HELMOT XIX

Brigadier General Walter Rugen is the Deputy Commanding General, Support for the 7th Infantry Division and the Director of the U.S. Army's Cross Functional Team (Future Vertical Lift Program). He has led US Army and Special Operations Aviation units during his distinguished 29-years career.

In 2005 he was assigned as a strategic plans officer in the J5 at the United States Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base, FL. In 2007, BG Rugen commanded 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment and again deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. From 2009-2011 BG Rugen was assigned to the Army Staff in the aviation directorate at the Pentagon, where worked on multiple strategic issues affecting Army Aviation. In 2011 he was designated an Army Fellow and served at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. From 2012-2014, he commanded the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade in South Korea. He then transitioned back to the Pentagon, where he became the Chief Army Aviation Force Development Division in the Army G8 for two years. From 2016-2017, he served as the Director of Materiel in HQDA G8. Currently, he is the 7th Infantry Division Deputy Commanding General - Support at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington and the Director - Cross Functional Team (Future Vertical Lift).