Balli Edward

Name:

Edward Balli

Rank:

Chief Warrant Officer 2

Serial Number:

Unit:

2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment

Date of Death:

2010-01-20

State:

California

Cemetery:

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA

Plot:

Section I

Row:

Grave:

Site 1492

Decoration:

Bronze Star Medal with OLC, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 4 OLC, Army Achievement Medal with OLC, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Star, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Stars,

Comments:

Edward Balli was born on February 9, 1971, in Salinas, Monterey County, California. He was the son of Robert Balli Sr. He was married to Kristy Balli. He enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1990. He served in a wide range of technical and leadership roles throughout his Army career. Beginning in 1995 as a Power Generation Mechanic at Moffett Field, California, he participated in missions in Panama before transitioning to active duty in 1998 with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He later served in Germany with the 501st Military Intelligence Battalion, deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Iron Sabre.

From 2005 to 2009, he was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, where he served as an Unmanned Aerial Operator and Tactical UAV Operator and completed a second deployment to Iraq. After becoming a Warrant Officer in 2009, he was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany, deploying to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Promoted to Chief Warrant Officer Two in 2011, he led the Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Platoon, overseeing extensive training and more than 6,000 flight hours in support of combat operations in Regional Command�South. Over his career, Chief Balli served more than 48 months in combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, distinguished as a UAS Operator, Technician, and Platoon Leader in the Global War on Terror.

CW2 Balli was killed in action on January 20, 2014, in Kandahar, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom after his unit was attacked by insurgents using small-arms fire. He is now buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA. A portion of State Route 183 in the City of Salinas, stretching from Davis Road to Espinosa Road, has been designated as the �United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli Memorial Highway,� and the CW2 Edward Balli Memorial Foundation was established in his honor.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, memorial.2dcavalryassociation.com, balli.org