Lt. Col. Jamie A. Blow received a promotion to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army at a ceremony at the American Legion in Frederick, Md., Feb. 3.

Blow serves as the military deputy to the Principal Assistant for Research and Technology at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command in Frederick, Md. As the Army's medical materiel developer, USAMRMC focuses on medical research, development and acquisition, and medical logistics management.

Blow is also the army action officer for the establishment of an Army medical research unit at the Richard G. Lugar Center for Public Health Research in the country of Georgia. The Lugar Center is a Georgian facility but does have a small Department of Defense presence. The work of the Army scientists there primarily aims to protect U.S. soldiers from infectious disease, but there is a broader applicability of their research for the greater good of society, including the development of vaccines and drugs for prevention and treatment of diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, dengue fever, and others.

Blow enlisted in the Army in December 1983 and served three years as an enlisted medical laboratory specialist. After leaving active duty she joined the Michigan National Guard and obtained her commission through the Army's Reserve Officer's Training Corps program while pursuing her master's in Outdoor Recreation and Field Biology from Central Michigan University. She went on to obtain her Ph.D. in Medical Entomology from Michigan State University in 1998.

During her tenure with the Army, Blow has traversed the globe. Previous assignments include serving as an entomologist at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras; working as brigade entomologist with the 30th Medical Brigade in Heidelberg, Germany; and serving as director of overseas operations with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Silver Spring, Md. She has also deployed to Honduras, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Blow counts amongst her many decorations the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Expeditionary Forces Medal, NATO Medal, and Humanitarian Service Ribbon.