by Mt. Adams Institute | Aug 6, 2018 | VetsWork
Alright, so the last time you guys heard from me I was battling snow for the first time which was no cake walk. Now I long for the days of cold and white while I bake in the sun soaked oven that Hells Canyon turns into during summer. Temperatures have jumped to 105...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 26, 2018 | VetsWork
Hey everyone, Brandon Mersich here with my 2nd blog update on the Malheur National Forest’s recreation position. The past couple of months have been super busy and full of training, see the list of all my training below if you want an idea of what you could also get...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 26, 2018 | VetsWork
Like most of us who accepted internships through the VetsWork AmeriCorps program, I was a bit nervous as to what I was getting myself into. Now that I am five months in at the King Conservation District (KCD), I can say with confidence this was one of the best...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 26, 2018 | VetsWork Fire
We are several weeks into the program so far; we have all been through most of the trainings and certifications now. We are all certified on chainsaws and have been working hard on the thinning unit honing in our skills with the saw. Last week we went to Fire School,...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 26, 2018 | VetsWork Fire
Before I arrived to participate with the Mt. Adams Institute’s VetsWork GreenCorps program I expected to be challenged physically and to learn about wildland firefighting. Other than that I did not know what else to expect. Within the first three weeks we have done...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 26, 2018 | VetsWork Fire
“I need you to break off and handle that spot fire!” my squad leader yelled back at me from beyond the trees ahead. I had only been digging a line to contain the main fire for 15 minutes, but I was already soaked in sweat from chopping through the dense...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 26, 2018 | VetsWork Fire
The time has flown by incredibly fast. What has seemed like only a few weeks has turned into a few months, and the end of the program and the beginning of our time as official Forest Service employees is rapidly approaching. We have had more hours than I can count of...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jul 24, 2018 | VetsWork Fire
My day working with the Umatilla Vet crew starts the same everyday with some form of physical training (PT). Most days we thin heavily forested areas to reduce the potential for wildfires. We have completed over 8 acres so far. That’s pretty much our normal routine:...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork
Hi my name is Jessi and I currently work on the Mark Twain National Forest at the Supervisor’s Office in Rolla, Missouri. My primary duty in the VetsWork program is to assist with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Until I am able to complete GIS training, I was...
by Mt. Adams Institute | Jun 12, 2018 | VetsWork
Over the past couple of months I have been introduced to several different opportunities. I have marked timber, evaluated roads, monitored archaeological sites, helped with recreation on the remodel of a bathhouse, and assisted with two comparison cruises on timber...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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,...
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 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
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 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...
by Mt. Adams Institute | 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...
