by mtadams | Aug 11, 2021 | Lands Stewards, Mountain Talk
The Umatilla National Forest (UNF) recently restricted access to the public due to unfavorable fire conditions. The unprecedented heatwave that washed over the Pacific Northwest in June set record-breaking high temperatures causing fire season to come early. Until the...
by mtadams | Oct 6, 2020 | VetsWork
Think of your favorite movie, or just a scene or quotable line from a movie. Now, try to conjure up a monetary figure for the overall cost of producing that movie. Don’t forget about the make-up artists, construction workers creating sets, and the person that cleans...
by mtadams | Sep 4, 2020 | VetsWork
Like many other organizations and operations, we were put on halt mid-March from doing any field work, engaging with the public and various other operations. We were put on telework orders and given new instructions what seemed like daily. There was a lot of waiting...
by mtadams | Jun 9, 2020 | VetsWork
I grew up in Brownsville, Texas and spent my summers on the family farm in Zacatecas, Mexico. I sincerely love hiking in the outdoors and have lost count of how many so called mountains I’ve climbed. They’ve been mostly smaller type hills like Mt. Diablo...
by mtadams | Jun 8, 2020 | VetsWork
I was raised on a small farm in Mount Vernon, KY where I was one of 18 siblings. We raised cows, horses, pigs, chickens, and had a big vegetable garden. I grew up pretty poor but very proud and was taught the value of hard work, dedication, commitment, honesty, and...
by mtadams | 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 mtadams | Jun 8, 2020 | VetsWork
Growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania instilled in me a strong respect and understanding of the importance of taking care of the land. That respect and love for natural things grew when I moved to California at the age of 18 to become an adventure guide. I took groups...
by mtadams | Aug 6, 2019 | VetsWork
I’ve been working for about two months now and have yet to find an aspect of this job that I have not liked. I wanted to be outdoors, learning about wildlife and getting familiar with the local forest. I have been thrilled with the work I have been doing so far and my...
by mtadams | Jul 23, 2019 | VetsWork
My first six weeks as an Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) VetsWork intern have been AWESOME! I have been taught more new skills than I can think of. Here’s a short list of the top few I have enjoyed the most: bucking and basic chainsaw training, using a gas drill,...
by mtadams | Jul 22, 2019 | VetsWork
I met Staff Sergeant Robert Paul in the cab of a dusty 998 model Humvee near Baghdad, Iraq in 2004. I had just joined up with a new forward operating civil affairs team as a driver and a gunner. It was March 3…it was 98 degrees; Ramadan had ended the month prior and...
by mtadams | Jun 20, 2019 | VetsWork
Hello world, I am serving as a recreation intern based at the Glacier Ranger District in Girdwood, Alaska for the U.S. Forest Service on the Chugach National Forest. Finding this position came at the perfect time in my life and I am so ecstatic to be here! I...
by mtadams | 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 mtadams | 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...
