One click at a time: Base photographer committed to capturing sacred moments

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Veronica Aceveda
  • AFMAO Public Affairs
When a parent thinks their child is old enough, they'll show them a picture of their father when he returned home from war in a flag-draped transfer case at Dover Air Force Base, Del.
 
It's scenarios like this one that Roland Balik said keeps him committed to his profession. Balik, a base photographer assigned to the 436th Airlift Wing, photographed his 600th dignified transfer the evening of Sept. 27, 2011.

He captured the images from the dignified transfer of Spc. Garrett Fant, a fallen hero from California.

Even though it was nearly two and half years ago, Balik still remembers the name of the first DT he photographed on April 5, 2009, the same date the Secretary of Defense released the media ban on dignified transfers.

"It was Staff Sgt. Phillip Meyer from Virginia," he said. "There were a lot of media outlets there to cover his return. No one knew what to expect or what type of shots to get."

Since that time, media still covers dignified transfers with the consent of the family; yet, the field of media representatives who attend DTs on a regular basis has narrowed down to about two agencies, said Van Williams, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations chief of public affairs.

Whether there's 20 or no media present, the one constant is an Air Force photographer like Balik, who said he considers these assignments the very top of his profession.

"Being able to capture special moments such as weddings and retirements are meaningful," he said. "But, it's an honor to do my part in providing these images for the families of the fallen."

The digital pictures are packaged with a video recording of the DT and provided to the family on a DVD.

In support of this mission, military videographers deploy to AFMAO for six-month rotations, and Balik has worked with all of them.

"I've sort of become the unofficial continuity person," said the 10-year base photographer. "I love photography and being close to the Air Force."

Before Balik's civilian photography career began, he worked on the flightline as a C-5 aircraft maintenance specialist, retiring in 2001 after a 22-year career, which also encompassed time as a first sergeant.

Currently, Balik is one of three base photographers who rotate on a weekly alert basis to fulfill the photography mission of AFMAO.

Whether he's called in the early morning hours or late at night, he said it's not an issue.

"After receiving the call, I once made it from a sound sleep to base in 20 minutes," he added.
Being on call, around the clock, is what Balik said can make lighting for photographs challenging.

"I continuously readjust the white balance and exposure, adapting to the elements, so I can capture that moment just right," said the seasoned photographer. "You really have to know the capability and limits of your camera and lens, because the use of flash is not allowed during DTs."

Lighting was the key factor in the photograph Balik said he considers the most somber.

"It shows a Marine carry team coming down the ramp of a C-17," he said. "It was the first time I asked the loadmaster to turn on the ramp and staging lights. It illuminated the ramp and changed the mood of the shots completely.

"Every DT has a different environment with different elements," he said. "From varying weather conditions, like extreme heat and humidity to rain and snow, as well as the number of family members present, no two DTs are the same."

With as many dignified transfers Balik has covered, he said a few do stand out in his mind.

"The hardest I can remember is when a fallen Army soldier was brought back the day of his 21st birthday," he said. "They were holding up birthday signs, and it was heart-wrenching to hear the family calling out his name."

There was also a time when a delivering C-17 couldn't land because of fog. Balik said after making two passes and three hours later, it landed on the third attempt.

The longest time Balik spent on the flightline in support of a DT was six hours he said.

Hitting close to home, the Charlottesville, Va., native photographed the dignified transfer of his mother's neighbor's grandson.

Many of the images Balik takes appear in newspapers and magazines across the country, on television stations here and abroad and all over the internet on both military and civilian websites as well as in personal blogs and other social media sites.

"It's great to receive the recognition from my peers and my father who's also a professional photographer, but I'm more proud to be able to provide those pictures for the grieving families," said Balik. "Whether they look at them today, tomorrow or 10 years from now, the pictures I took will be there for them when they need it."



To view some of Balik's photography from the past two and a half years, click here.