Since leaving the Army in 1996, John Smith has led a troubled life marked by stints in jail. Smith, 55, who moved into a new veterans-only housing unit at the Jefferson County Detention Facility on Nov. 6, is hoping that the time he spends surrounded by fellow vets will help him break the cycle of incarceration. “We have all been disciplined at one time in our lives, and I think it will be good to regain that discipline by being around other vets who support each other,” Smith said. Smith, who served in the military for 16 years, declined to discuss the incidents that led to his jail time. He is one of 32 vets who will live together in the housing unit, which officially opened Friday.