# Frank Helmick

Frank Helmick is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. He is the former commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps. From February to December 2011, he additionally served as the deputy commanding general for operations, United States Forces – Iraq. Prior to assuming command of the XVIII Airborne Corps, LTG Helmick commanded the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq along with the NATO Training Mission-Iraq from July 3, 2008, to October 7, 2009.
Helmick has held numerous command and senior staff positions. He has commanded and served in many units in both operational and training commands: Commander 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander Ranger Training Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia; Assistant Division Commander 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Commander of the Southern European Task Force (Airborne), Vicenza, Italy.
His staff assignments include service in the 82nd Airborne Division, the Joint Staff, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense where he served as the Senior Military Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

## Career
### Iraq War

Helmick was the commander who led the attack in Mosul that killed Uday and Qusay Hussein, Saddam Hussein's sons.
On August 24, 2008, Helmick survived a suicide bombing of the MRAP vehicle he was riding in near Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul. The suicide car bomb attack killed the attacker and damaged the International MaxxPro Plus vehicle, but Helmick, Brigadier General Raymond "Tony" Thomas, an Iraqi general and others inside the vehicle were not seriously injured.

## Personal life

Helmick has attended a variety of military schools including the United States Military Academy, Infantry Officer Basic Course, the Armor Officer Advanced Course, the Naval Postgraduate School, the United States Armed Forces Staff Course at the Armed Forces Staff College, and the United States Army War College.

## Awards and decorations

* Expert Infantryman Badge
* Combat Action Badge
* Ranger Tab
* Master Parachutist Badge
* Air Assault Badge
* Office of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge
* Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge
* Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
* Distinguished Service Medal
* Defense Superior Service Medal
* Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
* Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
* Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
* Joint Service Commendation Medal
* Army Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
* Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
* Good Conduct Medal
* Joint Meritorious Unit Award
* Army Superior Unit Award
* National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
* Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
* Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
* Iraq Campaign Medal with three campaign stars
* Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
* Army Service Ribbon
* Overseas Service Ribbon
* NATO Medal (Kosovo)
* Multinational Force and Observers Medal

## Assignments

| From | To | Assignments |
| November 1976 | July 1977 | Platoon Leader, B Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas |
| July 1977 | July 1980 | Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Company Commander, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas |
| August 1983 | June 1984 | Organizational Effectiveness Staff Officer, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| June 1984 | May 1985 | Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| May 1985 | April 1986 | S-3 (Operations), 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| April 1986 | April 1989 | S-3 (Operations) and Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry Regiment, Vicenza, Italy |
| February 1990 | December 1990 | Assignment Officer, Infantry Branch, United States Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, VA |
| December 1990 | November 1991 | Distribution Management Officer and Personnel Management Officer, Officer Distribution Division, United States Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, VA |
| November 1991 | February 1994 | Chief (Exercises), Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, GA |
| February 1994 | May 1996 | Commander, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| May 1996 | July 1997 | G-3 (Operations), 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| July 1998 | June 2000 | Commander, Ranger Training Brigade, Fort Benning, Georgia |
| June 2000 | July 2002 | Chief, Operations and Intelligence Division, J-34, The Joint Staff, Washington, DC |
| July 2002 | June 2003 | Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) and Acting Division Commander, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Riley, Kansas |
| June 2003 | April 2004 | Assistant Division Commander (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq |
| April 2004 | May 2006 | Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Washington, DC |
| July 2006 | July 2008 | Commanding General, United States Army Southern European Task Force, Italy |
| July 2008 | November 2009 | Commander, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq / Commander, NATO Training Mission – Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq |
| November 2009 | June 2012 | Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North Carolina |
| February 2011 | December 2011 | Deputy Commanding General - Operations, United States Forces - Iraq |

## Effective dates of promotion

| Rank | Date Of appointment |
| Second Lieutenant | June 2, 1976 |
| First Lieutenant | June 2, 1978 |
| Captain | August 1, 1980 |
| Major | August 1, 1987 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | March 1, 1993 |
| Colonel | June 1, 1998 |
| Brigadier General | March 1, 2003 |
| Major General | November 2, 2006 |
| Lieutenant General | July 3, 2008 |