SGT Christopher Muniz hailed from the small and close knit hamlet of New Cuyama in 

beautiful Santa Barbara County, California. The town lies within the shadow of the majestic 

Los Padres National Forest.

Early on Chris showed a talent for athletics, particularly football. During the 2006-2007 

season, he was a starter at both the fullback and linebacker positions at Cuyama Valley High 

School. After graduation, he attended Santa Barbara County’s Allan Hancock Community 

College where he would continue to excel in the sport. In November 2008, however, a shoulder 

injury would bring his playing days to a close, and he would decide to leave both college and the 

gridiron behind to join the United States Army. 

After extensive training to prepare for his work as a signals intelligence analyst, he was 

assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, the 25th Infantry Division based in Hawaii. The 25th 

Infantry’s moniker is “Tropic Lighting.” Since its inception in the early days of World War II, 

the unit has more than lived up to its name in places such as Guadalcanal, Luzon, Pusan, Pleiku, 

and Kuwait City. December 2011 would find this brigade of the storied division in Afghanistan. 

Throughout its long history, the United States Army, in time of war, has depended on its 

Soldiers to carry the fight to the enemy. The infantry is, and has always been, the “Queen of 

Battle.” However, it is also the case that those who fight our Nation’s wars must not only have 

the ability to shoot, move, and communicate, but also to determine enemy plans and intentions. 

This is true today and has been true in the past. In 

the end, the ability to gather critical information in 

combat not only helps you win but also saves lives. 

It was to this end that Chris dedicated his life. 

On December 11th, SGT Muniz’s unit was on a 

mission in Afghanistan when he and another Soldier 

would lose their lives after being fatally injured by 

an improvised explosive device. He would leave 

behind a loving wife and family. For his service to 
his Nation, he would be posthumously awarded the Bronze Star 

Medal, Purple Heart, NATO Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. 

On December 23, the fallen warrior returned home. At the 

Bakersfield, California airfield a group of veterans would render 

“flag honors” and provide a motorcycle escort for his family to his 

burial site. Many friends and family that day would draw on their 

memories of SGT Christopher Muniz. 

His former football coach, Biff Charlton, noted that, “I knew 

him very well. He was like a second son to me... an all around 

wonderful kid... and a true leader.” Others would recall him as 

“loyal, hardworking, and a Soldier in every sense of the word.” His 

wife, Lindsay, remembered him as “someone who had a passionate 

devotion to his family and Nation and was always striving to go 

above and beyond the norm.” 

President Ronald Reagan, a man 

who, like Chris, spent many wonderful days in Santa Barbara 

County, once noted, “Freedom is never more than one generation 

away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the 

bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on 

for them to do the same.” In his short but meaningful life, SGT 

Christopher Muniz bravely and courageously took up the fight 

for freedom for his generation and, in doing so, left behind a 

legacy of service, sacrifice, dedication, and hope that will never 

be forgotten. 

SGT Christopher L. Muniz

United States Army

June 24, 1987 – December 11, 2011

Photos courtesy of the Muniz family • Narrative - Patrick Weadon, Curator, National Cryptologic Museum • Graphics/Layout - NSA Creative Imaging-55742

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MEMORIAL DAY 2012