heliroto
That should not surprise anyone at the FS. I also believe that it is adiquit for most of the FS, DOI work out there.
I am currently attached to one helitack unit and there is another one sharing the base with us right now---NOT ONE of the 12 USFS personnel here had ever seen the 14 CFR 95 subpart B definition, and they were all shocked by it. I do NOT believe that the requirements are adequate to get "mountain" signed off on ones card. Lets face it--some one could conceivably fly all their hours in the Sacramento valley, less than 1,000 msl and meet the requirements for mountain. This does NOT qualify them to fly in the mountains around Idaho for example.
I would imagine it would be hard to get a job in this line of work without being carded for mountain. The only saving grace is the second line in the USFS definition: "Operating includes maneuvering and numerous takeoffs and landings to ridgelines, pinnacles, and confined areas."
BTW--I see you are on Kauai---I flew there for 7 years.