ROLLA, Mo. —The Mark Twain National Forest Veteran Crew consists of prior military service members and is based out of Cassville, Missouri. These veterans have acquired skills in their previous careers that will benefit the crew as they perform their new duties. The crew’s mission statement clearly defines its purpose:
“The Mark Twain Veteran Crew provides veterans of the US Armed Forces with the training and experience needed to obtain meaningful employment in the wildland fire service. There is no group of individuals more motivated, diverse, reliable, independent, and capable of becoming the next generation of fire leaders than the American Veteran.
The Mark Twain Veteran Crew gives the Mark Twain National Forest, USDA Forest Service, and government agencies at large the opportunity to utilize this valuable resource.”
Mark Twain Veteran Crew prepared for the season: (Left to right) Clay Gabelmann, James O’Neal, Travis Parsons, Christopher Knauf, Alexander Austin, Samuel Bowen, Jonathan Baker, Jordan Lloyd, Jessica Moon, Benjamin Holtby, and Michael Miller.
Forest Fire Staff Officer Jim Cornelius had this to say about the new crew, “We are committed to developing a professional organization and delivering on-the-ground results to help us confront the national wildfire crisis.” He added, “Establishing a military veteran fire crew here in Missouri allows us to do both at the same time, while providing an opportunity for service members to continue their work in support of the American public.”
The Mark Twain Veteran Crew also provides leadership and professional development opportunities for military veterans interested in pursuing a career with the Forest Service’s fire and fuels program. Joining the crew can lead to veterans becoming permanent employees, possibly attending the Forest Service fire apprenticeship program, and eventually moving to other locations as they advance in their careers. As crewmembers grow and move on, the crew will recruit more veterans and provide them with transitional structure and an important mission.
Mark Twain Veteran Crew at Cannon Range prescribed burn: (left to right) Alexander Austin, Clay Gabelmann, Samuel Bowen, Jonathan Baker, Jordan Lloyd, Jessica Moon, Travis Parsons, Benjamin Holtby, Michael Miller, Christopher Knauf, and James O’Neal.
This all-veteran firefighting crew is only the third such Forest Service crew to be established nationally. With Fort Leonard Wood nearby, the Mark Twain Veteran Crew will have some interesting partnership opportunities. One such project was the Cannon Range prescribed fire that was conducted on March 1. The Mark Twain Veteran Crew was on scene assisting with the project. This unique prescribed burn was implemented across the boundary of Fort Leonard Wood and Mark Twain National Forest. It will benefit wildlife, promote native seed germination, open up the Forest (making future wildland firefighting safer), and reduce wildfire starts on Fort Leonard Wood when they conduct training exercises. Helping a military base with prescribed fire operations was a rewarding opportunity for the newly formed all-veteran wildland firefighting crew.
Hiring for the six-month seasonal positions will occur annually. If you are a veteran that is interested in applying for the crew, please contact crew leader Sam Bowen at samuel.bowen@usda.gov. If you have any questions or just want to welcome the crewmembers to the area, feel free to reach out as well.