KEELSER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Born in 1988 at Luke AFB, Arizona, Spc. Dane Balcon was destined to serve. It came as no surprise to his family that at only three years old, he told his mother he wanted to be a soldier. Dane was born to a family rich in service. He was fourth generation military. In high school, Dane spent his time in the JROTC program to prepare for his future in the military and, in his senior year, served as the Drill Team Commander of his JROTC unit. He graduated from Sand Creek High School and enlisted into the Army in 2007 after attending a semester of college classes. He attended Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, before deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on July 7, 2007 at the age of 19 years old. Balcon was killed September 5, 2007, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit. On the day that he was killed, he was scheduled to be off duty, but his commitment to his country and service led him to volunteer for the mission when his team needed another member. Balcon received several awards for his service in Iraq, including a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.
The bridge at Westover Hills that runs over State Highway 151 in San Antonio, Texas was renamed Specialist Dane Balcon Memorial Bridge. Additionally, Woodmen Hills Community Park in Falcon, Colorado was renamed Spc. Dane R. Balcon Memorial Park.
Editors note:
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