Balli, Edward
Male
Verified Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli, 42, of Salinas, California, was a U.S. Army soldier assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment. He died on January 20, 2014, at Forward Operating Base Pasab, Afghanistan, from
Their Story
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Edward Balli was a 42-year-old soldier from Salinas, California. He served in the U.S. Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, a Stryker brigade combat team based in Vilseck, Germany. The regiment deployed to Afghanistan in late 2013 as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
Balli died on January 20, 2014, at Forward Operating Base Pasab in Afghanistan's Kandahar province. According to the Department of Defense, his death was the result of a hostile incident. Initial reports from the time, citing military officials, indicated the incident involved an attack by an individual wearing an Afghan National Army uniform, a type of insider attack known as a 'green-on-blue' incident.
Balli's death occurred during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led combat mission in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By early 2014, U.S. and ISAF forces were in a period of transition, drawing down combat troops and shifting to a train-and-advise role ahead of a planned conclusion of the mission at the end of the year. Insider attacks, while not the leading cause of casualties, remained a persistent threat during this period.
The Department of Defense officially announced Balli's death on January 21, 2014. He was posthumously promoted from Warrant Officer 1 to Chief Warrant Officer 2. His death was reported by several national news outlets, including the Associated Press and Military Times.
Edward Balli is memorialized on the Afghanistan War casualty lists maintained by the Department of Defense and on several online veterans' memorial sites. His name is included on the roster of fallen soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.
Explore Further
Edward Balli was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001?2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.
