Canuto MolinaSilver City, NM — The Gila National Forest is pleased to announce that Law Enforcement Officer Canuto Molina has been named as the zoned Patrol Captain for the Gila and Lincoln National Forests.

Molina is a New Mexico native son who grew up in Hurley and graduated from Cobre High School. Molina joined the military and served 23 years in the U.S. Army, 13 years on active duty and 10 years in the National Guard. He has lived in Missouri, Texas, Colorado, Okinawa, Korea and various places in the Middle East. He began his career with the Forest Service on the Gila National Forest as a firefighter on the Wilderness Ranger District under Gabe Holguin, and served as a firefighter from 2006 – 2008, and then transitioned into law enforcement.

Molina is an avid outdoorsman, and has deep family ties to southern New Mexico. Molina stated “I am looking forward to working with our cooperators and fellow Forest Service employees. I have a great love and respect for our natural resources and our lands and strive to do my best to protect them.”

For information on the Gila National Forest, check out our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila.