"Previous to enlisting in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in July of 1986, I had been involved in Search & Rescue, certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and was a certified structural fire fighter. During my enlistment I served as a Seaman on the Coast Guard Cutter Sedge (180’ Buoy Tender) in Homer, AK for two years. During my time in Alaska I traveled throughout the Gulf of Alaska, Inside Passage twice, out the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and Hawaii.
In 1988 I transferred to Miami, FL to the Coast Guard Cutter Farallon (110’ patrol boat) where I served for about three months patrolling the Bahama’s and Southern Florida waters. I then transferred to Yorktown, VA for Gunners Mate School. In this training we were taught how to maintain and repair numerous small arms (Colt 1911, Beretta 9mm, M-16, Remington 870 shotgun, M-60).
After completing my training as a Gunners Mate 3rd class/E-4 I transfered to Petaluma, CA (USCG training site). I was a Military Police Officer and attended the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Basic Police Academy in Glynco, GA. I also became a firearms instructor while stationed in Petaluma.
When my enlistment ended in March 1991, I returned to the Grand Canyon in Arizona where I had worked previous to the Coast Guard and was offered my old job working as a Fire Fighter/Security. This position worked very closely with the National Park Service (NPS) law enforcement. We routinely assisted rangers in dealing with suspects, medicals, rescues and fire calls. One day, one of the law enforcement supervisors asked about my training background and then told me I should apply as a law enforcement park ranger.
I worked for the NPS at Grand Canyon South Rim for the next 11 years maintaining my LE training, EMT, firefighting and rescue training. I became a Control Tactics instructor, Taser Instructor and a Sig Armorer. I had heard about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from a ranger I had worked with at the Grand Canyon. I left the NPS in 2002 to transfer over to the BLM; I was a GS-9. My first duty station with the BLM was in Mesquite, NV as a Field Staff Ranger under the Las Vegas Field Office. My patrol area was very small by BLM standards, approx. 400,000 acres and consisted mostly of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC’s). Most of the work was monitoring archeological sites and Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use. After a couple years I became a GS-11 Field Staff Ranger and left Mesquite, NV transferring to Meeker, CO in 2007.
Transferring to Meeker was a big change for me. My patrol area now covers approx. 2.5 million acres, and I deal with issues surrounding Hunting, OHV use, Wild Horse & Burro, Camping, Dumping, etc. I would have to say that my previous time in the military definitely helped me to understand the government bureaucracy, chain of command, dealing with people of different cultures/customs, emergency situations and moving around to different places. I have enjoyed all of my jobs in some fashion, but for me the BLM has been the best fit. I enjoy having a large patrol area where there is always something new to see or do. I enjoy the higher pay grade then my counter parts in other agencies, diversity of work and job stability. I still maintain my Control Tactics instructor, Taser and have also become a Physical Fitness Coordinator (PEB)."
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