(lr:) Dathan Leaf, Earnest Morgan, Nathan Quinton, Montel Fox, Ricky Harjo, Bryan Alexander, Damon Stanfield, Joseph Brown and Sage Bennet. (Submitted: Mark Hacho)

"The only restriction is the restriction you impose on yourself, or the restriction you allow others to impose on you."-OSUIT Fiber Lineman coach Tim Caudle.

Henrietta, Oklahoma-September 10th, nine participants of the Muscogee Nation Reintegration Program's first fiber optic technician program graduated.

This program is the product of a collaboration between MN RIP and Oklahoma State University Technical College in Okmulgee.

According to OSUIT Fiber Lineman instructor Tim Caudle, this technician program is tailor-made for RIP. Caudle teaches courses in Henryetta's RIP facility.

According to RIP outreach expert Mark Harjo, the completion rate of the course is about 90%.

"It's great to see these people succeed," Harjo said. "Some of them left the plan (RIP) initially, but once we tell them about this and what they can do and how successful they can be, they will return to our factory to accept the plan (optical fiber) ."

Caudle claims that the industry standard graduation rate is very low.

"If you start with 15 students, you can usually only graduate 3-5," Caudell said.

According to Caudell, the first part of the course is climbing, which is the decisive factor in completing the course. Other courses include learning how to drill holes in poles, erect support wires, and tie fibers. Caudle claimed that the job is very demanding, and participants need to be in good health to complete the job.

"There are 6 to 8 hours a day to do this without interruption," he said. "This is as bad as boot camp and hard work. There is nothing in the gym that can prepare you for this type of work."

Caudle claims that his 45 years of experience in the industry helped him build a network of companies that are seeking workforce areas with this certification.

Even before graduation, six of the nine students had the opportunity to go to Louisiana to assist power workers in restoring electricity for Hurricane Ida's support and rescue. As part of the internship, they will work with Celtic Cable Construction in fiber optic work.

Caudle said he told his students that the only restrictions are those they impose on themselves, or the restrictions they allow others to impose.

"It's great to see these people keep and keep their promises to us, go out and create something for themselves," Harjo said.

Dathan Leaf and Joseph Brown are Muscogee (Creek) citizens, RIP participants, and fiber technology program graduates. Ye and Brown were one of six people who went to Louisiana to assist the power company.

Before coming to RIP, Leaf had served six years in prison. After participating in the program for more than a year, he completed the welding course and withdrew from the program.

"You know, I did a great job, I have a good job and my own place," Leaf said. "But then they opened this new school, and it should be better than the last one."

After talking to the program, Leaf was able to rejoin the reintegration program to complete this new training.

"Now I am doing better than last time," Leaf said.

Leaf claimed that he was skeptical about taking the new course because he encountered job placement problems after completing the welding course, but with the help of Caudle, he was hired two weeks before graduation.

"It changed life," Ye said.

After being imprisoned for 28 consecutive months, Brown joined RIP in early March. Since then, he has completed the construction technology course before completing the fiber optic technology course.

"I now know how to compose a picture, I can do basic composition, I can read blueprints, all of this," Brown said.

Brown claimed that he did not believe his criminal record contained previous accusations of violence and that he could not find a job, but OSUIT's instructor, Tim Caudell and former instructor Brad Smith promised to arrange work for Brown after completing fiber optic training.

"It always keeps me from getting a job," Brown said. "They told me that they saw how easily I can complete the construction technology, and they told me that if I can do this, they can assure me that the work schedule is arranged and I will go all out."

Brown claimed that this was a dream come true for himself and his three children. Both said that they had never thought that there would be such an opportunity.

Brown said his advice to those on his side was "go and do it."

Ye said that he now believes he has a bright future and is ready to "give back" in the end.

For more information about the Fiber Optic Technician Program, please call RIP: 918-652-2676. The course is not limited to RIP participants; however, priority is given to RIP clients.