A Hero in Life, A Hero in Death
September 20th, 2009 Categories: Brandon, Military Moves, Tampa
As an old law enforcement type, I felt obligated to go to a memorial service for a fallen U.S Air Force Security Officer from Mac Dill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.
It was a very sad occasion when I learned more of the facts of this great and untimely death. It was a loss that greatly affected the officer’s family and friends, and it was a loss to all of the U.S. military forces, and as I learned, it was the first U.S Air Force Security Officer lost since Viet Nam.
1st Lt, Joseph D. Helton, Jr. lost his life on September 18th, 2009. Lt. Helton was an honors graduate in high school, where he also led the soccer team for three years and was also the Commander of the JROTC unit at his high school. Joseph Helton graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy as a Distinguished Graduate in the upper 10% of his class in 2007. Lt. Helton was assigned to the 6th Security Forces Squadron at Mac Dill AFB and graduated from the Security Officer Basic Course as a Distinguished Graduate. Do you see a pattern here? This young man would have made any mother and father proud.
Lt. Helton sadly died during an IED explosion while advising the Iraqi Police in southern Baghdad. He was clearly one of best and brightest young officers in the military or what ever he chose to do with his life.
Lt. Helton was born in Milton, FL in September 1984. His parents moved to Georgia where he grew up, and yes he was only 24 at the time of his death.
Lt. Joseph D. Helton, Jr. will be missed and will not soon be forgotten for he has made the ultimate sacrifice.
”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith”
Dave Tipton
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