United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Government
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Bomb
Date of Incident: June 5, 2007
Weapon Used: Explosives; Bomb
Suspect Info: Not available
Special Agent Ryan Balmer and Special Agent Matthew Kuglics were killed when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Kirkuk, Iraq.
The agents had been deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and were assigned to assist with security and protection of Air Force property to identify and stop terrorist threats.
Special Agent Balmer had served with the US Air Force Office of Special Investigations for two years and previously served in the Security Police Unit for eight years. He joined the US Air Force in 1993, attaining the rank of technical sergeant and before his deployment to Iraq was stationed at Hill AFB in Utah. Special Agent Balmer is survived by his wife, 7- and 11-year-old sons, 1-year-old daughter, mother, five brothers and three sisters.