Frank Helmick (born April 29, 1953) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general. Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick Commanding General Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq. Retrieved on July 20, 2008. He is the former commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps. Helmick assumes command of XVIII Airborne Corps. Retrieved on Feb 1, 2010. 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.. Unconventional Combat by Williamson Murray and Robert Scales, Jr. Retrieved on June 8, 2007.
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.Naylor, Sean D., "Close Call", Military Times, November 24, 2008.
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 clustersDistinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit with two oak leaf clustersBronze Star Medal with oak leaf clusterMeritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clustersJoint Service Commendation MedalArmy Commendation Medal with silver oak leaf clusterArmy Achievement Medal with oak leaf clusterGood Conduct MedalJoint Meritorious Unit AwardArmy Superior Unit AwardNational Defense Service Medal with one bronze service starArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalIraq Campaign Medal with three campaign starsGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalArmy Service RibbonOverseas Service RibbonNATO Medal (Kosovo)Multinational Force and Observers Medal
Assignments From To AssignmentsNovember 1976July 1977Platoon Leader, B Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TexasJuly 1977July 1980Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Company Commander, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TexasAugust 1983June 1984Organizational Effectiveness Staff Officer, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North CarolinaJune 1984May 1985Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, North CarolinaMay 1985April 1986S-3 (Operations), 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North CarolinaApril 1986April 1989S-3 (Operations) and Executive Officer, 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry Regiment, Vicenza, ItalyFebruary 1990December 1990Assignment Officer, Infantry Branch, United States Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, VADecember 1990November 1991Distribution Management Officer and Personnel Management Officer, Officer Distribution Division, United States Total Army Personnel Command, Alexandria, VANovember 1991February 1994Chief (Exercises), Operations Officer and Executive Officer, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, GAFebruary 1994May 1996Commander, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North CarolinaMay 1996July 1997G-3 (Operations), 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North CarolinaJuly 1998June 2000Commander, Ranger Training Brigade, Fort Benning, GeorgiaJune 2000July 2002Chief, Operations and Intelligence Division, J-34, The Joint Staff, Washington, DCJuly 2002June 2003Assistant Division Commander (Maneuver) and Acting Division Commander, 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Riley, KansasJune 2003April 2004Assistant Division Commander (Operations), 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Operation Iraqi Freedom, IraqApril 2004May 2006Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Washington, DCJuly 2006July 2008Commanding General, United States Army Southern European Task Force, ItalyJuly 2008November 2009Commander, Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq / Commander, NATO Training Mission – Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom, IraqNovember 2009June 2012Commanding General, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North CarolinaFebruary 2011December 2011Deputy 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
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