Park News October 31,2008

Blue Ridge Parkway

On Sunday, October 19th, rangers from the Highlands District and Alleghany County Sheriff's Department deputies conducted a motorcycle checkpoint in the park. This was another in a series of educational and enforcement activities designed to reduce motor vehicle accidents on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The checkpoint focused on providing a positive safety message, along with printed materials and "Enjoy the View, Watch the Road" key chains. Just over 100 motorcycles came through the checkpoint, which lasted for two-and-a-half hours. Some violations were detected, including seven license and registration infractions, one weapons violation, one arrest for felony level cocaine possession, and eleven motorcycle helmet safety violations. Outreach in the community was conducted prior to the operation and the majority of riders voiced support for it.  This operation built on the success of a similar USPP checkpoint conducted by District 2 Station in Washington. USPP Lt. Art Jacobsen provide valuable assistance in the planning of the operation. Ranger Bruce Gagnon was the operations section chief.

 

Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Ozark National Scenic Riverways is seeking candidates for a GL-9 protection ranger position. The ranger selected will work in the Round Spring area, located near Eminence, Missouri.  This position is being announced to merit promotion candidates (OZAR-MPP-09-02) and to all qualified candidates (OZAR-DEU-09-02). The link below is to the former.  The park contact for this vacancy is Leslie Richardson, Human Resources Assistant, 404 Watercress Drive, PO Box 490, Van Buren, Missouri  63965 (573-323-4236 ext. 234).



 More Information...

 

Saguaro National Park

This announcement is being re-issued. Applications must be received by November 10th. If you already applied to this announcement, you do not need to reapply.

The park is seeking qualified candidates for a lateral transfer to a GL-0025-9 commissioned law enforcement ranger position.  The ranger in this position is responsible for diverse visitor and resource protection duties in the Tucson Mountain District (West) of Saguaro National Park and works independently in an area of concurrent jurisdiction, where criminal offenses at felony and misdemeanor level are frequent. He/she will conduct investigations and perform frontcountry, backcountry and boundary patrols via vehicle and foot, and will perform resource protection, emergency medical services, search and rescue, and wildland fire duties. A Level 1 commission is required, and candidates must submit to a drug test. A negative result is required for appointment to this position.

Saguaro National Park is located adjacent to Tucson, Arizona.  The Tucson area has a rich cultural heritage and unique blend of Native American, Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American influences.  The Sonoran Desert is blessed with an unsurpassed climate, with 360 sunny days a year.  Summertime high temperatures can often be in the mid 90’s to low 100’s.  The wintertime temperatures are mild and comfortable.  The Tucson metropolitan area is rapidly approaching one million citizens - services are plentiful, and readily available.  Abundant and outstanding educational and recreational opportunities exist in the area.  Occupancy of government housing is required.

If interested, please submit the following items:

• 
  OF-612, Optional Application for Federal Employment; Resume; or SF-171, Application for Federal Employment – Please include all experience, training, and/or education related to the position duties.


• 
  Copy of your latest SF-50 that indicates your current title, series, grade, and step.


• 
  OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment.


• 
  Copy of your latest performance appraisal

Applications must be received by November 10th. Submit your application package to National Park Service, Southern Arizona Office, 2120 N. Central Ave., Suite 120, Phoenix, AZ  85004-1455, Attn: Sarah Vega

For additional information about the position, contact district ranger Robert E. Stinson at (520) 733-5116.

 

Washington Office

The Operations Division in the Washington Office is seeking a goal-oriented and self-motivated individual to perform recruitment and placement human resources duties. The announcement closes on November 7th.  For a copy of the announcement, including a detailed job description and application procedures, please click on “More Information” below.



 More Information...

 

Washington Office

The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity has an opening for a GS-11/12 EEO specialist. They’re seeking a dynamic, goal-oriented person who will ensure that Federal laws, Executive Orders, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) directives and regulations, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations, and Department of the Interior directives, policies and requirements relating to equal opportunity for employees and applicants are implemented. The announcement closes November 28th.  For a copy of the announcement, including a detailed job description and application procedures, please click on “More Information” below.



 More Information...

 

Washington Office

The National Park Service will be hiring an accessibility program specialist who will be charged with developing initiatives, programs, policies, standards, and guidelines pertaining to the accessibility, use, and enjoyment of national park areas, facilities, services, and programs by people with disabilities and the elderly. The announcement closes November 13th.  For a copy of the announcement, including a detailed job description and application procedures, please click on “More Information” below.



 More Information...

 

Intermountain Region

Chuck Hunt, superintendent of Fort Davis National Historic Site, has accepted a position with the American Battle Monuments Commission as director of visitor services at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial at Colleville-sur-Mer in northern France. He will assume his new position in January. 

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with the National Park Service and view this as a great opportunity to acquire resource management experience in an international setting,” said Hunt. “Like the Park Service, the American Battle Monument Commission plays a critical role in commemorating and protecting a very important part of our nation’s heritage.”

The commission, established by Congress in 1923, honors the service, achievements and sacrifice of members of the United States’ Armed Forces at America’s overseas cemeteries and memorials.

The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial is the commission’s most-visited site, with about a million visitors a year.  The cemetery’s $30 million visitor center was dedicated on June 6, 2007, during the observance of the 63rd anniversary of the D-Day invasion of World War II.

During Hunt’s tenure as superintendent, Fort Davis emphasized the critical civil rights story of black soldiers on the frontier after the Civil War. The majority of the soldiers who served at Fort Davis after the Civil War were African-American. Many of them were recently emancipated slaves.

The transformation of slave to soldier to citizen was a critical milestone in the pursuit of citizenship for African-Americans. It is an emerging part of the national significance of the story of the "Buffalo Soldiers" and the importance of Fort Davis. To honor this legacy, the park will host an “electronic field trip” about the Buffalo Soldiers in February. The historic site also is under consideration as an African-American Experience Fund site by the National Park Foundation. If selected, Fort Davis will be the first national park site in the western United States so honored.

Hunt also made progress during his tenure at Fort Davis in protecting historic scenery west of the fort, restoring the Post Hospital and redesigning the visitor center’s exhibits.

Before joining NPS in 2000, Hunt worked for the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, the Departments of Interior and Commerce, the Environmental Protection Agency, Texas A&M Sea Grant, and the National Association of Counties. He also served a one-year appointment as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico. Hunt began his federal government career in 1989 as a Presidential Management Intern after earning his master’s degree in public administration at Texas A&M University.

“I want to congratulate Chuck on being selected as visitor services director at the Normandy cemetery and memorial," said Mike Snyder, regional director for Intermountain Region. "I wish him well and extend my thanks for his contributions to the Park Service and his service to the American people.”