Captain (Chaplain) Matthew Christensen, a 1992 graduate of Flathead [Montana] High School, was awarded the Soldier's Medal last week for his actions that resulted in saving the lives of two soldiers.
When Christensen went to counsel a soldier who was having a hard time, he didn’t realize it would escalate into a dangerous hostage situation.
Christensen spent much of the night counseling the soldier. Later, the soldier's roommate and another chaplain showed up at the barracks.
Things got worse. The soldier called some family members, cursing them for abusive situations in the past.
Christensen said, "And then he just switched gears and he basically said, 'I have three hostages here and because of what you did to me, you're not protecting me, I'm going to kill these hostages tonight.'"
Full story here: http://www.krtv.com/story/34965880/army-chaplain-awarded-soldiers-medal-for-tackling-machete-wielding-soldier-to-end-hostage-situation
Lt. Col. Franklin F. Baltazar, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment battalion commander, pins the Soldier’s Medal on Capt. (CH) Matthew C. Christensen, March 14 at 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment Headquarters on Fort Benning. (Photo by Patrick A. Albright, MCoE PAO Photographer)
