Jack H . Jacobs Jack Howard Jacobs ( born August 2 , 1945 ) is a retired colonel in the United States Army ; and , a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions during the Vietnam War . He currently serves as a military analyst for NBC News and MSNBC and previously worked as an investment manager . Early life . Born on August 2 , 1945 , in Brooklyn , New York , Jacobs lived in Queens near LaGuardia Airport . He was born into a Jewish family with origins in Greece , Poland , and Romania . As a child , he moved with his family to Woodbridge Township , New Jersey , in the mid - 1950s and in 1962 graduated from Woodbridge High School . He then attended Rutgers University , where he earned both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees . A member of the school ' s Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program , he entered military service as a second lieutenant in 1966 . Military service . In the course of his military career , he served as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division , a battalion executive officer in the 7th Infantry Division ( United States ) , and a battalion commander with the 10th Infantry Regiment in Panama . He spent two tours of duty in Vietnam , both times as an advisor to infantry units in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam ( ARVN ) . In his first deployment to Vietnam , Jacobs served as a first lieutenant with Military Assistance Command , Vietnam , in Kien Phong Province , part of the Mekong Delta region . By March 9 , 1968 , he was working as the assistant battalion advisor for the ARVN ' s 2nd Battalion , 16th Infantry Regiment , 9th Infantry Division . During a mission on that day , 2nd Battalion came under intense fire from an entrenched Viet Cong force . As Jacobs called in air support from his position with the leading company , the company commander was disabled and the unit became disorganized due to heavy casualties . Although wounded himself by mortar fragments to the head and arms , Jacobs took command of the company and ordered a withdrawal and the establishment of a defense line at a more secure position . Despite impaired vision caused by his injuries , he repeatedly ran across open rice paddies through heavy fire to evacuate the wounded , personally saving a fellow advisor , the wounded company commander , and twelve other allied soldiers . Three times during these trips he encountered Viet Cong squads , which he single - handedly dispersed . He was subsequently promoted to captain and awarded the Medal of Honor . The medal was formally presented to him by President Richard Nixon . In addition to the Medal of Honor , Jacobs received two Silver Star s , three Bronze Stars , and two Purple Heart s . In his memoir , Jacobs recounts that he had to use subterfuge to return to a combat role in Vietnam after being awarded the Medal of Honor , as the military was unwilling to assign Medal of Honor recipients to combat roles . Jacobs was a faculty member at the United States Military Academy in West Point , teaching international relations and comparative politics for three years , from 1973 to 1976 , and at the National War College in Washington , D . C . He retired from the Army in 1987 as a colonel . Business career and later life . After his military retirement , Jacobs began a career in investment banking . He founded and was chief operating officer of AutoFinance Group , Inc . , which dealt in the securitization of debt instruments . The company was later sold to KeyBank . He next worked as a managing director of Bankers Trust , overseeing the firm ' s foreign exchange option s and being involved in the institutional hedge fund business until leaving the company in 1996 . Jacobs is a principal in The Fitzroy Group , an investment and residential real estate development organization which operates in London . He is also on the board of directors for several smaller corporations . Jacobs maintains involvement in several military - related organizations . He is vice chairman of the Medal of Honor Foundation , a member of the board of trustees for the National World War II Museum , and holds the McDermott Chair of Politics at the U . S . Military Academy . In October 2008 , the Penguin Group published Jacobs ' memoir , " If Not Now , When ? : Duty and Sacrifice In America ' s Time of Need , " coauthored with " New York Times " best - selling author , Douglas Century , with a foreword by " NBC Nightly News " anchor and managing editor Brian Williams . The book won the 2010 Colby Award , recognizing a " first work of fiction or nonfiction that has made a significant contribution to the public ' s understanding of intelligence operations , military history , or international affairs . " In May 2012 , Thomas Dunne Books published Jacobs ' " Basic : Surviving Boot Camp and Basic Training " , co - written with David Fisher . The book is a history of the American military ' s basic training told mainly through oral histories of those who have gone through Army , Navy , Marine and Air Force initial training . He is also a military analyst for NBC / MSNBC . In 2009 he appeared on The Colbert Report as part of the Doom Bunker segment . Jacobs is married to Sue Jacobs , has a grown daughter and two sons , and lives in Far Hills , New Jersey . He has also been a resident of the Millington section of Long Hill Township , New Jersey . Medal of Honor citation . Jacobs ' official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty . Capt . Jacobs ( then 1st Lt . ) , Infantry , distinguished himself while serving as assistant battalion advisor , 2d Battalion , 16th Infantry , 9th Infantry Division , Army . of the Republic of Vietnam . The 2d Battalion was advancing to contact when it came under intense heavy machine gun and mortar fire from a Viet Cong battalion positioned in well fortified bunkers . As the 2d Battalion deployed into attack formation its advance was halted by devastating fire . Capt . Jacobs , with the command element of the lead company , called for and directed air strikes on the enemy positions to facilitate a renewed attack . Due to the intensity of the enemy fire and heavy casualties to the command group , including the company commander , the attack stopped and the friendly troops became disorganized . Although wounded by mortar fragments , Capt . Jacobs assumed command of the allied company , ordered a withdrawal from the exposed position and established a defensive perimeter . Despite profuse bleeding from head wounds which impaired his vision , Capt . Jacobs , with complete disregard for his safety , returned under intense fire to evacuate a seriously wounded advisor to the safety of a wooded area where he administered lifesaving first aid . He then returned through heavy automatic weapons fire to evacuate the wounded company commander . Capt . Jacobs made repeated trips across the fire - swept open rice paddies evacuating wounded and their weapons . On 3 separate occasions , Capt . Jacobs contacted and drove off Viet Cong squads who were searching for allied wounded and weapons , single - handedly killing 3 and wounding several others . His gallant actions and extraordinary heroism saved the lives of 1 U . S . advisor and 13 allied soldiers . Through his effort the allied company was restored to an effective fighting unit and prevented defeat of the friendly forces by a strong and determined enemy . Capt . Jacobs , by his gallantry and bravery in action in the highest traditions of the military service , has reflected great credit upon himself , his unit , and the U . S . Army .