WA: hurdles

From the Olympian:

'You're a felon; the deal's off' - Opportunities are few for an ex-Fort Lewis soldier who has served time in prison

It was supposed to be his first day at a new job. Dave Lye put on his new steel-toe boots... Then, the phone rang. He answered. It was one of the men who had interviewed him at the company.

"It's the guy, and he says: 'You're a felon; the deal's off,' " Lye said, recalling the gist of a conversation a few weeks ago with a potential employer.

Lye, 34, has heard the same thing repeatedly as he tries to piece together his life after serving two years in state prison. A former Army Ranger, Lye was convicted in 2003 of vehicular homicide for a crash that killed his friend and fellow soldier, Aaron Page. The transition is rough. He is making his first footing into civilian life after 12 years in the Army...

He said he understands now why some criminals return to crime. "I don't have a criminal life to fall back on," he said.