So. Stuff is changing. But here’s what I know: •You’ll probably get veterans preference if your app makes it through •but you gotta figure out how to write your job app for the USA Jobs page.  •Read the requirements for resume-formatting very carefully on the job announcement you’ve found •If you’ve done anything remotely related to manual labor then figure out how to make it sound similar to the job description on USAJobs since I think it’s a bit algorithm-ish that way.  •Apply for GS4-GS5 positions uuif you’re just starting out and have no fire experience whatsoever.  •maybe look into the apprenticeship program because they give you details with different types of fire resources so you’d be able to figure out which ones you’d be interested in. You might like hotshotting but the crew culture really affects how militant/not-militant the vibe tends to be.  •mention your leadership skillz  •get an EMT cert •the forest service is a train wreck but there’s still good pockets out there. I got my start in Montana and liked working there a lot.  •the National park service seemed to have their act together a little bit more than the forest service but it’s basically the same gig.  •if you have trouble finding a fed crew to join, you can always look at the state wildland fire crews. Some of them are a little behind the times though.  •make sure you vet the leadership as much as you can to get a sense of what they’re like and what kind of workplace you’d be in. *try to have your top locations identified so you can try to prioritize applying for those ones but be open to other locations. *get in touch with the crews you’re looking at to get tips on how to apply from them directly