Balkin, a Human male, held the rank of Stormtrooper Commander and loyally served Grand Admiral Thrawn's Empire of the Hand. He was in charge of the organization's 501st Legion as its commander. In the year 8 ABY, Balkin was present at a strategic planning meeting held on the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer known as the Admonitor, which was positioned above the planet Quethold in the Unknown Regions. During this meeting, he engaged in a discussion with Stromma Council Liaison Nyama regarding the remaining forces of the alien warlord Nuso Esva and the native Quesoth species of Quethold. Nyama then insulted the bald commander after he inquired whether the Quesoth Midli caste maintained loyalty to their Queen. As Balkin and Thrawn had guaranteed that the stormtroopers of the 501st could overcome the Quesoth Soldiers—an assertion Nyama deemed impossible—the liaison terminated the Stromma's service to the Empire.
Soon after this event, Imperial Line Lieutenant Dramos Sanjin remarked to Stromma stormtrooper Puriv that Senior Captain Voss Parck of the Imperial forces would execute them both if Balkin were to discover that Puriv and Sanjin had neglected to follow Nyama's instructions before Balkin became aware of it. Shortly thereafter, Thrawn initiated an attack aimed at Red City on Quethold in an attempt to eliminate Esva. During this assault, Balkin informed the Grand Admiral that Sanjin had suffered the loss of two soldiers under his command.