My name is Aaron. I’m a married father of 5 wonderful children. My wife and I both brought children from previous marriages and somehow managed to create one little one ourselves. They range in age from 2 to 13 so the house is always a circus. I was born in Portland but grew up in Vancouver, WA. I served nearly 5 years of active duty with the US Army stationed in Fairbanks, AK. I spent a year in Afghanistan. I moved back home to be closer to the small amount of family I have. I had started pursuing a degree in environmental sciences before my first daughter was born and had to go to work. I really enjoy backpacking and dispersed camping as deep in the woods and mountains as I can get.
I had never heard of either the Mt. Adams Institute or AmeriCorps before I saw the listing on Indeed. I had been looking to get out of trucking and do something more fulfilling to my soul. I had always wanted to have a career in the forests but had essentially given up on the dream. I was extremely excited when I read the posting and decided to throw my hat in the ring. I had never expected to actually get it but now that I have I plan on getting everything it’s worth. I hope to be offered a permanent position within the Gifford Pinchot regardless of the compensation. What excites me is to be able to develop career goals and be able to go back to school part-time to further my career. I look forward to all my potential opportunities and relationships within the institute and AmeriCorps.