Photos starting from left: Cruz Bustillos, Hal Billings, and Kent Wedin
Gila National Forest Announces Some New Retirements
Silver City, NM; February 10, 2012—Gila National Forest (NF) Supervisor Kelly Russell has announced some new retirements. “These former employees have recently left the agency after a successful career of public service; I appreciate their dedication and wish them the best as they undertake new paths in their lives,” said Russell.
Serving in various positions in telecommunications, Cruz Bustillos retired after 22 years. At the time of his retirement, he was assigned to the Forest Service’s Washington D.C. office where his work covered New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.
During his career, Bustillos installed, maintained, and repaired mountain top base station and repeater radios, portable radios, and vehicle mobile radios plus microwave systems and telephone and computer systems/wiring. He also supported the fire organization by setting up portable communication systems for firefighters, aircraft, and base camps.
Out-of-state assignments with National Incident Management Teams (IMT) included restoring communications systems in the Carribbean islands during Hurricane Hugo and attendance at an international telecommunications conference between the United States and México where he served as one of 10 U.S. representatives for the Forest Service.
“It was great to work and make friends with Forest Service and other federal agency personnel; I would never trade these experiences and would definitely do it again if I could,” says Bustillos.
Harold “Hal” Billings has retired after 26 years with the Forest Service. Hal grew up in Santa Rita where his Father worked for the copper mine. After attending grade school at the former Santa Rita Sully School, the family moved to Silver City where he graduated from high school and then attended WNMU and NMSU.
Billing’s initial involvement with the Forest Service was with the Apache-Sitgreaves NF as a thinning subcontractor in the Beaverhead area. From there, he worked temporarily for the Springerville Ranger District (RD) as a Forestry Technican conducting thinning, chipping, and burning slash.
After leaving the agency for a few years, Billings started his Forest Service career again as Civil Engineering Technician with the Reserve RD where he worked on several timber sales as road construction inspector inspecting timber sale contracts and providing training to summer/seasonal employees that surveyed timber sale roads.
His career eventually took him to the Supervisor’s Office where he continued with his engineering duties. Through the National Construction Certification Program, he completed several certifications by performing public contract inspections.
“We will miss his surveying skills in producing topographic maps and his Auto CAD drafting skills,” says Forest Engineer Louie Cañez.
Kent Wedin retired from the Forest Service after 28 years; he started with the Toiyabe NF in Nevada as engine crew member and helitack and in 1989, was responsible for the formation of a hotshot crew.
A few years later, he started on the Forest as Helitack Supervisor at Negrito Fire Base where he conducted initial attack on new fires; supported helicopter operations in transporting fire personnel/supplies to the fireline; rappelled in close proximity to the fireline from a helicopter on a 250 foot rope, and served as Helicopter Manager for the skycrane.
In 2011, Wedin’s helicopter crew supported the Wallow Fire and several drought-stricken areas throughout Texas. He also participated in fire incidents throughout the nation and Alaska including international assignments in México and Canada.
He received the USDA Distinguished Service Award for: “Heroic lifesaving action in the rescue of 21 passengers, many seriously injured and some fatalities, who were trapped on a bus which had fallen into a freezing river on the Toiyabe NF.”
Wedin leaves with appreciation for support received from the NM Type II Incident Management Team where he served as Air Support. - End -
Andrea G. Martinez
Public Affairs Officer
Gila National Forest
3005 Camino del Bosque
Silver City, NM 88061
phone: 575.388.8211
e-mail: agmartinez@fs.fed.us
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:02:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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Posted By AZ Media Vision to Az Media Vision - Mobile Motion Videography at 2/10/2012 03:04:00 PM
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