The National Parks' Veterans Ambassador
The National Parks Conservation Association has been around for 104 years, but its veterans outreach program has only existed for two.
After a successful pilot phase 2016-2021, the organization decided to make a full-time investment in uniting veterans with the national parks, and Jimi Shaughnessy was hired as NPCA’s first veterans outreach program manager. Shaughnessy, 38, served in the U.S. Marine Corps 2003-2007, where he attained the rank of sergeant.
Veterans outreach isn’t a job title most people would automatically connect with an organization dedicated to conservation in the national parks. How are those two missions related?
Veterans and national parks share a very long history. Some of our first national parks were established by use of the military. Veterans have a very special relationship with the national parks, whether it’s at Gettysburg, the site of one of the most consequential battles in our history, or Yosemite, where Buffalo Soldiers served as some of the park’s first rangers. All of our parks reflect the American values and ideals that veterans themselves also identify with, but also importantly that they fought to protect, and that’s how we see this meshing of the National Parks Conservation Association and the veteran community interacting. We all share the same distinct set of values, and those values can be illustrated within the national parks.
How many parks does the program work in?
I would love to say we work in every park. The more accurate numbers answer is, I would say, at least a dozen. Our program is relatively new, so we are able to work in parks where NPCA staff have the capacity to help facilitate some type of in-park experience. Our work in the Southeast is the newest addition to our programming.
The National Parks' Veterans Ambassador
Jimi Shaughnessy was hired as NPCA’s first veterans outreach program manager. Shaughnessy, 38, served in the U.S. Marine Corps 2003-2007, where he attained the rank of sergeant.
What kinds of activities does the program offer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Some of the opportunities that the Southeast region has been able to offer is interested veterans to be educated on the Safe Passage campaign [reducing wildlife deaths on Interstate 40 near the park], other wildlife protection efforts, fish and mussel preservation, invasive species mitigation and trail maintenance. And also exposing veterans to the importance of historic landmark legislation such as the Clean Water Act. Anytime that we get a chance to bring veterans out to a location, we want to provide a lot of education on that site. Hopefully it will inspire them to turn into an advocate.
How do these programs impact participants?
Our first step is to meet veterans outdoors and in the parks, and so we are fortunate to put on in-park experiences—whether that’s a multi-day backpacking trip, a day hike, kayaking, fishing—so through this range of activities our veterans participate with us because they’re interested in conservation, environmental stewardship. Maybe they’re interested in working for the National Park Service. So they get to see a totally different side of veteran programming. They respond with curiosity as to how they can continue to voice their support for national parks and other conservation issues. Over the past two years, we’ve seen individuals go from being a park-goer to an enthusiast to an advocate. We have brought individual veterans onto our regional council as well as established a dedicated veterans council consisting of 14 individuals, and folks really enjoy our activities. They help refer their friends and family and former servicemembers. They will help connect us with other organizations that have a pool of veterans who can benefit from getting some time outdoors. We always hope that after a vet has joined us on an event that they get the bug for advocacy.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Veterans interested in connecting with the NPCA veterans outreach program can learn more at npca.org/veterans.