Doug Currie, Fire Operations Specialist, NE National Forest and Grasslands:
“The work provides leadership development opportunities for our firefighters and it provides some valuable work experience and life skill experience for the students that come out with the crew,” Currie said.

“We have students in our program from Burma, Thailand, Liberia, and Iraq…so we have kids from all over,” he said.

Jerome Suah, Soldier Creek Crew, Job Corps:
“I have learned a lot,” Suah said. “I learned responsibility, take care of my tools, watch out for my friend’s safety. Safety is the first thing on our crew.”

“My favorite experience is running the chainsaw safely…yep. I love that. At least I can run the chainsaw, with no accident, do my job right, that’s great,” Suah said.

Bearlodge assistant fire management officer Dennis Mauch:
“The fact that we are doing this on a place that is so sensitive to the Native peoples. I’ve learned so much. I’ve learned things from the tribes that I would never have had the opportunity to do if it wasn’t for this project. It’s been a great rounding experience, to deal with the landowners, to talk to the different tribes, to get this organized and get it going and to try and make a change out here on the ground. This has personally been a very rewarding experience,” Mauch said