HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — Airmen and families gathered June 7 at Hill Air Force Base for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations 12th Annual Balmer Ruck March.

The trek is made each year to honor Special Agent Ryan Balmer, who was killed in action June 5, 2007, at Kirkuk, Iraq, when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device.

Balmer, 33, was a Mishawaka, Indiana, native, deployed to Iraq from Hill Air Force Base. He served his country for 14 years as a security forces specialist, a C-5 loadmaster and as an AFOSI agent.