Congratulations to the
2024 Uniformed Services Award Winners

Captain Han G. Yoo, a native of Daegu, South Korea, is a distinguished Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Medical Services Officer with a robust educational background and a commendable military career. Originally starting Military Service as an Engineer Officer, he commenced his military service on August 14, 2012, and re-branched as an AMEDD Medical Services Officer on September 10, 2016.

Captain Yoo's educational journey includes attending New Mexico Military Institute, Texas State University, and Cornell University. He holds an A.S. in Allied Health Sciences, a B.S. in Psychology – Statistics, a Master of Healthcare Administration, and a Project Management Professional Certification.

Throughout his career, Captain Yoo has served in various challenging roles, demonstrating leadership excellence and dedication to his duties. Notable assignments include his tenure with the 629th Medical Company Area Support (MCAS), 168th MultiFunctional Medical Battalion in Korea, the 3rd Brigade Support Battalion in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and the 187th Medical Battalion at the Medical Center of Excellence (MEDCoE). Presently, he serves as the Alpha Company Commander (Rough Riders) at the 264th Medical Battalion, 32nd Medical Brigade, Medical Center of Excellence (MEDCoE), San Antonio, Texas.

Captain Yoo's commitment to professional development is evident in his completion of the AMEDD Officer Basic Course, the 70H (Medical Plans and Operations) Course, 70K (Medical Logistics) Course, the AMEDD Captains’ Career Course (70B), and the Logistics Captains’ Career Course (90A), where he distinguished himself as a graduate with honors.

Captain Eric Chang is currently deployed serving as Chief of Operational and Fiscal Law at Combined Special Operations Joint Task Force – Levant (CSOJTF-L), the Special Operations Headquarters engaged in the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. CPT Chang advises on combined joint operations, covering a wide array of matters, to include defeat-ISIS partnered operations, law of armed conflict and rules of engagement, detention operations, and civil-military affairs with the ICRC and NGOs. He also has primary responsibility for contract and fiscal law matters, including legal oversight on the proper expenditure of Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Funds (CTEF) in support of vetted Syrian Groups and Iraqi Partner Forces. He will redeploy in early 2024.

As a Reservist Judge Advocate, Captain Chang is assigned as a National Security Law Attorney at the 13th Legal Operations Detachment-Expert, with duty at the Office of The Judge Advocate, National Security Law Division (OTJAG NSLD). In that role, he works in the International Law Branch, advising on international law matters impacting Army, Department of Defense, and allied nation equities. Upon redeployment, he will return to this position. In 2023, Captain Chang authored “Lawfare in Ukraine: Weaponizing International Investment Law and the Law of Armed Conflict,” which was published by the National Defense University Press.

Captain Chang’s prior assignments include an active-duty mobilization as a Brigade Judge Advocate, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) (Rear)(Provisional), Fort Drum, NY, between 2019-2020, and an active-duty mobilization as an Administrative Law Attorney at U.S. Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), Fort Liberty, NC, in 2022.

Captain Judy Malana is the daughter of immigrants. Her father was a Navy Sailor who served as a Filipino-cabin boy in the 1950's. She is the first Asian-American female Navy Chaplain and has served on active duty in ashore, afloat, and forward deployed units with the Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard for over 27 years.

She is an alumna of the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts, Design; Bethel Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity; the National Graduate School with a Master of Science, Quality Systems Management; Marine Corps University with a Master of Military Studies; and the U.S. Naval War College with a Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies. She is a PhD Candidate at Salve Regina University in Humanities (technology and the human condition). She completed a Certificate Program in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and in Legislative Studies with the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University.

Maj Michelle C. Rosales is the Patient Movement Operations Officer at 51st Medical Group, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. As the 7th Air Force Surgeon General’s Patient Movement Operations Officer, she develops joint on-peninsula patient movement plans for United States Forces Korea, 8th Army, 7th Air Force, and Naval Forces Korea. These plans enable the joint forces to seamlessly integrate patient movement capabilities across military services from point-of-injury through higher levels of care, ensuring medical treatment for thousands of uniformed personnel.

Maj Rosales entered the Air Force through direct commissioning in August 2014. She completed Public Health Officer training school as a distinguished graduate in 2015, and since has held a variety of public health positions. She has joint service experience in direct support of ENDURING FREEDOM and ULCHI FREEDOM GUARDIAN. Prior to this assignment, she served as the Public Health Flight Commander, 81st Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.

2nd Lieutenant Katherine Rodriguez is Mission Lead, 2nd Space Launch Squadron, Space Launch Delta 30, Space Systems Command, United States Space Force, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. She manages integration for a $16B National Space Security Launch program under the Assured Access to Space launch division. She also advises on critical launch infrastructure, commodities and facilities for the Western Range Spaceport. She graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. Following a career in education, she entered the Space Force out of Eindhoven, The Netherlands in March 2022. Prior to becoming Mission Lead, 2d Lieutenant Rodriguez was the Contracting Officer Representative for STARBASE Vandenberg supporting a $2.3M education program for the military and surrounding community. Furthermore, she was the Program Manager for Vandenberg’s Spaceport of the Future Commercial Point of Presence initiative. Additionally, she was a member of the New Entrant Certification Team working to certify United Launch Alliance’s $179M next generation Vulcan launch vehicle. Katherine has also served as action officer for various distinguished visitor tours and foreign dignitaries to Vandenberg Space Force Base. She has led as STEM coordinator for multiple partnerships with schools and programs in the local area. She assists the Vandenberg Boy Scout Pack as a Den Leader. 2nd Lieutenant Rodriguez will be starting her Master’s in Management program at the Florida Institute of Technology in January 2024.

Vinnesha Blas, a Native of Guam, enlisted with the United States Coast Guard in 2018 and is currently based in Washington D.C., serving in the Office of the Commandant’s Executive Secretariat. Beyond military duties, Vinnesha is a wife, mother, and student at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management. Bolstering her commitment to fostering inclusive environments, she holds a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace from the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business. Passionate about elevating the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community within both the Coast Guard and the federal government, Vinnesha advocates for holistic positive change and is devoted to nurturing a diverse cohort of emerging leaders.