2007 Academy graduate killed in action in Iraq

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A 2007 Air Force Academy graduate was killed in action Sept. 8 in Iraq. 

First Lt. Joseph D. Helton, 24, died Sept. 8 near Baghdad of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. 

"Joseph's ultimate sacrifice is a tremendous loss to the United States Air Force Academy family. He touched the lives of many people -- cadets, Airmen, friends and family -- and he will have a lasting effect on them all," said Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, Air Force Academy superintendent. 

Lieutenant Helton came to the Academy in 2003 for basic cadet training, from his hometown of Monroe, Ga. He was a 2003 honor graduate of Monroe Area High School, where he was the school's Junior ROTC commander and soccer captain for his junior and senior years. Lieutenant Helton was offered more than $1 million in college scholarships coming out of high school, but chose to attend the Air Force Academy. After his freshman year, he was assigned to Cadet Squadron 19. 

"He was a fantastic cadet. Every cadet should strive to be like he was," said Master Sgt. Angela Evans, superintendent of Cadet Group 2, who was an Academy Military Trainer for CS-19 and worked with Helton extensively when he was a cadet. 

Then cadet Helton quickly became one of the go-to guys in the squadron, and continued to show his leadership potential early on. 

"When he was a cadet, there was nothing I could give him that he couldn't do," Sergeant Evans said . "People were drawn to him -- even if he wasn't in a leadership position." 

Lieutenant Helton wanted to be a leader and wasn't afraid of taking on a challenge to learn how to lead. He led his peers as squadron superintendent and later as squadron commander for CS-19, and he chose his career field along the same lines. 

"We talked at length about what he wanted to do after he graduated," and he said 'I want to lead people,' so security forces was the absolute perfect career field for him to go into," Sergeant Evans said. 

Lieutenant Helton became an honor graduate in academics, leadership and athletics with the Class of 2007. His first permanent duty assignment was to the 6th Security Forces Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. As a newly minted second lieutenant, he volunteered for deployment immediately. In 2008, he was selected to serve a 12-month tour in Iraq as an adviser to the Iraqi police in southern Baghdad. 

That 12-month tour ended in August, but he volunteered to extend his stay in country through January of 2010 to continue Security Forces operations elsewhere in Iraq. In doing so, he would remain with the team he trained with in November 2008, to maintain unit cohesion and stay with his team until the entire team completed their tour in Iraq. 

"He was the absolute best cadet I'd ever worked with," Sergeant Evans said. "Our whole goal here is to develop leaders of character, and he by far fit that description." 

The loss struck close to home for his permanent duty station as well, which has now lost four Airmen to combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

"Joe was an amazing Airman and defender who volunteered to lead our best in Iraq. We are deeply saddened by his loss and very proud of his service," said Col. Lawrence Martin, a Class of 1985 graduate and commander of MacDill's 6th Air Mobility Wing. 

Lieutenant Helton is the 11th Air Force Academy graduate killed while supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. 

At the request of Lieutenant Helton's family, retired Col. Dennis Keegan will accompany the lieutenant's remains from Dover AFB, Del., to his hometown of Monroe. Visitations will be held for Lieutenant Helton Sept. 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Meadows Funeral Home Chapel at 760 State Highway 11 in Monroe, with funeral services at 4 and 7 p.m. An interment service with full military honors will be held at the Georgia National Cemetary, 2025 Mount Carmel Church Lane in Canton, Ga., Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. 

The family has requested that donations, in lieu of flowers, be made to a memorial fund established by the Association of Graduates in Lieutenant Helton's name. Donations may be made online at www.usafa.org using the "Give Now" option and indicating that the donation is intended for the 1st Lt. Joseph D. Helton Fund in the comments section. Donations may also be mailed to the Office of the Association of Graduates, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO, 80840.

Under a new Academy policy, flags will go to half-staff at the Academy Sept. 17 to mark the combat loss of an Academy graduate.