Seasonal Park Ranger Application Time Nears

January will begin the annual job announcement and application process for those wishing to become Seasonal Park Rangers this coming summer.  Those interested in the opportunity to work in our National Parks can find out about available park ranger positions by going to the Office Of Personnel Management website at:

www.opm.gov

Once there go to USAJobs and conduct a search for “Park Ranger” or “National Park Service.”  There you will find listed all the jobs open within the National Park Service.

You can learn more about starting out as a Park Ranger by going to the search window to your right on this blog and typing in “jobs.”  This will take you to four previous posting I have written to answer often asked questions about how to become a park ranger.

When looking for your first seasonal park ranger job I recommend applying to multiple locations.  Do not overlook smaller less known areas and urban parks.  Many full time rangers in the service today initially got their permanent status in urban parks such as Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York, The Westward Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, and the Mall in Washington, DC.

Many seasonal park rangers are college students, teachers, or those looking to start a second career.

Most park rangers start out in seasonal or temporary positions.  I started as a seasonal park aid at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrive in 1975.  Here are a few photos from my first jobs.

Book Signing Event

Tanglewood Barnes and Noble Book Store

Roanoke, Virginia

Saturday December 4, 2010

1 pm

Retired National Park Ranger and author Bruce W. Bytnar will be at The Tanglewood Barnes and Noble in Roanoke, Virginia to personalize and sign copies of his book A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks.

Read this book to learn what it is like to be a National Park Ranger, what threats are faced daily by visitors and resources in our parks, what you can do to help protect our parks, and make your next visit a safe one.

A Park Ranger's Life has been adopted as required reading at Northern Arizona University, Ohio State, and Slippery Rock University for those students studying to become park rangers.  Many other colleges are listing the book as recommended reading for students.  These academic institutions have selected this book based on the entertaining, accurate, and honest depiction of the rewards, challenges, and frustrations of a career as a National Park Ranger.

Shooter Is Still Being Sought In Utah

The man accused and now charged with shooting Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young is still at large.  Ground searches are being once again scaled back as no clues or sign of Lance Leeroy Arellano have been found.  The media coverage of the investigation has also become scant.  Here is the latest from the Denver Post.com.

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_16725657

"A Park Ranger's Life" Interview on Examiner.Com

Richard Sincere a journalist who interviewed me while attending an author's event in Charlottesville, Virginia has written an article on Examiner.Com.

You can check it out at the link below:

http://www.examiner.com/libertarian-in-charlottesville/virginia-author-bruce-bytnar-describes-the-life-of-a-park-ranger?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4ce89036d4e8e7a4,0

Update On Search For Shooting Suspect In Utah

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AM5IC20101123

Latest Update On Search for Shooter of Utah Park Ranger

Searchers are still covering the rugged Utah terrain looking for the suspect in the shooting of Park Ranger Brody Young.  A photo of the suspect has been released.

Lance Leeroy Arellano, as seen in a 2008 photo. A search resumed Monday in rugged terrain near Moab, Utah for Arellano, 40, sought in the Friday shooting of Utah park ranger Brody Young.

Grand County, Utah, Sheriffs Office/AP




http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20101122/NEWS/101129969/1077&ParentProfile=1058

Dangers of Working As a Park Ranger

Below you will note two incidents where state park rangers were involved in shootings this weekend.  One in Tennessee and the other in Utah that has left Brody Young fighting for his life in a hospital after being shot three times.  Both incidents occurred during a car stop situation for most likely some type of minor violation.  Going back more than thirty five years I remember during my earliest National Park Service law enforcement training that the most dangerous situations that officers could face were vehicle stops and domestic disputes.  During my career I found this information to be true and these two incidents once again confirm that conclusion.

Academic studies and analysis of data have shown that National Park Rangers are the most likely to be physically assaulted of all Federal law enforcement personnel.  Exposure during vehicle stop situations when park rangers have no idea who they are dealing with contributes to the increased potential for violent attacks.  In comparison, most Federal law enforcement officers and agents do not regularly make vehicle stops unless they are planned well in advance following an investigation and with adequate resources available not alone in a remote area with no backup within quick response.

No matter what agency a park ranger works for, they face many of the same threats and dangers on the job.  These two recent events testify to that fact.

Park rangers provide what is referred to as “full service” law enforcement services.  That means that they respond initially to any violations and crimes that occur within their area of jurisdiction.  They are much like most state and local law enforcement officers in this regard.

Park rangers generally work in areas that are remote and unpopulated and therefore do not have many other law enforcement officers in the immediate area.  Consequently, assistance in the form of backup when a situation goes bad is most likely not near at hand.  Criminals are aware of this and may be more embolden to physically challenge park rangers.

FBI studies have shown that a significant number of law enforcement officers that are shot in the line of duty were known by the public as friendly and helpful persons.  These words can be used to describe most park rangers.  Once again a criminal that is either desperate or under the influence of drugs or alcohol may feel over confident that they can come out on top in a physical confrontation.

This may be simplistic and many more factors have to be considered in each situation a law enforcement officer faces, but these are some of basic challenges faced by park rangers each day they put on their uniform.

For now let us all remember Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young in our thoughts and prayers that he will soon return to his family and the outdoors he loves.

Black Friday

Author Signing Event

Books and Company

Nelson Street

Lexington, Virginia

Friday November 26

12 Noon

Retired National Park Ranger and author Bruce W. Bytnar will be at Books and Company to personalize and sign copies of his book A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks.

Read this book to learn what it is like to be a National Park Ranger, what threats are faced daily by visitors and resources in our parks. and what you can do to help protect our parks and make your next visit a safe one.

A Park Ranger's Life has been adopted as required reading at Northern Arizona University, Ohio State, and Slippery Rock University for those students studying to become park rangers.  Many other colleges are listing the book as recommended reading for students.  These academic institutions have selected this book based on the entertaining, accurate, and honest depiction of the rewards, challenges, and frustrations of a career as a National Park Ranger.

For more information:

www.aparkrangerslife.blogspot.com

www.aparkrangerslifethebook.com

Update On Shooting Of Utah State Park Ranger

According to the National Park Service's Washington Office, Park Rangers from Canyonlands and Arches National Parks are participating in the search for a suspect who shot Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young.  They are searching for a suspect believed to be wounded in the shoot out with Young.

A person of interest has been named in the investigation.  According to 13 Action News from Las Vegas:

Lance Leeroy Arellano, 40, was identified as "possibly being involved in the shooting" of Brody Young outside of Moab, the Grand County Sheriff's Department said in a statement late Sunday night. 


Brody Young remains hospitalized in stable condition.


For more news coverage go to: 


http://www.ktnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13546962

From the National Park Service Morning Report for November 22:

Canyonlands NP
Major Search In Progress For Man Who Shot State Ranger

Rangers from Canyonlands NP and Arches NP are involved in the massive
search for the man who shot Utah state park ranger Brody Young on Friday
evening. Young, 34, stopped a Pontiac Grand Am at the Poison Spider Mesa
trailhead in Dead Horse Point State Park, located near Canyonlands, and
contacted the driver, believed to be 40-year-old Lance Leeroy Arellano, a
man with a criminal history that includes assault, drug possession and
theft. Young was shot at least three times – in the arm, leg and stomach –
but was able to radio for help. He is currently hospitalized and in
critical condition. The shooter is believed to still be in the area and is
the subject of a search that at last report involved 234 people from 28
agencies. NPS rangers are assisting in confining the area and in searching
stretches along the Colorado River. For additional details, click on the
link below to a current KSL News story that also has images of the ranger
and the suspect. [KSL News report; Denny Ziemann, Chief Ranger]
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13361285

Tennessee State Park Ranger Shot At During Attempted Vehicle Stop

It was reported on November 20 that a Tennessee State Park Ranger was shot at by a suspect when he attempted to pull him over for a vehicle stop.  This occurred at Cedars of Lebanon State Park in Wilson County.

For more information go to:

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=13543285

This incident along with the shooting of Utah State Park Ranger Brody Young exemplify the dangers faced everyday by park rangers no matter what agency they work for.

You can learn more about what it is like to be a ranger in the book A Park Ranger's Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks.  It is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble .com.  You can also ask for it at your local book store.  Stories in the book will inform you of the dangers faced by our modern day protectors of our nations heritage.