A Message From Our Director

Celebrate Veterans in Florida State Parks

Florida State Parks will be offering free admission* for all families and visitors on Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, 2018. This is a day to honor American veterans by telling their stories and celebrating their service. 

*User fees for camping, canoe and kayak rentals and other services still apply. Free entry excludes the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.

I was raised in a military family and grew up on Air Force bases.  Commitment to helping others and hard work are common values among uniformed services. We are grateful for those values in park service veterans and the rest of our staff and volunteers.     

Veterans are our neighbors, colleagues and family-members. They are Florida Park Service rangers, scientists, leaders and support staff. Speaking with them, they all emphasized the value of teamwork and cooperation.

Jennifer Roberts, manager of Sebastian Inlet State Park, served in the Army for 15 years and helped the people of Bosnia recover from a devastating war. Jennifer was in the Army’s Civil Affairs branch, which is tasked with establishing necessities like electricity, clean water and police protection for civilians during and after wartime. “I learned how to do anything, how to adapt and take on new tasks and adventures,” Jennifer said. “Working in state parks is an adventure, and being in the military was incredibly beneficial.”   

Park ranger Ernest Bell started working at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park in late September. Even though it’s only been a couple months, Ernest says the job of park ranger was meant for him. From 1983 to 1993, Ernest served in the Army as a tank commander in Germany and around the United States. A park service career was a natural continuation of his love for the outdoors and working cooperatively with others.

Wileen Footman served in the Army Reserve for 11 years. Now, Wileen now helps the park service design and build park facilities using the cooperative skills she learned in the military. Her motto “teamwork makes the dream work,” came out of her time as a Human Resources Sergeant. Wileen credits that role with developing her abilities an administrator, planner and organizer.

In the Air Force, park service biologist Mac McKenzie led a team that repaired transport aircraft during Desert Storm and in Djibouti before going to the Korean Peninsula to help maintain U-2 spy planes. He says the experience showed him that no one can get big things done without working together. Mac took that ethos into the park service, where he works with others to take care of land and wildlife in Northwest Florida’s state parks.  

Collier-Seminole State Park ranger John Castle did three tours of duty in Afghanistan as airborne infantry. “I was looking for that same sense of support, of having a team and leaders I can rely on,” John said. “At the park, our work has a real impact on the environment and visitors’ experiences.”

The Florida Park Service benefits from having Jennifer, Ernest, Mac, Wileen, John and many other veterans in our park service family. Their work makes parks possible.

Eric Draper, Director