MISSOURI – Thanks to a partnership between Umatilla National Forest, Mark Twain National Forest and Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, USDA Forest Service veterans and Job Corps students are teaming up to tackle fuels projects on National Forest System lands in Missouri. This spring marks the second year of this partnership, which combines Mingo Job Corps students with more-experienced firefighters from the Umatilla Veterans Crew based out of Ukiah, Oregon. Members of the crew have provided critical support to the Mark Twain National Forest’s fire and fuels program this spring, suppressing multiple wildfires and burning over 7,000 acres across the unit so far.

While the Umatilla Veterans Crew provides an obvious resource boost to staffing these projects, it’s members also bring a less tangible benefit: wisdom. These veterans have not only served as firefighters for several years, they have also served in the military. It’s these life skills and experience that the young Job Corps students sometimes haven’t acquired.

Sam Bowen, assistant crew supervisor for the Umatilla Veterans Crew and a US Army Veteran, is impressed with what he’s seen from the students. “The Mingo Job Corps students are excited and motivated to be here and are integrating well with the vets,” Bowen said.

The Forest Service manages 24 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers nationwide. Each CCC manages a wildland fire program, where students are trained in multiple aspects of fire management, from actual firefighting, to prescribed burning, dispatching, and other logistical support. This helps prepare the students for careers in fire and natural resource management. Typically, over 1200 students are trained annually.

Mingo Job Corps student Austin McClellan also sees the benefits of this partnership. “Working beside the Umatilla Veterans Crew, it was eye opening to see how much pride they take in their work. They took time to help and mentor us and motivated us to get better at this job.”

The Umatilla Veterans Crew, through a partnership with the Mount Adams Institute, provides leadership and career development opportunities for military veterans interested in public lands and natural resource management careers.  Besides firefighting, the crew primarily works on hazardous fuels reduction and thinning projects, thus their range of experience and expertise is invaluable for teaching students.  Working together has given the veterans opportunities to learn about ecosystem restoration and fuel types, and in return the students are gaining valuable training and mentorship from the veterans.

This partnership has helped the agency hit prescribed fire and fuels management targets, and has also helped train, mentor, and develop Job Corps students to prepare them for potential careers in the US Forest Service. It has also provided training opportunities for several of the veterans to work on various training Position Task Books.