▁left ▁the ▁C IA ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁however , ▁he ▁entered ▁an ▁extraordinary ▁period ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁frequently ▁called ▁to ▁test ify ▁before ▁Cong r essional ▁comm itte es . ▁While ▁serving ▁as ▁amb assador ▁to ▁Iran ▁( 1 9 7 3 – 1 9 7 7 ), ▁Hel ms ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁travel ▁from ▁Te h ran ▁to ▁Washington ▁six teen ▁times , ▁th ir teen ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁give ▁testim ony ▁" before ▁various ▁official ▁bodies ▁of ▁investigation " ▁including ▁the ▁President ' s ▁Rock ef eller ▁Commission . ▁Among ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁committee ▁hear ings ▁where ▁Hel ms ▁appeared ▁were ▁the ▁Senate ▁Water gate , ▁the ▁Senate ▁Church , ▁the ▁Senate ▁Int elligence , ▁the ▁Senate ▁Foreign ▁Rel ations , ▁the ▁Senate ▁Ar med ▁Services , ▁the ▁House ▁Pi ke , ▁the ▁House ▁Ar med ▁Services , ▁and ▁the ▁House ▁Foreign ▁Affairs . R anel agh ▁( 1 9 8 6 ) ▁pp . ▁ 6 1 0 – 6 1 2 , ▁ 7 8 8 . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁long - time ▁professional ▁pract ition er , ▁Hel ms ▁held ▁strong ▁views ▁concerning ▁the ▁proper ▁function ing ▁of ▁an ▁intelligence ▁ag ency . ▁High ly ▁val ued ▁was ▁the ▁notion ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁state ▁security ▁by ▁keeping ▁sensitive ▁state ▁secre ts ▁away ▁from ▁an ▁enemy ' s ▁prob ing ▁aw aren ess . ▁Sec re cy ▁was ▁held ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁essential , ▁util itar ian ▁virtue , ▁of ▁great ▁value ▁to