Forest Fire Management Officer's Take on Job Corps

CorDell Taylor, Forest Fire Management Officer
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests

I never knew much about the USDA Forest Service's Job Corps program until I moved to Kentucky in 2014 to serve as the Daniel Boone National Forest Fire Management Officer (FMO). While I was there, I was introduced to a group of humble and eager to learn firefighters from the Frenchburg Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center.

My interaction with each student, reconnected me to my 'why.' The passion for learning that each student demonstrated was inspiring, and over the next three years as the forest FMO, I set aside the time to attend every S-130/190 training that was held at the Frenchburg, Great Onyx, and Pine Knot Job Corps Centers—missing only one of 17 classes.

I feel that the success of the Civilian Conservation Center Fire Program is hinged on three key principles: 1) support from the center director and center staff; 2) local fire management and forest leadership engagement, and 3) encouraging and supporting Job Corps firefighting students with fire assignments as a national resource. If these principles are not present, the Job Corps Fire Program does not work.

My vision for the Job Corps Fire program that I supervise is: I want young men and women to be mentored, given the opportunity for personal growth, and for them to gain fortitude, leadership skills, and increased confidence. I want to see these young people that have the desire to become employees of the Forest Service or other land management agencies.

In my four years as a national forest FMO, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with Job Corps students from all walks of life. Some had never seen a mountain, slept in a tent, or camped. Others had never been to a city larger than their hometowns with populations of less than 300 people. I have noticed that students who are successful exhibit these values:

• Courage. They openly engage with other peers, leadership, and strangers.
• Physical toughness. Some students have never participated in a regimented physical training program until joining a firefighting crew. They learned to enjoy team physical fitness routines, much like being on a basketball, baseball, volleyball or football team.
• Teamwork. Students dispatched on fire assignments return to a center with a sense of self-worth and accomplishment as a team. They are looked up to by other students, especially the new enrollees.
• Pride and Respect. Job Corps students walk taller by becoming wildland firefighters or members of camp crews. It is noticeable and very contagious. These students start doing better in their academic studies, their vocational trades, and in their interactions.

The fundamental team and leadership characteristics start to develop within these students which fosters personal growth. This program blends natural resources and people and sparks something within students that leads them on a path toward prosperity and possibility. I proudly support the USDA Forest Service Job Corps program and I encourage others to share stewardship and partner with their staff and students.