Medical support squadron leader recognized for meritorious service Published Aug. 27, 2009 81st Medical Group Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Lt. Col. Michael Dietz, 81st Medical Support Squadron commander, was presented the Meritorious Service Medal Aug. 13. Colonel Dietz was recognized for his service as 332nd Expeditionary Medical Support Squadron commander at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, from Jan. 11-July 15, 2009. According to the citation accompanying the award, Colonel Dietz "successfully energized his ancillary teams to support two mass casualties, 639 traumas and 1,200 helicopter missions, directly contributing to the 98 percent survival rate for United States casualties. "Furthermore, he developed the medical administrator syllabus for the first ever in-residence Iraqi cooperative medical engagement program, a benchmark application of non-kinetic soft power to enhance Iraqi health-care capacities," the citation continued. "Finally, Colonel Dietz leveraged his biological assessment team to provide influenza diagnostic testing for the entire Iraqi theater in the face of an emerging pandemic threat."