Episode 1: Mark Lichtenstein
05/04/24 • 60 min
Mark Lichtenstein discusses his career path from forest management to budgeting in the federal government. He highlights the challenges and rewards of working in budgeting and the importance of continuous learning. Mark also shares his experiences in the private industry and the government, comparing the two sectors. He discusses the impact of political regimes on budgeting and the need for effective leadership skills. Mark emphasizes the importance of representing all constituents and the local impact of government work. The conversation with Mark Lichtenstein, Budget Director of the U.S. Forest Service, covers various topics related to the Forest Service's role in fire management, employment, budgeting, and resource extraction. The chapters explore the impact of the Forest Service on employment, the fixed and variable costs of the agency, the size and scope of the Forest Service, the labor intensity of fire response, the challenges of fire management, the increasing severity of fires, the changing patterns of fire season, the ecological condition of forests, the role of wind in fire spread, the cohesive strategy for fire management, the need for resilient communities and natural systems, the challenge of catching up with treatment needs, the paradox of protecting infrastructure and causing fires, the difficulty of finding safe areas from fire, the impact of climate change on fires, the changing landscape in Canada, the Forest Service's role in mining and transportation, the revenue generation of the Forest Service, the ecosystem services provided by forests, the importance of water resources, and addressing criticism of the Forest Service.
Mark Lichtenstein discusses his career path from forest management to budgeting in the federal government. He highlights the challenges and rewards of working in budgeting and the importance of continuous learning. Mark also shares his experiences in the private industry and the government, comparing the two sectors. He discusses the impact of political regimes on budgeting and the need for effective leadership skills. Mark emphasizes the importance of representing all constituents and the local impact of government work. The conversation with Mark Lichtenstein, Budget Director of the U.S. Forest Service, covers various topics related to the Forest Service's role in fire management, employment, budgeting, and resource extraction. The chapters explore the impact of the Forest Service on employment, the fixed and variable costs of the agency, the size and scope of the Forest Service, the labor intensity of fire response, the challenges of fire management, the increasing severity of fires, the changing patterns of fire season, the ecological condition of forests, the role of wind in fire spread, the cohesive strategy for fire management, the need for resilient communities and natural systems, the challenge of catching up with treatment needs, the paradox of protecting infrastructure and causing fires, the difficulty of finding safe areas from fire, the impact of climate change on fires, the changing landscape in Canada, the Forest Service's role in mining and transportation, the revenue generation of the Forest Service, the ecosystem services provided by forests, the importance of water resources, and addressing criticism of the Forest Service.
Next Episode
Episode 2: Joel Hughes
Joel Hughes joined the army right after high school and enlisted as an infantryman. He wanted to leave town quickly and start his future. He had the opportunity to work with Green Berets and was exposed to what special forces do in the army. Joel considered joining special forces but decided against it after some friends were killed. He eventually reenlisted in the army and went through training to become a sniper. After his deployment, he left the army but couldn't stop thinking about what it would have been like to join special forces. He reenlisted again and went through training to become a member of special forces. Joel Hughes served as a Green Beret and sniper in the United States Army. He traveled extensively, including multiple trips to Southeast Asia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Afghanistan, England, France, and Germany. He also served as an instructor and part of a parachute demonstration team. Joel discussed the importance of accepting the risks and realities of war and how it affects soldiers mentally. He highlighted the need for compartmentalization and clear judgment in high-pressure situations. Joel also shared his experience in sniper school and the different levels of certification. In this conversation, Joel Hughes discusses his experiences as a sniper in the military and his transition to civilian life. He talks about the role of snipers and how they were often underutilized during his deployment in Iraq. He also highlights the importance of understanding the local population and the complexities of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hughes shares his insights on being a Green Beret and the challenges of training foreign military forces. He also discusses his transition to college and the impact of his military experience on his academic journey.
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/lifes-ambition-616997/episode-1-mark-lichtenstein-81304526"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to episode 1: mark lichtenstein on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy