Spa City Guardsman Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (12/10/2017) New York Army National Guard Major Todd Balog, an Afghanistan veteran with more than 16 years of active and Guard military service, received his promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel in a ceremony December 8, 2017 at the New York State Military Museum here.

Balog currently serves as the commander of the 369th Special Troops Battalion, headquartered in New York City. He also serves full time on the Joint Staff in the New York National Guard Headquarters as an Active Guard and Reserve officer assigned to the Joint Training & Exercises Division in Latham.

Balog received his commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army from the Michigan State University Army ROTC program in August 2001. Following the Armor Officer Basic Course and Scout Leader Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he served on active duty with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Fort Irwin, California as an armor platoon leader and later as Protocol Officer for the Army's National Training Center.

Balog joined the New York Army National Guard in September 2007 where he has served as an Operations Officer in the 42nd Infantry Division, Aide-de-Camp to the division commander, Headquarters Company Commander and Division Secretary of the General Staff.

He deployed to Afghanistan for a combat tour with the Headquarters Company, 427th Brigade Support Battalion as a Base Closure Team Leader in Regional Command East. In February 2013, upon return from Afghanistan, Balog returned to Troy and served as the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters Battalion Executive Officer. He was assigned to the Joint Staff in the New York National Guard Headquarters in Latham in November 2015 where he served as the State Partnership Program Director until February 2017.

Balog is a graduate of the Armor Officer Basic Course, Scout Leader Course, Adjutant General Captains Career Course and Command & General Staff Officers Courses. Balog holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University.

His awards and decorations include Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 oak leaf clusters), Army Commendation Medal (with oak leaf cluster), Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with bronze star device), Global War on Terrorism Serve Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with M device), Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (with 2 device), NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge and Army Parachutist Badge.

Lt. Col. Balog resides in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. with his wife, Amy, and sons Hyrum and Aiden.