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Austintown-based sergeant wins honor
AUSTINTOWN
Staff Sgt. Patrick Helderman, a squad leader with the Ohio Army National Guard’s 838th Military Police Company, recently was chosen as 2010 ONG Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
As NCO of the Year for the Ohio Army National Guard, the Medina native represented Ohio at the Region 4 Best Warrior Competition for 2011 at Camp Dodge, Iowa, and came in second place.
Perhaps a less-stressful perk of being chosen 2010 NCO of the year was meeting IndyCar racing legend Mario Andretti, who took Helderman for a 150 mph ride in an IndyCar at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.
When asked which was the bigger thrill, Helderman said both experiences were awesome.
Helderman said he was confident he had done well on his oral interviews at all levels, which tested his knowledge of military subjects, such as NCO history and responsibilities, Army history and current events. He also had to submit physical-fitness scores and weapons qualifications.
“I believed that all the hours I spent in preparation would pay off. As a result, I have the opportunity to travel around the state and represent the Ohio National Guard,” he said.
Helderman, whose wife, Air Force Staff Sgt. Rebecca Helderman, is serving with the 92nd Medical Operations Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, was deployed for a year in 2007 and 2008, including 10 months in Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Helderman joined the guard in 2002 shortly after graduating from Medina High School. He graduated from the University of Akron in 2010 with a major in political science and criminal justice and a minor in homeland security.
He is a traditional guard member training one weekend a month with two weeks of annual training. He is a reserve deputy with the Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s office with the rank of corporal and is seeking a full-time position with the ONG.