Medal of Bravery

• Awarded on: January 12, 1987
• Invested on: March 06, 1987

While conducting a mobile patrol with his partner near the village of Al Alman in South Lebanon on October 1, 1985, Maj. Couture, then serving as a United Nations Military Observer, was challenged at a checkpoint by members of a South Lebanon Militia group. Unexpectedly, the South Lebanese soldiers opened fire on UN military personnel, which included a French Logistics Company convoy, and civilians alike. After treating a wounded civilian, Maj. Couture and his partner were informed that a French officer was severely injured and lying in an area raked by continuous gunfire. While his partner called an ambulance, Maj. Couture and two French military personnel immediately ran to aid the stricken officer who had been wounded in the arm, chest and legs and who was losing a great deal of blood. Exposing himself to the hostile fire, Maj. Couture applied his belt as a tourniquet to the injured man's arm, then constructed a stone wall to shield him from further harm. Shortly after, an ambulance arrived and transported the wounded officer to a hospital where, thanks to Maj. Couture's quick action, he recovered.