Veteran Observer Profiles
Meet veterans whose time as fishery observers helped launched their careers!
Do you want to know how a position as a fishery observer can launch a career in fisheries management, marine policy, law enforcement, or a similar field? Meet some former veterans-turned-observers whose experiences helped them soar to new professional heights.
Christine Ford
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Current Position: Fishery management specialist at NOAA Fisheries
Former Observer Position: Northeast fishery observer
Former Military Position: Special agent at Air Force Office of Special Investigations
“After being medically separated from the Air Force, I had to change my career path. My military competencies of attention to detail and the ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds, combined with my love of the ocean and preference for an active job, made the decision to become an observer easy.
Observing was also my foot in the door toward returning to federal employment. Working directly with commercial fishers led to greater understanding of their perspectives on the marine environment. That experience has been invaluable in my current position with NOAA Fisheries, supporting sustainable fisheries through cooperative research programs between marine researchers and commercial fishers.”
Rich Kupfer
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Current Position: Supervisory fish and wildlife administrator at NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Sustainable Fisheries Observer Program
Former Observer Positions: North Pacific groundfish observer and Hawaiʻi longline observer
Former Military Position: Airborne infantry scout in U.S. Army
“I joined the U.S. Army to earn money for college and gain some more mature experiences before pursuing my plans to get a degree in marine biology. My military duties ended up providing me with a strong background in independent workloads and surveillance. These skills were a natural fit with fisheries observers duties, and after college and an aquaculture research job, I observed in Alaska and then Hawaiʻi. I capitalized on opportunities within NOAA Fisheries, and my 25-year commitment to observing has earned me the role of a program manager for the Pacific Islands Regional Observer Program.”
David Pearl
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Current Position: Supervisory investigative analyst at NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement
Former Observer Positions: Alaska groundfish observer, Hawaiʻi pelagic longline observer, and West Coast groundfish observer
Former Military Positions: Signals intelligence analyst in Air Force and all-source intelligence analyst in Air Force Reserves
“My time in the Air Force as an intelligence analyst working in windowless offices motivated me to get a job working in the great outdoors. I utilized my GI Bill benefits to get a degree in fisheries and wildlife biology. After working in terrestrial field biology jobs for a few years, I learned of an incredibly adventurous-sounding job opportunity as a fishery observer up in Alaska that paid way better than my previous jobs.
The work discipline and attention to detail instilled in me by my Air Force experience lent themselves nicely to sampling large quantities of fish aboard a big factory trawler with 24-hour operations. The work was tough, but I was rewarded with high adventure and a decent paycheck. The adventure continued aboard long liners sailing out of Oahu, Hawaiʻi, and then aboard small trawlers operating out of Neah Bay, Washington.
My combined military and observer experience helped launch me on the path to becoming a fisheries intelligence analyst for the Office of Naval Intelligence, a foreign affairs specialist on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing for NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs, and my current position as a supervisory investigative analyst for NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, where the adventure continues.”
Jay Owens
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Current Position: Fish biologist at NOAA Fisheries North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program
Former Observer Position: North Pacific groundfish observer
Former Military Positions: Infantryman and infantry team leader in Washington Army National Guard
“I had a bit of a journey from my service to where I am now. After some false starts, I realized that I had always enjoyed and been interested in biology, specifically ecology, so I used my Veterans Affairs benefits to get my B.S. in that field. Graduating during COVID had me searching for work that would be isolated from the ongoing pandemic, and I found observing.
I was instantly intrigued by the adventure and attention to detail needed. My strengths of being able to endure long times away from home and embracing challenges served me well in that position. The attention to detail, leadership, and mentoring skills that I gained from my training in the Army National Guard helped me to move from the field into a more managerial role, guiding other observers to improve their data collection methods and quality.”
Benjamin Briggs
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Current Position: West Coast Observer Coordinator at Saltwater, Inc.
Former Observer Positions: West Coast groundfish observer ad North Pacific observer
Former Military Position: Cryptologic Technician in U.S. Navy
“Being a veteran aided in my transition to being an observer by giving me the skills of adaptability to unusual schedules, accessing new situations and how to adapt to them, and ability to work with people of disparate backgrounds and age groups. These experiences have aided in making observing and the transition to management a smoother process.”