Success Stories

Dylan Benner is located, 2nd row, 2nd person from the right.

My name is Dylan Benner and the story in which you are about to read is about the struggles and opportunities I have been given even though I am a convicted felon. I have made a life for myself and a very good one at that!

My life changed when I chose to break into my ex-girlfriends house to take back some things that belonged to me. I was charged with second degree burglary and emotional distress. I was placed in the Jefferson County Jail for a period of two years and then six years of I.S.P. probation after my incarceration. This did not go good, after I was released from jail I began to use drugs and my life as I knew it fell apart. After two dirty UA's, I was sentenced to twelve years in the Dept of Corrections.

I decided to make a change while in D.O.C. I was given the opportunity to go to the D.O.C. Boot Camp Program. This is a rigorous inmate program that offers a sentence reduction upon completion. After four months in boot camp, I graduated as a squad leader and a member of the Color Guard. This earned me a sentence reduction from a twelve year sentence to a six year sentence. I then asked to be moved to the Rifle Correctional complex to gain a chance to fight forest fires with the Colorado State Wildland Fire Team. (S.W.I.F.T.)

I was accepted and was put on with the S.W.I.F.T. fire crew in February 2006. I was trained and shown how to fight forest fires. As time went on, I wanted more training and the chance to move up in our fire crew. I was trained as a Class A Faller, this is a person on the crew that cuts down trees during a fire. I was very skilled at what I did. I still wanted more! So I took the test to become a Squad Boss for the crew, and I passed! I was moved up in the role of the fire crew and began to take on more responsibilities and was in charge of five other lives on a fire, it was a great responsibility.

I was released from D.O.C. in January 2007. I was placed in a halfway house in Jefferson County. I had made the choice that I would pursue a life long career as a firefighter. I enrolled in the Gateway Program offered at Red Rocks Community College. I was very successful in the program and decided to further my training as a firefighter, so I enrolled in the RRCC Fire Science Program and the EMT First Responder class. I began to put in applications for the fire service, in March 2007, while I was still in the halfway house. I was offered a job with the Bureau of Land Management. (B.L.M.) This is a federal firefighting crew. I was amazed at the opportunity to become a public servant, and to help others and protect them. I was unable to take this job due to the halfway house inability to "push" my paper work and get me out in time.

I did not give up, I kept the ambition to gain employment with a fire crew. After being released from the halfway house I was contacted by the West Metro Fire Dept. I was told that I should pursue more training. I have recently graduated from the RRCC EMT First Responder class and I am still taking the Intro to Fire Science class. I have had the chance to change my life and become someone that others can look up to and learn from.

This next fire season I will be working with a fire crew and "living the dream" I have thought so much about. I have learned to overcome many obstacles and not let others tell me "you can't do that, you're a felon!" Well, I have done it, and you can too!

Keep in mind that there are people out there that do not want to see a so to speak "convict" succeed. But as long as you have support from people like Cathy Lachman from the Gateway Program, you too can pursue a rewarding life. Never, ever let anyone tell you that what you want to do is not an option because of a past mistake. Remember that anything is possible if you work hard enough and overcome small "road blocks"! If I did it, you can to!

Catherine Lachman
catherine.lachman@rrcc.edu
Coordinator
13300 W. Sixth Ave.
Campus Box 32
Lakewood, CO 80228

Phone:
303-914-6542