Veterans Fire Corps--Crew Member

Veteran Fire Corps Corpsmember

Position Dates: April 16, 2018- July 27, 2018

Status:                  Seasonal, Exempt

Location:             Tucson, AZ

Compensation: $375 weekly living stipend, and AmeriCorps education award upon successful completion of term.

Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM) seeks qualified candidates for Veteran Fire Corps Corpsmember positions based out of Tucson, AZ for the 2018 season. CCNM offers opportunities for individuals to work in a crew environment on national lands throughout the southwestern United States and elsewhere.

This AmeriCorps program is designed for veterans who separated from the military at any point after September 11th, 2001 (including but not limited to OIF, OEF, ONO, OCO, and GWoT veterans) who are interested in pursuing educational and professional development in resource management, wildland firefighting and other outdoor related fields. All Applicants must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and have a DD214. Crews are generally comprised of individuals 21-37 years of age who have minimal financial and/or personal commitments.

Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), Conservation Corps New Mexico and Conservation Legacy are proud to be celebrating the 9th continuous year of operating the Veteran’s Fire Corps. The VFC aims to retrain recent era military veterans for careers in conservation, fuels management, and wildland fire-fighting. VFC programs accomplish this goal by immersing participants in a conservation crew experience. Over the course of a typical 3 – 6 month season corps members receive training in wildland firefighting, chainsaw operation and a variety of other topics. Members then go on to serve as members of a fire-fuels conservation crew, performing a variety of forestry and conservation work on Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and US Forest Service land in Arizona and New Mexico. At the conclusion of a program members are aided in the transition to federal wildland firefighting jobs.

The 2018 CCNM Veteran Fire Corps will run crews out of the Tucson office, working with the Gila National Forest and Lincoln National Forest. Crews typically work on 8-day on/6-day off schedules (Tuesday - Tuesday). During the 8-day “hitch” crews work together during the day, eat and camp together in the evening and learn together throughout. The crew member season will include one week of orientation followed by two weeks of basic firefighter training.

As an AmeriCorps member in CCNM’s VFC program, Corpsmembers will receive a weekly living stipend of $375 which is distributed bi-weekly. Upon successful completion of the program, Corpsmembers will also receive an AmeriCorps education award based on their time of service.

Qualifications:

To qualify, you must be a military veteran between the ages of 21 and 35, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award.

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements:

Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization. These requirements are written the same for all positions and therefore may not apply directly to your particular position.

Participation and Expedition Behavior:

Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.

Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training and national service. Members must commit to participating in all crew/team activities, including service days in local communities where applicable.

Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues and organization staff.

Have the cognitive ability to learn necessary skills and apply them to effectively carry out the service work requirements

Appropriately represent the Program and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners at all times.

Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of others for any reason.

Safety and Judgment:

Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. You must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.

Effectively perceive, understand and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard.

Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions

Perceive and comprehend significant and apparent hazards, including those hazards previously identified by others.

Respond appropriately to stress or crises.

If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others.

Environmental Ethics:

Learn and practice ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques

Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work skills as appropriate to the project. Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries.

Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for an uninterrupted period of up to several weeks. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly and may include severe and/or trying weather. The remoteness is such that it may require at a minimum one hour, but perhaps in excess of 12 hours, to reach the nearest advanced medical care.

Outdoor Skills and Fitness (where appropriate)

Substance Free:

In accordance to a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.