BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT K. BALSTER

Commander, Land Component Command, Joint Force Headquarters, Colorado

Brigadier General Robert K. Balster is Commander, Land Component Command, Colorado Joint Force Headquarters; and also serves as Chief of Staff, Colorado Army National Guard. He is responsible for supporting the readiness of the Colorado Army National Guard and their 3700 citizen soldiers. General Balster provides guidance and policy concerning personnel, training, logistics, and safety. Additionally, he advises the Assistant Adjutant General Army on any matters concerning the Colorado Army National Guard.

General Balster earned a commission on February 1981 after 12 years of enlisted service. His company grade service was in the Field Artillery and Ordnance branches. As a field grade officer, his assignments were in the logistic field as well as multiple commands at the battalion and brigade. Prior to his current assignment, General Balster served as the Troop Commander Director of Logistics, Commander of Regional Training Institute and was assigned to European Command as a Military Liaison Team Chief under the Joint Contact Team Program in Ljubljana, Slovenia. As team chief, General Balster was responsible for coordinating various military and state partnership engagement programs in support of the host nation's quest for the National Atlantic Treaty Organization interoperability and integration.

EDUCATION:

1993 Regis University, Bachelor of Arts, Business Administration, Denver, Colorado
1999 Colorado State University, Master of Education, Human Resource Development, Fort Collins, Colorado
2005 United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. March 1981 - November 1981, Platoon Leader, Air Defense Platoon, Headquarters, Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2. November 1981 - April 1982, Student, Artillery Officer Basic, Fort Sill,
3. May 1982 - January 1986, Shop Officer, 3650th Maintenance Company, Fort Carson, Colorado
4. February 1986 - August 1986, Student, Ordnance Officer Advance, Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland
5. September 1986 - September 1988, Battalion S4, 193rd Military Police Battalion, Golden, Colorado
6. October 1988 - January 1990, Commander, 3650th Maintenance Company, Golden, Colorado
7. February 1990 - December 1990, Battalion Maintenance Officer, 140th Signal Battalion, Aurora, Colorado
8. January 1991 - October 1993, Maintenance Officer, Headquarters, State Area Command, Englewood, Colorado
9. November 1993 - November 1996, Deputy Director of Maintenance, Headquarters, State Area Command, Englewood, Colorado
10. December 1996 - December 1998, Commander, Centennial Training Site, Fort Carson, Colorado
11. January 1999 - August 2000, Deputy Director of Maintenance, Headquarters, State Area Command, Englewood, Colorado
12. September 2000 - April 2001, Commander, 2nd Battalion, 89th Troop Command, Pueblo, Colorado
13. April 2001 - April 2002, Team Chief, Military Liaison Team Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
14. April 2002 - April 2006, Commander, 168th Regional Training Institute, Fort Carson, Colorado
15. April 2006 - December 2007, Commander, 89th Troop Command, Denver, Colorado
16. January 2008 - October 2008, Deputy Commander, Joint Force Headquarters, Colorado Army National Guard, Centennial, Colorado
17. October 2008 - Present, Commander, Land Component Command, Joint Force Headquarters, Colorado Army National Guard, Centennial, Colorado

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Defense Meritorious Service Metal
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (with Silver Oak Leaf Cluster)
National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Service Star)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Ribbon
Parachutist Badge
The Adjutant General Outstanding Unit Citation
Colorado Active Service Medal
Colorado Long Service Medal (with 2 Silver Service Stars)
Colorado State Emergency Service Ribbon
Colorado Recruiting Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

Second Lieutenant ARNG 11 February 1981
First Lieutenant ARNG 11 February 1984
Captain ARNG 11 December 19861 March 1984
Major ARNG 11 January 1991
Lieutenant Colonel ARNG 11 February 1995
Colonel ARNG 4 April 2001
Brigadier General (Line) ARNG 10 February 2009

(Current as of January 2010)