Brig. Gen. Kurt “Bigfoot” Helphinstine is the Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia.
Brig. Gen. Helphinstine was commissioned in 1999, from ROTC at the University of Portland. He has served as an evaluator pilot, weapons officer, and U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructor in the F-15E. He has commanded at the squadron and wing level and has served on the Joint, Headquarters Air Force, and Air Combat Command staffs.
Brig. Gen. Helphinstine is a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours. He has deployed to the Middle East eight times, compiling over 900 combat hours. Prior to his current assignment, he served as Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering; University of Portland, Ore.
2006 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, F-15E, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2008 Master of Business Management, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va
2011 Master of Arts, Military Studies, Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.
2017 National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institute; Stanford, Calif.
2018 Joint Professional Military Education, Phase II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1999–May 2001, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 2001–March 2002, Student, F-15E Basic Course, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
3. April 2002–January 2005, F-15E Pilot, Scheduler, Assistant Chief of Weapons, 391st FS, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
4. February 2005–January 2008, F-15E Flight Examiner, Security Officer, Chief of Tactics, 492nd FS, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
5. February 2008–June 2011, F-15E USAF Weapons School Instructor, Mission Employment Project Officer, Chief of Wing Weapons, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. July 2011–June 2012, Student, Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.
7. July 2012–June 2014, Action Officer, Joint Chiefs of Staff, J-35 Joint Operations Directorate, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. July 2014–July 2016, Assistant Director of Operations and Commander, 494th FS, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
9. August 2016–May 2017, National Security Affairs Fellow, Hoover Institute, Stanford, Calif.
10. June 2017–June 2018, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
11. July 2018–June 2020, Deputy Commander for Operations, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
12. June 2020–May 2022, Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
13. June 2022–June 2023, Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. June 2023–present, Commander, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight/combat hours: 3,100/939
Aircraft flown: F-15E, T-37, T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with silver and two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 1999
First Lieutenant Jan. 2001
Captain Jan. 2003
Major Sept. 2008
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 2012
Colonel April 2018
Brigadier General Frocked
(Current as of March 2024)