By Sarah Pegues
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – Vance Drum, the chaplain for Region I of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), recently received a promotion to Director of Chaplaincy Operations for the TDCJ.
“I was promoted this fall,” Drum explained. “I had been a unit chaplain – prison chaplain – at the Eastham Unit since 1985, so I was out there about 27 years.
“The last two years, I was a regional chaplain in the Huntsville area and then 
became the director of chaplaincy in the fall this year,” he went on. “It was in September.”
According to Drum, there are 126 chaplains operating in 109 prisons throughout the state of Texas.
“They do great work redirecting people’s lives in a more pro-social and Godly direction,” he said of the individuals.
“A whole lot of offenders do not have good early guidance and get involved in anti-social and bad stuff,” he pointed out. “So, chaplains are there in every prison in Texas to help redirect their lives in a better way.
“It’s a real blessed ministry,” he continued. “In prison, many people know that they need help, and a chaplain is there to help guide them in a better way.
“They’re very open to listening, because a lot of times, people who are at the bottom of the barrel have an easier time looking up,” he went on. “So, there’s a lot of redemption in prison. It’s a blessing.”
In his new role as Director of Chaplains, Drum is responsible for assisting the TDCJ’s regional, parole and unit chaplains in the effort “to help offenders have a better walk and do their lives better.
“I’m real excited about it,” he said of the promotion. “It’s a blessing to be there.”
Drum also expressed appreciation of the leadership provided to chaplains in the TDCJ.
“Our leadership is very supportive of what we’re doing in chaplaincy,” he said. “In fact, the three big entities in Texas have all come together – that is the legislature, the TDCJ Board and our executive leadership – promoting rehabilitative and reentry programs to help offenders get their lives going in a good way.
“It hasn’t always been that way over my 30-year career with the TDCJ,” he noted, “but in these days and the past few years, all those groups have come together. So, there’s a lot of support for even faith-based programming through the chaplaincy department.
“Chaplains are doing great works and helping a lot of offenders,” he continued. “We have 155,000 offenders in the Texas prison system, and chaplains are on every unit, and they help a lot. They help inmates get going on a better path.”
In addition to being promoted to a new position, Drum was selected to continue his role in another.
“In November, I was reelected to be the president of the American Correctional Chaplains Association,” he reported.
“The ACCA is historically the first affiliate of the American Correctional Association from 1885,” he explained.
“The American Correctional Association is our main professional organization, and they work to raise the standards of prisons to make prisons a more humane place to live and a safer place to work.”
According to Drum, the ACA began in 1870.
“It’s a blessing to be president of the national chaplains group,” he said. “I’m working with a lot of chaplains around the country to emphasize faith-based rehabilitative and reentry programs to help a lot of offenders.
“I really enjoy it,” he said of the occupation. “It’s a blessing to do that.”