That's untrue. The stockpile comes from gas fields -- helium is mixed in with some natural gas deposits, and can be extracted from it.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium_production_in_the_Unite...

That's incorrect, you are confusing between Helium-4 and Helium-3.

The main source for Helium-3 which is the one we are in shortage of was and is the US nuclear weapons program primarily through the decay of tritium.

https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41419.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium#Helium-3_and_tritium

As near as I can tell, you are the only one discussing helium-3 and its shortage. Maybe everyone should be talking about helium-3, but unfortunately they are not. Suggestions?

No, there is actually a global shortage of Helium-4 as well.

The Strategic Helium Reserve is a consequence of WWI and the desire to not be subject to shortages of Helium for lighter-than-air craft during wartime.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Helium_Reserve

The strategic reserve is for Helium 4 primarily, were talking about Helium 3 which is a rare isotope of Helium.