Looking Ahead These meetings reinforced the value of continued advocacy and relationship-building with policymakers. The positive response from Congressman Owens’ office presents a clear opportunity for Utah’s surveying community to encourage his support as a cosponsor for the licensure resolution. Meanwhile, the engagement from Sen. Lee’s office suggests promising discussions ahead regarding monument preservation. Moving forward, surveyors must remain proactive in educating legislators and the public on the importance of our profession. Our work underpins the nation’s infrastructure, property rights and historical preservation, making it critical that we secure the necessary legislative protections. By staying engaged in these discussions, we can help shape policies that will benefit the surveying profession for generations to come. Military Committee: Expanding Career Opportunities for Veterans One of the newest NSPS initiatives is the Military Committee, which was established to tap into the 10,000 service members who exit the military each week. The committee is working to secure a grant from NCEES to collaborate with “Hire Our Heroes,” an organization that sets up job recruitment events at military installations nationwide. The schedule for Hire Our Heroes is currently planned through June, starting on the East Coast and working westward. The NSPS vice president, Jeff Clendenning, chairs the committee and has laid significant groundwork over the past year, attending recruitment events at various bases, including Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, home to the Military Services’ Surveying School. For the upcoming year, the committee has set a goal of participating in 12 recruitment events. I plan to take part in events held in the Western states whenever possible. As a former army surveyor with the Corps of Engineers, I understand firsthand how military training and experience can set service members up for success in our profession. Military personnel need our support transitioning from active duty to civilian careers. They are some of the most dedicated and hardworking professionals, making them valuable additions to the surveying industry. The committee is actively working to integrate these efforts with the Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program (TAP) to help address the shortage of skilled surveyors. Additionally, we aim to encourage service members to utilize their education benefits to pursue degrees in land surveying and work toward professional licensure. If you are interested in being involved in these efforts, please reach out to me. NSPS Structural Changes: Enhancing Member Engagement Lastly, NSPS is implementing a significant change to improve engagement. Instead of meeting only twice a year, directors will now hold monthly Zoom meetings. This change acknowledges NSPS’s role as the national voice for the land surveying community and aims to ensure that members’ concerns are addressed more frequently. Each month, these meetings will include updates on topics from the spring meeting, along with discussions on new issues brought forward by members. If you have topics or concerns that need to be addressed at the national level, please reach out to me. I will ensure that your voices are heard, and together, we will continue to build upon our profession’s foundation while advancing it into the future. UCLS Foresights 9
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