The concept of the ranger is ancient. The professions similar to this appeared all over the world – in Africa, Asia and Europe. The rangers of all times had the same basic functions and purposes – to protect and patrol the lands belonging to their country.
The history of American rangers counts at least three hundred and fifty years. The first rangers were used to fight England in the times when the American Revolution was happening. The first groups of American rangers consisted of civilian volunteers willing to help preserve and protect the park territories and people there.
The National Park Service has been closely connected to the U. S. Army. The fellowship of the protectors of the national parks has a noble heritage that lasts for generations. These special people deserve admiration for the desire to protect all kinds of parks on the territory of the country with devotion and vigilance (Farabee, 8). The task of the National Park Service is to preserve the beauty of the diversity of the land.
The protectors, which are called rangers, carry multiple functions and serve as managers, firemen, educators, policemen, rescuers, and caretakers (Farabee, 11). There are many disciplines and occupations a ranger could devote their career to. There is a broad range of responsibilities for the rangers to manage, and this is why they are a great help for their country.
During their career park rangers are involved in many missions, investigations, and rescues that can be dangerous for their lives. These people are heroes; they are brave, wise, and highly professional. To choose a career of a ranger, a person needs to have a sophisticated and sharp mind, be ready to face difficulties and love people and nature.
In its early history, the park protection service had many troubles due to the lack of resources and organization. The Rangers did not have enough experience and failed to protect the lands from vandals and criminals. Congress saw the incompetence and ineffectiveness of the service and refused to provide funds for it (Farabee, 30).
This was when the help from the military was requested. The units of troops were based on the territories of the parks, creating Forts, stations and headquarters. The U. S. army helped to increase the effectiveness of the service and minimize the number of acts of vandalism and poaching. The National Park Service started its work officially in 1916.
In the present days, the protectors of the national parks and forests have a lot to do every day. They have the duties enhanced by the military influence as well as the civilian missions.
Patrolling the territory is only one occupation on the long list of tasks they have to accomplish. Rangers communicate and teach, they hire and manage, they meet people, have interviews, provide information, participate in rescue missions, co-operate with other services, take care of their lands and clean them up.
To my mind, the presence of the U. S. Army on the territories of the national parks was highly useful because it provided the National Park Service with many well-trained, highly-organized, devoted and patriotic workers, who were qualified to deal with criminals, not afraid of hard work, had good endurance and stamina. They were appropriate for the difficult duty of the protector of the national parks.
Nowadays, the military influence on the National Park Service remained in the roles or rangers, their customs and rules, and their uniform of green and gray. I respect the customs and work of the rangers by never creating a fire hazard in the forests or parks, never throwing away trash in nature, never hunting or trapping animals that belong in the wild; this is my small contribution to the role of the “guardian of the land
Work Cited
Farabee, Charles, R. National Park Ranger: An American Icon. New York, New York: Robert Reinhart Publishers, 2003. Print.