by Mt. Adams Institute | Sep 30, 2020 | VetsWork
When I applied to the VetsWork internship I had just finished my bachelor’s degree in exercise science and an internship with a college football team. The job market in that field is very limited in my hometown so I began stressing over what I was going to do. After...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jun 8, 2020 | VetsWork
I grew up in a very rural part of eastern Texas. Every day for me growing up was in the woods, sometimes hunting or fishing with my dad. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to work for an organization like the Forest Service, originally as a game warden. A year...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jun 8, 2020 | VetsWork
I grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Amherst County, Virginia. I enjoy snowboarding, surfing hiking, kayaking, archery, shooting, and climbing. I served one tour in the Army, where I was wounded during combat in Afghanistan. During my recovery I explored the world...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Aug 6, 2019 | VetsWork
There are a few easy ways for an outsider to know when spring has begun in Rockbridge County. The turkeys are out, as are the soon to be hunters, Morel mushrooms will begin to appear around the poplar trees, and country roads will become clogged with trout...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 23, 2019 | VetsWork
Nestled in the Eastern slopes of the Allegheny Mountains, the Warm Springs/ James River Ranger District on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests experiences spring in spectacular fashion. I arrived in Bath County in early March. On my first day, my...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Nov 14, 2018 | VetsWork
My name is Matthew Blees. I grew up in a small town of rural Pennsylvania. I have always loved hiking, fishing and anything that would bring me outdoors. I’m retired from the United States Navy. I started college working towards a computer science degree, and was...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Oct 1, 2018 | VetsWork
During my first year of VetsWork, I was mostly getting introduced to fieldwork, having been a visitor assistant for the U.S. Forest Service previously. I gained a solid base skill set for continued work in natural resource management. At the end of that term, I was...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Sep 6, 2018 | VetsWork
I’ve been working at the Eastern Divide Ranger District since early March, and I’ve seen and done a lot of really cool things. Hiking the Cascades Recreation Area, supporting a prescribed burn, and getting to shock and tag eels in a creek are some of my personal...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jun 11, 2018 | VetsWork
Matt is serving an 11-month AmeriCorps internship through our VetsWork program based out of Hot Springs, VA. Matt made the following video blog to highlight his experiences thus far!
by Mt. Adams Institute | May 10, 2018 | VetsWork
Service. A substantial word with different interpretations for different people. For the longest time, I thought that service meant the service. I joined the Army when I was barely 18, because I, like millions of other kids, had seen the Twin Towers fall, what evil...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Feb 19, 2018 | VetsWork
The VetsWork program of the Mt. Adams Institute gave me access to several different experiences that I would not have had otherwise. I am very thankful for these opportunities and I can’t express how much they have impacted my future career choices. One of the...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Nov 29, 2017 | VetsWork
In our journey as public land caretakers, it’s easy to get attached to specific areas, as so much of our national forests are beautiful and unique. However, one area in particular that I think deserves more attention than it gets is the Eastern National Children’s...
