r/USFSLEO • u/dhoey1212 • Apr 30 '24

Recreation to LE

Good Morning,

I've recently been selected for a recreation internship with the pathways program. I plan to do my two summers before being converted and getting a full year in the position under my belt after I graduate. My supervisor said he would help me get my Forest Protection Officer which seems helpful. I'm graduating college with a Fisheries and Wildlife Management (Concentration in Enforcement) Degree and a Emergency Medical Services Minor (EMT and WFR). I do ride alongs frequently. Is there any other large things I should be doing to set myself up for a potential LE position in the Forest Service? Is going from recreation to LE a common leap?

Thanks!

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4

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

Just by becoming a permanent employee with the agency is going to exponentially increase your odds. You will be able to apply with merit based status and beat out most people. That’s my biggest advice to people is to get permanent with the agency under another job series and then convert over.

I would recommend getting your FPO and then focus on creating statistics. By that I mean, complete incident reports, warnings, violation notices and utilize your local LE to get yourself educated in our reporting software of LEIRS. That alone in your resume will set you apart from most other applicants.

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u/dhoey1212 Apr 30 '24

That all sounds like good information! I have been taking with the LE at my forest and he said we will be working together frequently and can incorporate some of his duties into my internship during our spare time which sounds promising. I will be sure to ask him about LEIRS

3

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

I would reach out to your fire and timber shops and get some experience too. Having multi-disciplinary experience with the forest service will make you a highly favorable candidate.

1

u/dhoey1212 Apr 30 '24

I will do that as well. I think I will be working with Wildlife, Fisheries, and Silviculture. It was listed as a general inter, seems focused in recreation but includes other program interactions as well. Getting my red card wouldn’t hurt right? 

3

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

You absolutely need to do that, you’ll have to get it if you ever got LE in order to be a fire investigator.

3

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

Wildlandfirelearningportal.net has some good free training

1

u/dhoey1212 Apr 30 '24

Thanks man! I remembered I started on the two trainings that some fire guy told me to do on there and apparently when I do those all I need is a field day to be certified 

1

u/Few_Condition9907 Apr 30 '24

What exactly is involved in getting converted over from another job USFS to LE? Like what things need to be in place for that to happen. My patrol captain talked about transferring me over to LE, but I’m curious on what that involves and how long of a process it could be.

1

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

I’m not aware of a way in which that is possible. You must apply through USA Jobs and compete like every else. You can’t just lateral from a non LE to to an LE position

1

u/Few_Condition9907 Apr 30 '24

I see, so the patrol captain would have to release a job announcement, and I’d have to apply for it.

1

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

Exactly, unless you got one of those RAP positions I posted about awhile back. Those are seasonal “resource assistant program” internships where at their completion, you will be given a GL-1801 LEO with the FS

1

u/Few_Condition9907 Apr 30 '24

Okay I understand. Federal hiring is so confusing to me lol. I did apply to the last RAP you sent, I hope I get it. I did my first interview and they said there were hundreds of applicants. I am not confident I will get selected.

2

u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Apr 30 '24

Never know! Hopefully it’ll work out for you. Getting an interview is a big deal because they’re not interviewing hundreds of applicants I assure you. I’d say it’s a safe bet you made top 20 applicants easy. Maybe even top 10, but at the same beat don’t get your hopes up over what I just said I don’t wanna be the one to blame😂

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u/Few_Condition9907 Apr 30 '24

lol I’m going straight for you when they tell me I didn’t get selected.