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Michael

mt_adams_vetswork2

 

U_S__Fish__and__Wildlife_Service-logo-92523F26C5-seeklogo.com

Placement:  Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

Position:  Habitat Restoration Volunteer Coordinator

 “I am really excited about taking the experience I get from this position and carrying it over into a full-time job!”

My name is Michael Lotspeich, and I am from a small town in Oregon. I have always had a passion for the outdoors. I think it began as a child. I loved fishing, canoeing, and swimming in the creek behind my house. When I was a sophomore in high school my class was responsible for raising salmon eggs for a local Fish and Wildlife office, and even though our filter plugged, and the fish all died, I knew I wanted to work with fish. My family couldn’t afford to send me to college, so I followed my father’s advice, and joined the military. I decided that if I was only doing one term, I would challenge myself, and join the most difficult branch. So, I joined the Marine Corps. In order to receive the maximum college bonus I had to choose between only a handful of jobs. I ended up picking radio maintenance. After a year of training and schooling, I got to my first duty station in Yuma, Arizona. I spent 3 years there (including 6 months in Kuwait). After my 3 years in Arizona, I went to Okinawa, Japan for a year (including 1 month in South Korea). In Japan I was the radio maintenance chief for my battalion.

Upon completing my 5 year contract with the Marine Corps, I attended a community college near my family. I was there for 3 quarters taking basic, entry level college courses. The next couple years I attended Mt. Hood Community College. From there, I received an Associate’s degree in Fisheries Techniques. I decided I wanted to further my education, so I went to Oregon State University, and got my Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife. I have since completed 2 years of seasonal work in the Fish Biology field, working in Washington, Oregon, and California.

After finishing my 2 years of seasonal work, I decided I was tired of moving around, and wanted to try my hand at a permanent position. I proceeded to apply for positions throughout Washington, Idaho, California, and Oregon, while at the same time volunteering at a Fish and Wildlife Office near my house. I promised myself I would give it 6 months, and if I didn’t have a permanent job, I would reevaluate my goals, and whether or not I needed to go back to school. After 4 months of rejections, I started questioning if I would ever get a permanent position. After talking to several people I worked with, I found that they had been doing seasonal work for 6 – 10 years, and still hadn’t got a permanent job. It really made me question whether I should switch professions. I spent about a month thinking of what else I would want to do, but realized there was nothing else. Then I came upon the VetsWork job posting on Craigslist.

I was instantly drawn to the VetsWork job posting. Although, the position was not permanent, I did feel that the duties of this job would help strengthen my resume for future jobs. Additionally, I was informed that there may be a full-time job waiting for me after my service term. I jumped at the opportunity. The job I applied for seemed to have a wide range of new tasks that I had never performed in a natural resource field, and I was excited for the opportunity. After all, I love to learn.

I think the most exciting thing about this job, is that I get to learn more about how natural resources coincide. Additionally, I will be given the chance to restart a position that has not been filled in awhile. I like the idea of rebuilding a system from the ground up. I am also really excited about taking the experience I get from this position, and carrying it over into a permanent job. I know how hard it can be to get a permanent job, and the more experience I get, the better the chances I have of finding one.

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2 Comments

  1. David Lotspeich
    March 15, 2014 at 10:15 am /

    Hi Michael
    Greetings from another Lotspeich who loves the outdoor. Your path in recent years is inspriing, and I wish you luck in the future. I am an amateur genealogist and over the last 25 years I have amassed a database of almost 15,000 Lotspeich cousins, all of whom are descended from the original immigrant, Johann Christoph Lotspeich who came to America in 1772 and settled in eastern Tennessee. I don’t know if you have any interest in our family history, but if you do, send me an email. I would be happy to share any or all of my research with you, and I would be interested in learning about your family branch. I have quite a few Oregon cousins in my database.
    Regards
    David G. Lotspeich
    Louisville, Kentucky

  2. James G. Owens
    April 15, 2018 at 8:16 pm /

    Hi, David.

    My name is Jim Owens and I live in Topeka, KS. My ancestor is also Johann Christoph Lotspeich through my mother who was Mary Ann Lotspeich (b. 7/21/1919 in Dante, VA. and married my father Guy T. Owens (b. 7/15/1911 in Whitesburg, TN.) I am named after my maternal grandfather and paternal step grandfather whose first name was James. From what I have traced the name James comes from the thirteenth and last child of John Christopher Lotspeich (American name) and Barbara Hartley Lotspeich whose name was James Axley Lotspeich. During the 1980’s I did a fair amount of geneaological work on John Christopher and his descendents.

    There are Lotspeich(es) here in Topeka, KS and in Harrisonville, MO. who are descendents of Samuel Lotspeich who was also a son of John Christopher and Barbara Lotspeich. Someday I hope to get to doing research on my Lotspeich descendants. Fortunately, I have studied German and can read, write and speak it fairly well. I am 74 years old and I was an exchange student in the 60’s in Erlangen, Germany due north of Nuremberg, Germany. Below as you request is my contact information. Thank you for the hard work you have done in letting others know about the Lotspeich family.

    Sincerely,

    Jim,

    I also can read, write and speak okay Dutch.

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