I’m a couple months into the VetsWork AmeriCorps internship and so far it has been a great experience. I began the internship in Trout Lake, WA on the Mount Adams Ranger District of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. I was there to learn and perform facilities maintenance. I was training under Austin who is a VetsWork alumnus; he is very knowledgeable and pretty much knows everything. He’s been very helpful during these first couple months. I was only in Trout Lake for a few weeks before I quickly transitioned to the Wind River district north of Carson, WA to learn the workings of the road maintenance crew. I found my home. I have been pretty much solely operating the backhoe clearing Forest Service roads of downed trees and rockslides so the public has full access to the forest. I’ve also been clearing culverts and digging ditches for water flow as well as patching holes in the dirt roads. All from the seat of the backhoe. The Wind River road crew is responsible for the southern 500,000 acres of roads on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. So we have been busy. Every person I’ve come across at both Trout Lake and Wind River has been so awesome and helpful. The old timers I work with everyday on road crew are so knowledgeable and I’ve just been taking in as much as I can. They are my people. I look forward to going to work everyday. I found my dream job. All thanks to the Mt. Adams Institute and AmeriCorps. I’m looking forward to what is to come.
