Team Leader Yrjö H.O. Helanen


	Yrjö H.O. Helanen
	Hamina
	Finland, Europe
	Entrepreneur. 
	President. 
	Major (ret). 
	Age 55. Married.



I was born in September 1939 in Helsinki the capital of Finland. My childhood I lived in Savo one of the middle provinces of Finland and my teenage years in Uusimaa the province around Helsinki. Since that, because of my Army career, I have been travelling around Finland. The Army career brought me also to Hamina where I live now with my family.

After matriculation examination and compulsory service I attended Military Academy 62 - 65. I have been gunner through my entire career but besides that I have passed different Signal, Staff, UN Military Observer and UN Military Police Officer Courses.

In the beginning of my career I served In Satakunta Field Artillery Regiment in the western part of our country. During those years I served as Training Officer, Company Commander, Chief of NCO Signal Course, Chief of NCO Forward Observer Course and Regimental Training and Operation Officer. Then I was transferred to the Field Artillery School where I served as Training and Operation Officer and Signal Instructor. After this period, I served couple of years in our General Headquarters. From there I was transferred to the Reserve Officer School where I was Battery Commander and Head Field Artillery instructor for seven years. The last post what I manned was Battalion Commander's post in Karelia Field Artillery Regiment. During my career I served three years as UN Military Observer in the Middle East. After my retirement I set up my own Consulting Firm. The main lines of business are marketing composite products to Finnish Defense Forces and abroad on business to business bases. To day I am concentrating more to working up wood products and to enlarge the structure of source of livelihood in the country side.

I met a nice charming girl already during my compulsory service. We got married 1964. My wife is an Occupational Health Nurse in Hamina Health Center. Our daughter is also a nurse and she is also married to an Officer. They are living in Hamina with their two sons. Our son has chosen his father's occupation and he will complete his studies at Military Academy June 1995.

All my life I have been active in different organizations. I started with Scout organization and since that I have kept several positions of trust in the Army organizations, Officers Association and municipal committees. Nowadays I am active in Rotary Youth Exchange.

With my wife we enjoy walking and outdoor life in the area of lake Saimaa, where we have our Summer cottage. Additionally to these I enjoy a wide variety of sports.

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