Meet Our Surgeons

Military History

• Under Col Balserak's Command, the 162nd Medical Group, 162nd Fighter Wing, Tucson Air National Guard was awarded: The United States Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation 2009
• Chief Surgeon: Bargram Air Base, Afghanistan (Jan-March 2009)
• Commander 162nd Medical Group
  162nd Fighter Wing
  Tucson Arizona National Guard (1/05 - 4/10)
• Meritorious Achievement Award - 162nd Fighter Wing (02/06)
• Air National Guard 2004 Flight Surgeon of the Year (National Guard Bureau, Washington D.C.)
• Active Duty Service: Operation Iraqi Freedom
  Baghdad, Iraq (9/04 -11/17/04)
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom- Commander 447th EMEDS, Sather Air Base, Iraq 
    May - Sept 2007
    
• State Air Surgeon, Headquarters: Arizona Air National Guard (1/02 - 1/05)
• Graduate: Air War College, Air Force University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
• Graduate: Top Knife F16 Fighter Surgeons School, Klamath Falls, OR
• Graduate: Top Knife II F16 Fighter Surgeons School - Luke AFB, AZ
• Full Colonel (0-6)
• ANG Assistant to the Command Surgeon USAF Space Command
• Promoted to Brigadier General October 2011, assigned Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) Force Health Protection and Readiness, the Pentagon
• Critical Care Air Transport Team - Ramstein Air Force Base, May-July 2011 - transporting critically wounded servicemen and women to higher levels of surgical care
  
  

Military Flying Hours

Military Awards

• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Army Commendation Medal
• NATO ISAF Medal
• Air Medal - Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007
• Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal - Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation - 447th Air Expeditionary Group, Baghdad International Aiport, Iraq
• Meritorious Service Medal
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
• National Defense Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border (Combat Zone)
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon
• Air Force Longevity Service
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
• Air Force Training Ribbon
• Legion of Merit
• Arizona ANG 20 year Service Medal

Links to Articles about Iraq Service:

» Tucson Citizen - 11/11/08
» AZ Daily Star - 9/24/04
» AZ Daily Star -12/05/04
» Tucson Citizen -11/24/07

» enlarge photo

Chief Surgeon-447th EMEDS, Baghdad, Iraq, 2004

Commander-447th EMEDS, Baghdad, Iraq, 2007

Commander-162nd Medical Group Deploymen, 2007

455th EMDG, Afghanistan, 2009

Hobbies/Interests/Affiliations

MSLB (Men's Senior League Baseball - Fastpitch Hardball)
Guardsman coaches pro ball
Collecting Baseball/Sports Memorabilia