Ryan Andrew Balmer

Special Agent Ryan Andrew Balmer

Special Agent (SA) Ryan Andrew Balmer graduated from Mishawaka High School,Mishawaka, Indiana, in 1992.Ryan Andrew Balmer

Balmer enlisted in the United States Air Force in April 1993. Following Basic Training and Security Police Academy attendance at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, began his career assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana as a Security Specialist. In December 1997 Balmer graduated from Air Force technical training as a C-5 Aircraft Loadmaster and was assigned to Travis Air Force Base, California. In June 2005, he graduated from the United States Air Force Special Investigations Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), Brunswick, Georgia. Following graduation, Balmer returned to Travis Air Force Base for temporary reassignment to AFOSI Detachment 303. One month later, he moved to AFOSI's Region 1, Detachment 113, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, assigned to the Anti-Terrorism and Force Protection Program.

SA Balmer was temporarily reassigned to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations' Expeditionary Detachment (EDET) 2410, Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq in December 2006.

On 5 June 2007, Balmer was in a convoy returning to Kirkuk Regional Air Base. Approximately two miles south of the base, an improvised explosive device detonated adjacent to the convoy, instantly killing him. SA Balmer was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Combat Action Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal (1st Oak Leaf Cluster).