Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Soldier’s Medal

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Sergeant First Class

    Action Date:

    August 21, 1999

    Army General Orders

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pride in presenting the Soldier’s Medal (Posthumously) to Sergeant First Class Jeanne M. Balcombe, United States Army, for heroism not involving actual conflict with an enemy of the United States while serving with 55th Military Police Company. In the early morning hours of 21 August 1999, she was on duty at the local troop medical clinic with three other military police personnel. She had ordered that a blood test be administered to a Soldier to determine if he had consumed alcohol while off base without permission. An intoxicated friend of the Soldier in question was present at the clinic, and he became belligerent when he discovered that a blood test had been ordered for his friend. Grabbing a pistol from a South Korean soldier standing nearby, the angry friend aimed it at the four military police personnel. Sergeant First Class Balcombe placed herself between the gunman and the other military police personnel and in so doing was mortally shot. The gunman fled the scene but was later captured.