Recent comments

As a recent graduate of, and Class Leader of the 113th Class of the SRJC Rangers (the most recent class 3/07), I feel compelled to respond to the article.

While I don't know personally all of the instructors that Capt Foster refers to, I know the ones that instructed me, including Capt Foster. Captain Foster holds some of the most pertinent information and knowledge to the program, however, most, if not all of the students found his lectures dry, and almost impossible to keep up with. I know that these comments were reflected in his evaluations at the end of each topic. I'm sure that it were these evaluations as well as other information that led to his dismissal.

I actually have mixed feelings of the instruction at the academy, some of the instructors were "top notch," while others were mediocre at best. It is the responsibility of each student, at the end of each lecture on a particular topic, to evaluate and turn in
said evaluations to the director of the program, so that these staffing decisions can be made.

Having come from about 10 years experience and training in the emergency services in New York City and suburban Long Island, I found that some of the information was aimed at those with little experience in the field, while other information was conveyed with the same level of difficulty across the class. It was, at least in our class, our responsibility to make sure that each of our classmates felt comfortable with the information, prior to testing.

In response to the accusation that Director Verse only "manages the Ranger Academy program part-time," well, that is just untrue. Having been in his office to discuss class issues almost daily, I can assure you that he is not only there full time, but often more than that.

Having seen him on Sunday afternoons for firearms remediation (on a holiday weekend) with students, giving some of his lunch hour on occasions to allow Ranger Candidates into the workout room for some physical training, and being in class early on a test day, to make sure that we had (1) all of the information and (2) the tests graded and returned on the same day, usually with a review to make sure that we understood what we got right, in addition to what was marked wrong.

Santa Rosa Junior College Ranger Academy is the best academy I have ever attended. Having only ever attended one Ranger Academy, it wins by default. The Academy certainly has some staffing issues that it seems are in the process of being worked out. I will continue to recommend to people who wish to pursue a career in Park Ranger Law Enforcement, that SRJC is more than adequate.

The education is there for the students in the class. I have always believed, the education is what you make of it. You can not be taught everything from basics to advanced tactics and how to apply them, but you can only give the information to the student, teach them how to use it, and let them do with it what they will. As Dave Stolts mentioned earlier in the comments, that is what an FTO program is for. I took that education, and plan on applying it in my work for the rest of my career.

As for scenario training, I agree that it could not only use some work, but more of it, with better instructors. I'm sure that the use of force module was certainly covered in class, and candidates were aware of when to and when not to use said force.

I know that there is a constant struggle to keep the program cost efficient, as many of the students pay their own way through the program, as well as an effort to keep it time efficient, to fit in between busy seasons in the parks, so that seasonal workers (those that are not yet law enforcement) may attend with little conflict in the work schedule. This was certainly the case in my situation, where the shortest, cheapest class fit into my seasonal demands. Perhaps making the program a little longer, with a little more cost is going to be the end result.

The truth of the matter is, anyone looking to make a career of law enforcement in the park service, or with any other state or local park system, is going to get the training, no matter what they have to do.

I welcome any comments anyone may have for me, and please do not hesitate to contact me.

You are filled with way too much hate, Snowbird...it's gonna be funny to see who y'all hate next after the president returns to his beautiful ranch in Texas (which I am sure HE can't wait to do). Actually President Bush was flying the F-102 Delta Dagger with the Texas Air National Guard in a homeland defense interceptor role: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GW-Bush-in-uniform.jpg From: http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/york200408261025.asp: "During that period Bush's superiors gave him consistently high ratings as a pilot. "Lt. Bush is an exceptional fighter interceptor pilot and officer," wrote one in a 1972 evaluation. Another evaluation, in 1971, called Bush "an exceptionally fine young officer and pilot" who "continually flies intercept missions with the unit to increase his proficiency even further." And a third rating, in 1970, said Bush "clearly stands out as a top notch fighter interceptor pilot" and was also "a natural leader whom his contemporaries look to for leadership." All that flying involved quite a bit of work. "Being a pilot is more than just a monthly appearance," says Bob Harmon, a former Guard pilot who was a member of Bush's group in 1971 and 1972. "You cannot maintain your currency by doing just one drill a month. He was flying once or twice a week during that time, from May of 1971 until May of 1972." While the work was certainly not as dangerous as fighting in the jungles of Vietnam, it wasn't exactly safe, either. Harmon remembers a half-dozen Texas Air National Guard fliers who died in accidents over the years, in cluding one during the time Bush was flying. "This was not an endeavor without risk," Harmon notes."

I find myself caught in the middle of the fee dilemma. When I was about 10, my parents pulled up to the gates of Rocky Mountain National Park, then turned away when they couldn't afford the fee, opting instead for free campgrounds elsewhere. Our disappointment was huge since we'd driven 800 miles with a borrowed tent and furniture pads for sleeping bags for our first visit to the Rockies. Money was scarce -- we even ran low on food before we made it home and still have a standing family joke about cheese as a result. Fees do affect people and can deter park visits. On the other hand, friends and family members have and do work for both the park service and forest service and I see their day to day struggle to manage our precious park and forest land without adequate staffing or financial support. Idealistically, I believe all parks should be free, but until there is the public will to make that possible, I accept the need for fees.

Jon Carry...LOL...the one with the Purple Hearts for a few scratches!!

The Additon lands are to be managed with the traditional cultural uses as is the original part of the BICY this is the law and was promised o those who went to Washington to create the Preserve. The historical cultual uses including buggies ,airboats, hunting, fishing, frogging and camping was supposed to be allowed. The total impact that the traditional uses have had over the past 70 years including the faulty studies by the universitry of Georgia claims of 21,000-31,0000miles of orvs trails would still only have impacted 1/2 of 1% of the preserve. Again these figures were not truthfull the actual milage is closer to about1200- 1800 miles of trails with one group coming up with about2400 miles. No ground truthed study can come close to the University of Georgias claims used by the NPS to continue its attempt to destroy the Gladesman Folk Culture. On the Addition lands the area does not meet the criteria neccessary to qualify for a wilderness designation. Even though the NPS locked out the traditional users for the past twenty years violating the law which required them to do a study and creat an advisory board of the stakeholders in order to establish a GNP within two years of the Bill. This was not done by the NPS to try and give the Addition the appearance of being untrammeled by man even though the area has been heavily used dating back to the Seminole Indian wars. But again since the first superintendent of the BICY the NPS has intentionally tried to change the intent of the Preserve and turn it into a destination Park again violating the spirit and intent of the authors of the enabling act. Suppport the Gladesman Folk Culture they are the people who started the movemnt to save the BICY from deveolpment and were promised by law the ability to continue their traditional culture.

Jon Carry?

Shaddap Bill Wade...here is my new sled this year: http://www.brp.com/en-US/Products/SkiDoo/Showroom/MachZX.htm Dear Ricky: DUH...where do ya hold a meeting about snowmobiles?? IN SNOWMOBILE COUNTRY...YELLOWSTONE...HEEE-YAAAAAA!!!!! Where do ya wanna hold it...in New York City? How about Miami...dumba$$!!

Hey Kurt-- Would it be appropriate now to change the way we describe this phenomenon from "fee creep" to "fee surge"? That way we can tie it more closely to the kind of ineffective management that seems so common these days.

While the Skywalk is on Hualapai land, Hualapai ambitions extend beyond the reservation boundary and into Grand Canyon National Park.

The present Tribal Chair, at a public meeting held in Flagstaff Arizona this February, stated the Tribe intended to take Grand Canyon National Park to court, in order for the Tribe to expand north into land now managed by Grand Canyon National Park. Chairman Vaughn would like the Tribe to have control of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon.

The Tribes development plans at Grand Canyon West are ambitious, from a golf course and business park on the rim, to a cable car (since you mentioned the Albright-Mather discourse), and, if successful in pushing back the borders and management of Grand Canyon National Park, jet-ski and jet boat rides on the Colorado River.

We can only hope the country, while acknowledging the need for sustainable economies on our First American lands, will stand by Grand Canyon National Park and not allow our countries Parks to be physically degraded by tourism development.

On Wednesday, while at the Park headquarters, I noticed an informational handout at the information desk on the Skywalk. Yes, people are asking.

Jonathan Morrow is my brother. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers. Jonathan was an amazing person who brought joy to everyone around him. He died doing what he loved the most, and I'm sure that he wouldn't have it any other way. He accomplished so much in the short 28 years of his life. He completed the Appalachian Trail, he hiked the Continental Divide Trail, he lived in Antarctica for two six month periods, He hiked and climbed all around South America and New Zealand. He was passionate about life and he lived every day to the fullest living his dreams. Jonathan will always have a special place in the hearts of all those that knew him.

I'm sure for years to come it will be like the, "Where's the tree I can drive through?" question at SEKI.