inmate at Bangor brig who was a self-proclaimed satanist. The prisoner sat in on the minister’s ethics classes.

“Often they will attend because they’re bored and it’s something to do,” said Puttler.

But Hohenstreet said that the student approached him afterwards to say that he enjoyed the class. Though the minister is himself a devout Baptist with a desire for inmates to find Christ, he is careful not to push these beliefs.

“There are some restrictions legally in all prison facilities. We are restricted to some extent,” said Hohenstreet.

Manipulation by inmates is also a concern for civilian volunteers and military chaplains. The so-called “jail house religion” where inmates pretend to find christ in order to get parole or favors happens just as frequently in the brig.

“I had a chaplain ask me once, how many of your inmates are genuine Christians? I answered him, really the percentage is about the same as the people sitting in your church that are genuine Christians,” said Hohenstreet.

Hohenstreet believes that just as prevalent as inmate manipulation of volunteers is the degrading of prisoners’ dignity.

“People are people. Sometimes we degrade those that are in legal trouble. An army chaplain once asked me,’so we talk to them like regular people?’ and I said, ‘no, they are regular people,” said Hohenstreet.

According to the minister, no where is the line more fuzzy than in a military prison where the inmates may be decorated war veterans, most with training and discipline, marketable job skills, and core values. Many have seen combat and served honorably before their crimes.

“Of course there are some very sick, very disturbed individuals in [the brig], but the ministry is still harder than in typical state prisons. It’s harder to draw lines between yourself and these clean cut people. All five of the branches have the core values, integrity, honor,” said Hohenstreet.

Hohenstreet travels with Rock of Ages, a national prison ministry organization. He also does work with juvenile facilities and crime prevention groups.

“If I can impact the prisoners’ lives, whether it’s through religious or non religious classes, get their priorities straight, and begin to deal with those angry emotions, then I’m happy. You have to remember, [these inmates] are going to be your neighbors one day. You can’t just ignore them and hope they go away.”