VetsWork Environment Interns
Meet a few of our interns. Hover over their photo to learn fun facts and maybe a bit of history you’ll recognize.
Melissa Gattrell
Military Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Position: Recreation & Environmental Education Intern
Service Site: Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area
"I'm excited about how this internship will open doors for me into a career in the Forest Service."
Patrick Ford
Military Branch: Air Force
Position: Volunteer Coordinator
Service Site: Sumter National Forest
"When I was growing up, I spent a lot of my time exploring the woods with my dogs. I always wanted to see what new animal I would stumble across that day."
Anthony Wallace
Military Branch: Army
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: National Forests of Mississippi
"I'm excited to learn new skills and gain new experiences from this opportunity."
Caleb Keenan
Military Branch: Army
Position: Forestry Technician
Service Site: Sumter National Forest
"I love the outdoors and grew up going to the Sumter National Forest. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to serve on the Sumter."
Victor Pinero
Military Branch: US Marines Corps
Position: Recreation Management Technician
Service Site: El Yunque National Forest
"I am looking forward to becoming an interpreter for our beloved rain forest and take care of it. To welcome visitors and show them all the things one can learn and enjoy when connecting with nature."
Jason Holifield
Military Branch: Army
Position: Land Surveyor Assistant
Service Site: National Forests of North Carolina
"I hope to draw inspiration and ideas from this internship that I plan to use as a stepping stone to a fulfilling career in forestry!"
Ben Ives
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Habitat Enhancement Intern (Wildlife)
Service Site: Malheur National Forest
"I want to learn new ways to save natural resources and be a better steward of the environment."
Tyler Daugherty
Military Branch: Air Force
Position: Forestry Technician
Service Site: National Forests of Alabama
"I also have a son named Cruz. I love being able to teach him about the outdoors and include him in my adventures."
Dalton Bundy
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: Daniel Boone National Forest
"I believe this internship provides a massive opportunity for veterans to network with employers in their field."
Yuri Gerber
Military Branch: Army
Position: Civil Engineering Technician
Service Site: Ouachita National Forest
"I am hopeful that this will turn into a career path and allow me to fulfill my desire to work in the outdoors while at the same time helping to keep our national resources in great shape to be shared for generations to come."
Paul Word
Military Branch: Army
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
"I want to go back to school to combine environmental science or forest management. This opportunity would leave me equipped to care for the forest and educate others on nature's joys."
William Maness
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Conservation Assistant
Service Site: Umatilla National Forest
"I am most excited about working and learning from individuals who share the same love of the environment as me."
Ryan Toth
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Maintenance Worker
Service Site: Columbia Gorge National Fish Hatchery - Spring Creek
"I look forward to the chance to support the Columbia Gorge National Fish Hatcheries' mission through facility maintenance."
Amanda Williams
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: Chugach National Forest
"I have been all over the planet, and am thrilled for this next great adventure in Alaska."
Chris Sutherland
Military Branch: US Marine Corps
Position: Field Technician
Service Site: Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
"I'm hoping to gain new skills in wetland delineation and habitat restoration."
Julian Rodriguez
Military Branch: Army
Position: Wilderness Recreation Technician
Service Site: Tongass National Forest
"My love for the outdoors emerged in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoy a tough hike that leads to a scenic view."
Mason Boomgarden
Military Branch: Army National Guard
Position: SEAK Discovery Center
Service Site: Tongass National Forest
"I am looking forward to living in Alaska and being so close to that much wild space. "
Samantha Curtis
Military Branch: US Marine Corps
Position: Recreation Technician
Service Site: Tongass National Forest
"What excited me the most about this program is that I get to help others while I enjoy nature."
Sarah Russo
Military Branch: Navy
Position: Field Technician
Service Site: Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
"I am excited to see the tools and principles I learned in school put to work in the real world and to expand my knowledge and skills."
Roman Miles
Military Branch: Army
Position: Fleet Management
Service Site: Chugach National Forest
"I am starting another chapter in my life with a matching new adventure and eventually, a new career in forest management and preservation. Mother Nature needs all the protection she can get."
Dan Hofmann
Military Branch: US Marine Corps
Position: Restoration, Education, and Community
Service Site: Tillamook Estuaries Partnership
"I want to get some hands-on experience working outdoors, and I hope to make contacts in the ecological field."