Public Lands Stewards: One Month In

by | Jun 12, 2018 | Land Stewards

It’s been roughly a month since I graduated from college and moved all the way across the United States to start working with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) through the Mt. Adams Institute’s AmeriCorps program: Public Lands Stewards! I think I can...

VetsWork GreenCorps: A Cog in the Machine

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork Fire

I’ll be honest; I didn’t have many expectations before arriving to start this program. A lot of that had to do with the fact I worked full time up until two and a half days before leaving Georgia to meet up with the crew in Trout Lake, Washington. When I applied and...

VetsWork GreenCorps: Looking for a Change

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork Fire

I decided to apply for the VetsWork GreenCorps AmeriCorps program through the Mt. Adams Institute and the Umatilla National Forest, because I was in great need of a change in my life. While I enjoyed my time in the Army, garrison life did not provide the daily sense...

VetsWork: Checking In

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork

Let me introduce myself, my name is Jeff Wohlrab. I retired from the Air Force earlier this year and started almost immediately with the Mt. Adams Institute. My new job title is a mouthful, I’m a Forestry Technician (Recreation) Intern with the VetsWork program,...

VetsWork: An Examination of Oaths and Identity

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork

I think most members of the VetsWork program, if asked about who they are, will mention their military service at least first or second as one of the core factors. Since identity is so central to how we feel about ourselves, how we spend our time, and the strategies...

VetsWork: From North to South

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork

Hi my name is Adam. I am currently doing an internship with the VetsWork AmeriCorps program through Mt. Adams Institute. I am working as a recreation technician with the Grandfather Ranger District at the Pisgah National Forest in Nebo, NC. Before I tell you what this...

VetsWork: The Natural State

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork

Hello, my name is Shawn Bailer. Ever since I was a little boy growing up in Arkansas, I knew the outdoors was where I felt at home. While I was serving my country in the United States Air Force deployed to Afghanistan and Turkey thousands of miles from home, I still...

VetsWork: A New Pair of Boots

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork

My name is Calvin, As a veteran I recognize a sense of service and dedication to a cause as a fulfillment of my personal sense of purpose. The Mt. Adam’s Institute, AmeriCorps, and the US Forest Service has facilitated my essential role as a volunteer and intern...

VetsWork: One Internship, Many Doors Opened

by | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork

I never knew how many doors could be opened from an internship. Working through the Mt. Adam’s Institute VetsWork program has been the best choice I have made since being in the Marine Corps. I am doing my internship at the Mark Twain National Forest as a Recreation...

VetsWork: One Big Family at KCD

by | May 28, 2018 | VetsWork

After serving 5 years being told NAVY stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself, I found myself scratching my head in the middle of a pasture knee deep in a liquefied mixture of manure and mud. I’m out on a farm assistance visit with my supervisor Courtney. She’s...

VetsWork: Special Uses in a Special Place

by | May 25, 2018 | VetsWork

Hello! I’m Christophor Cooksey, an AmeriCorps VetsWork special uses intern. I came from Northern California and relocated to beautiful Central Oregon at the Crescent Ranger District in Crescent, Oregon. Since starting here in February I have learned how much special...

VetsWork: Where I’m Supposed to Be

by | May 23, 2018 | VetsWork

Have you ever felt as if you were in the right place? The right time? The correct course and exactly where you’re supposed be? That’s exactly how I felt when I climbed out of my truck for the first day of my internship. Since that time its been a nonstop roller...

VetsWork: Ranging the Pacific Coast

by | May 21, 2018 | VetsWork

Since February I’ve been working hand in hand with Kraig Lindelin, who is the trails and wilderness coordinator for the Central Coast Ranger District out of Waldport, OR. We’re rangers in the Siuslaw National Forest on Oregon’s Pacific coast, covering 126 miles of...

VetsWork: Finding Fellowship With Nature

by | May 18, 2018 | VetsWork

As a veteran recently separated from active duty it has been a blessing to have found something that connects me to nature. I recently started my internship with the Hoosier National Forest (HNF) through the VetsWork AmeriCorps program as a recreation technician....