9/3/2015 Grizzly Bear Update

Box Elder Job Corps crew from South Dakota is a diverse group of enthusiastic students applying newly-learned job skills by setting up spike and satellite camps at the Grizzly Bear Complex Fire

Dayton, Wash. – All of the members of the camp crew working at the Grizzly Bear Complex Fire satellite Incident Command Post (ICP) have had an experience of a life time. 

For the last week the nine young men, with their leader and teacher Chad Bentz, have worked diligently to keep the Grizzly Bear Complex spike camp located at Bluewood Ski area running smoothly. They are students enrolled in the Box Elder Job Corps program in Nemo, South Dakota, that is designed to give participants meaningful work experiences to prepare them for careers when they leave. 

Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people between the ages of 16 and 25 learn a career, earn a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma (GED), and find and keep a good job. “Our goal is to make sure that when these kids graduate from Job Corps they have a plan to transition into a job,” Bentz said. 

The camp crew is based out of South Dakota, but many members are from other countries, including Congo, Somalia, and Iraq.

The crew members are learning a variety of trades at Job Corps, from nursing, carpentry, culinary arts, and welding to firefighting. Rendyn Youngman, age 22, is earning a certificate in facilities maintenance. He said he loves the variety of experience he’s been able to get, and he enjoys the team atmosphere.   The group has been traveling throughout the West and working on fires for the past three weeks.  They have been to Baker City and Elgin, Ore., setting up fire camps before they set up the Bluewood spike and Dayton satellite ICP camps.

Several of the students recently arrived in the United States.  Ahmed Hussein, age 22, who immigrated to the United States from Iraq, and Ahmed Daud, age 22, from Sudan, have been in the country a little over a year. Both men are working toward a career in the military. Mugisha Byringiro, age 19, who emigrated from the Congo a year ago, plans to work in residential carpentry anywhere that he can get a job.  Mustafe Ibrahim, age 24, who was born in Somalia, and Jose deLoera-Bauer, age 17, who grew up in Hill City, South Dakota, are working toward welding certificates and a career in welding.  Zach Dysinger, age 20, grew up in Casper, Wyoming, is completing high school and plans on pursuing a career with the Forest Service after having this experience.

Bentz, who is a teacher and trainer with Job Corp, said, “With this assignment, the crew has learned to work as a team, in addition to watching others working together.  It has given them valuable real world experience that you can’t substitute with a class room.”

“Working these long days has shown them just how much can get done with a team, and there will be a reward in their bank accounts at the end of the time here,” Bentz said.  “Right now, at the camp, they see the reward of a job well done,” he added.

Bentz is looking forward to his return home in South Dakota, where he will be getting married in two weeks to Laura Thunker, who is a nurse at Box Elder Job Corps.   As temperatures have become cooler, the crews received donated beanies (see photos) as a gesture of support from the community.  The beanies were donated by The Total Basket Case shop in Walla Walla, Wash.

	Box Elder Job Corps crew at Bluewood Ski area camp.