Sep 30, 2026 · 1 hr 4 min · 10 segments
The Great Bob Beckley joined the show to talk about his time in the forest service going from Smokejumper and getting injured to working for National Development and Technology Program where he wrote…
Luke BarrettHost
It sucks to go through all that, but I mean, not only the Axe Manual, but I mean, that's just kind of proof of all the great work you were able to do.
And how, were you involved in like saw work when you first got to National Development Technology Program or MTDC?
Oh, really? Jim Kautz, who was the main photographer at T&D at the time, he was also an old smokejumper, and it's like he knew what was going on with the Forest Service trying to boot me out the door.
So he was really a lifesaver and shepherded me through a good part of those difficult times with the agency.
You know, I mean, I worked for technology and development, but I'm the low-tech guy.
So looking at what... what my interests were what my skill levels were um you know we narrowed it down to traditional skills so my life was axes cross-cut saws blasting explosives and horses and mules oh
yeah i mean nobody goes to work for the forest service to work on the computer no you know
I was in a bit of a cube farm for a minute there down in the Bitterroot, and holy cow, man, I remember looking around in all the cubicles and being like, this is not where I was wanting to be.
I'm a field-going person, and luckily I was able to talk to some folks and get involved with opening and closing lookouts and help out with recreation and stuff, and that was great.
You're on top of a mountain, you know, getting to open up the lookout for the season.
The lookout and all the cabins, all these rentals just bring so much joy, you know.
It sucks to go through all that, but I mean, not only the Axe Manual, but I mean, that's just kind of proof of all the great work you were able to do.
And how, were you involved in like saw work when you first got to National Development Technology Program or MTDC?
Oh, really? Jim Kautz, who was the main photographer at T&D at the time, he was also an old smokejumper, and it's like he knew what was going on with the Forest Service trying to boot me out the door.
So he was really a lifesaver and shepherded me through a good part of those difficult times with the agency.
You know, I mean, I worked for technology and development, but I'm the low-tech guy.
So looking at what... what my interests were what my skill levels were um you know we narrowed it down to traditional skills so my life was axes cross-cut saws blasting explosives and horses and mules oh
yeah i mean nobody goes to work for the forest service to work on the computer no you know
I was in a bit of a cube farm for a minute there down in the Bitterroot, and holy cow, man, I remember looking around in all the cubicles and being like, this is not where I was wanting to be.
I'm a field-going person, and luckily I was able to talk to some folks and get involved with opening and closing lookouts and help out with recreation and stuff, and that was great.
You're on top of a mountain, you know, getting to open up the lookout for the season.
The lookout and all the cabins, all these rentals just bring so much joy, you know.
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