Chris Kyle

Chris Kyle
Kyle in January 2012
Birth name	Christopher Scott Kyle
Nickname(s)	"The Legend", "Devil of Ramadi", "Tex"
Born	(1974-04-08)April 8, 1974 Odessa, Texas, U.S.
Died	Erath County, Texas, U.S.
Buried	Texas State Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1999–2009
Rank	Chief Petty Officer E7
Unit	U.S. Navy SEALs Sniper element, platoon "Charlie", SEAL Team 3
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Silver Star Medal (1) Bronze Star Medal (Valor; 3) Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (1) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2)
Spouse(s)	Taya Kyle (m. 2002; his death 2013)
Relations	Wayne Kenneth Kyle (father) Deby Lynn Mercer (mother) Children: 2
Other work	American Sniper (2012) American Gun (2013)

Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle (April 8, 1974 − February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL veteran and sniper, with 91 kills officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. Kyle served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. He received one Silver Star Medal, three Bronze Star Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and numerous other unit and personal awards.

Kyle was honorably discharged from the U.S. Navy in 2009 and published his bestselling autobiography, American Sniper, in 2012. An eponymous film adaptation of Kyle's book, directed by Clint Eastwood, was released two years later. On February 2, 2013, Kyle was murdered by Eddie Ray Routh at a shooting range near Chalk Mountain, Texas. A former Marine suffering PTSD, Routh was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

In May 2016, internal Navy documents obtained by The Intercept revealed that Kyle's autobiography had "grossly exaggerated" his military service record, and that he had been warned by Navy officials about the inaccuracies before publication.

Early life

Kyle was born in Odessa, Texas, the first of two boys born to Deby Lynn (née Mercer) and Wayne Kenneth Kyle, a Sunday school teacher and deacon. Kyle's father bought his son his first rifle at 8 years old, a bolt-action .30-06 Springfield rifle, and later a shotgun, with which they hunted deer, pheasant, and quail. Growing up, Kyle, along with his brother, grew up raising up to one hundred fifty heads of cattle at a time. Kyle attended high school in Midlothian, Texas, and after graduating, became a professional bronco rodeo rider and ranch hand, but his professional rodeo career ended abruptly when he severely injured his arm.

Military career

After his arm healed, Kyle went to a military recruiting office, interested in joining the U.S. Marine Corps special operations. A U.S. Navy recruiter convinced him to try, instead, for the SEALs. Initially, Kyle was rejected because of the pins in his arm, but he eventually received an invitation to the 24-week Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL school (BUDS), which he joined in 1999.

In four tours of duty, Kyle served in many major battles of the Iraq War. His first long-range kill shot was taken during the initial invasion when he shot a woman approaching a group of Marines while carrying a hand grenade. CNN reported that the woman was cradling a toddler in her other hand. As ordered, Kyle opened fire, killing the woman before she could attack.

Because of his track record as a marksman during his deployment to Ramadi, the insurgents named Kyle Shaitan Ar-Ramadi (English: "The Devil of Ramadi"), and put a $21,000 bounty on his head that was later increased to $80,000. They posted signs highlighting the cross on his arm as a means of identifying him.

During four tours of duty in the Iraq War, he said he was shot twice but there is no record and he also claimed to have survived six separate IED detonations but no other SEALs he worked with can confirm these claims.

Number of kills as a sniper

While the Navy, Pentagon, and U.S. Special Operations Commands (SOC) have not challenged the claim that Kyle was the current top sniper, his exact number of sniper kills is obscure. To be counted as confirmed, "They basically had to see the person fall and be clearly dead", according to Jim DeFelice, one of the coauthors of Kyle's autobiography. Kyle's shooter's statements (shooter's statements are filled out by every sniper after a mission) were reported to higher command, who kept them in case any kill were contested as outside the Rules of Engagement (ROE). However, Wayne V. Hall, a spokesman for the Army, stated: "the U.S. Army does not keep any record, official or otherwise, of [the number of] confirmed kills", and the U.S. Special Operations Commands spokesman, Ken McGraw, says SOC treats a sniper's tally as "unofficial": "If anything, we shy away from reporting numbers like that. It's so difficult to prove." The publisher HarperCollins states: "The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 160 of Kyle's kills (the previous American record was 109), but it has declined to verify the astonishing total number for this book." In his autobiography, Kyle wrote:

"The Navy credits me with more kills as a sniper than any other American service member, past or present. I guess that's true. They go back and forth on what the number is. One week, it's 160 (the 'official' number as of this writing, for what that's worth), then it's way higher, then it's somewhere in between. If you want a number, ask the Navy—you may even get the truth if you catch them on the right day."

Weapons

As a sniper, Kyle was often asked about his weapons. While in training, he used four different rifles in order to know which weapon was the most useful in the given situation. In the field, he used the following:

• a semi-automatic 7.62 NATO Mk 11 sniper rifle (patrol)
• a 5.56 NATO Mk 12 Designated Marksman Rifle modified with the lower receiver off a M-4 to get a collapsible stock and allow full auto (for urban patrol)
• a .300 Winchester Magnum M24 sniper rifle with MacMillan stocks and customized barrels, later replaced with a .300 Winchester Magnum Accuracy International. These two rifles were the ones he mostly used while in overwatch.
• a .338 Lapua Magnum used for Long Range Targets

Post-military life

Taya Kyle in August 2013

Kyle left the U.S. Navy in 2009 and moved to Midlothian, Texas, with his wife, Taya, and two children. He was president of Craft International, a tactical training company for the U.S. military and law enforcement communities.

In 2012, HarperCollins released Kyle's autobiography, American Sniper. Kyle had initially hesitated to write the book but was persuaded to move forward because other books about SEALs were underway. In his book, Kyle wrote bluntly of his experiences. Of the battle for control of Ramadi he says: "Force moved that battle. We killed the bad guys and brought the leaders to the peace table. That is how the world works." In the book and ensuing interviews, Kyle stated he had no regrets about his work as a sharpshooter, saying, "I had to do it to protect the Marines."

American Sniper had a 37-week run on The New York Times bestseller list and brought Kyle national attention. Following its release, media articles challenged some of Kyle's anecdotes, but the core of his narrative was widely accepted. "Tales of his heroism on the battlefield were already lore in every branch of the armed forces", writes Michael J. Mooney, author of a biography of Kyle.

Kyle paired with FITCO Cares Foundation, a nonprofit organization which created the Heroes Project to provide free in-home fitness equipment, individualized programs, personal training, and life-coaching to in-need veterans with disabilities, Gold Star families, or those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. On August 13, 2012, Kyle appeared on the reality television show Stars Earn Stripes, which features celebrities pairing up with a special operations or law enforcement professional who train them in weapons and combat tactics. Kyle was teamed with actor Dean Cain.

Defamation lawsuit

In Kyle's book American Sniper, Kyle wrote a subchapter titled "Punching Out Scruff Face" about an alleged altercation in a bar. In the book he claims he punched a man he refers to as "Scruff" who told Kyle, "You deserve to lose a few." According to Kyle, the encounter took place at McP's, a bar in Coronado, California, on October 12, 2006, during a wake for Kyle's comrade, Michael A. Monsoor, a U.S. Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient who had been killed in Iraq.

On January 4, 2012, Kyle appeared on the Opie and Anthony Show to discuss his book. On the show Kyle alleged that the character "Scruff" in his book is former Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura.

Following these allegations, Ventura denied the incident had happened, and filed a lawsuit in January 2012 against Kyle for charges of defamation, appropriation, and unjust enrichment. After Kyle was killed the following year, Ventura continued the lawsuit against Kyle's estate.

On July 29, 2014, the jury returned a divided verdict of 8 to 2 that Kyle was guilty of defamation and unjust enrichment, and not guilty of appropriation. The jury concluded that the Kyle estate owed Ventura $500,000 for defamation, and $1.34 million for unjust enrichment.

Kyle's widow appealed the verdict on behalf of Kyle's estate. Attorneys for Kyle's estate asked the appeals court to throw out the verdict or at least order a new trial, because a lawyer for Ventura allegedly told jurors that the $1.8 million judgment would be paid for by Kyle's book publisher's insurance policy, not his estate. Ventura was reported as saying that if he loses on appeal, he will move to Mexico.

Death

On February 2, 2013, Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, age 35, were shot and killed by Eddie Ray Routh at the Rough Creek Ranch-Lodge-Resort shooting range in Erath County, Texas. Both Kyle and Littlefield were armed with .45-caliber 1911-style pistols when they were killed, but neither gun had been unholstered or fired, and the safety catches were still on. Kyle was killed with a .45-caliber pistol, while Littlefield was shot with a 9mm SIG Sauer handgun. Both guns belonged to Kyle.

Routh was a 25-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Lancaster, Texas. Kyle and Littlefield had reportedly taken Routh to the gun range in an effort to help him with his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Routh had been in and out of mental hospitals for at least two years, and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His family also said he suffered from PTSD from his time in the military. On the way to the shooting range, Kyle texted Littlefield, "This dude is straight up nuts." Littlefield responded, "Watch my six", military slang meaning "watch my back". Four months later, while he was in his jail cell, Routh shared with former Erath County Sheriff's Deputy Gene Cole: "I was just riding in the back seat of the truck, and nobody would talk to me. They were just taking me to the range, so I shot them. I feel bad about it, but they wouldn't talk to me. I’m sure they've forgiven me."

After the killings, Routh went to his sister's house in Midlothian and told her what he had done. His sister, Laura Blevins, called 9-1-1 and told the emergency operator: "They went out to a shooting range ... Like, he's all crazy. He's ... psychotic." Local police captured Routh after a short freeway chase, which ended when Routh, who fled the scene in Kyle's Ford F-350 truck, crashed into a police cruiser in Lancaster.

A memorial service was held for Kyle at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on February 11, 2013. He was buried on February 12, 2013, at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, after a funeral procession from Midlothian to Austin that stretched more than 200 miles (320 km). Hundreds of people lined Interstate 35 to view the procession and pay their final respects to Kyle.

Routh was arraigned February 2, 2013, on two counts of capital murder, and was taken to the Erath County Jail for holding under a $3 million bond. His trial was set to begin May 5, 2014 but was delayed to allow more time to comply with DNA testing requirements. The trial began on February 11, 2015.

On February 24, 2015, Routh was found guilty of killing Kyle and Littlefield. The jury returned the verdict after less than three hours of deliberations. Since prosecutors decided beforehand to not seek the death penalty, the trial judge, Jason Cashon, immediately sentenced Routh to life in prison with no possibility of parole.

Routh is imprisoned at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Powledge Unit near Palestine, Texas.

Legacy

The signing of the "Chris Kyle Bill" at the Texas State Capitol in August 2013

In August 2013, Texas governor Rick Perry signed Senate Bill 162, also known as the "Chris Kyle Bill", to recognize military training in the issuance of occupational licenses. The bill had been co-sponsored by Republican Representative Dan Flynn of Van and Democratic Senator Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio. The ceremony was attended by Kyle's widow Taya.

Sculptor Greg Marra created a memorial statue of Kyle for presentation to his widow. Fundraising for production of the statue was provided by members of the Tea Party movement.

Clint Eastwood's film American Sniper (2014) is based on Kyle's autobiography. Kyle is portrayed by Bradley Cooper, and his wife Taya Kyle is portrayed by Sienna Miller. For his portrayal of Kyle, Cooper received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and the film was nominated in five other categories, including Best Picture. The film won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.

On February 2, 2015, exactly two years after Kyle's murder, Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared the day "Chris Kyle Day".

Legal issues between Craft International and Kyle's estate

On May 30, 2014, Craft International, LLC, which company Chris Kyle co-founded and owned an 85% share of, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, in Dallas, Texas. (Their earlier Chapter 11 case, filed on February 24 that year, was dismissed on May 30 because of a paperwork mixup.)

In July 2014, Craft International, LLC "threatened to sue Taya Kyle unless she forked over some of the royalties made from 'American Sniper.' The company said Kyle had written his books and done his book tours on company time." Moreover, Steven Young, Craft International's chief executive, questioned the widow's right to her husband's stake in the firm; he alleged Kyle had intentionally limited the power of spouses, citing "his belief that divorce [from Taya] was a very real possibility". In response, Mrs. Kyle counter-sued Craft "on the grounds that it was wrongfully using her husband's name and likeness to sell its goods", and that she and her children "have the right to control the use of Chris Kyle's name, likeness and image" after his death. Additionally, Mrs. Kyle's lawyers accused Young of mishandling Craft International's money.

In February 2015, Craft International, LLC requested clearance to implement a settlement with Kyle's widow, as well as the dismissal of its bankruptcy case. The proposed deal would resolve any pending disputes between the parties and includes an agreement to request case dismissal, for which Craft filed a motion on January 15, 2015.

Awards and decorations

Badge	SEAL Insignia
1st Row	Silver Star		Bronze Star Medal (3) w/ Combat V		Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal w/ Combat V
2nd Row	Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2) w/ Combat V		Combat Action Ribbon (2)		Navy Presidential Unit Citation
3rd Row	Joint Meritorious Unit Award		Navy Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star		Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ 1 service star
4th Row	Navy Good Conduct Medal w/ 2 service stars		National Defense Service Medal		Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal w/ 1 service star
5th Row	Iraq Campaign Medal w/ 4 campaign stars		Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal		Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
6th Row	Sea Service Deployment Ribbon w/ 3 service stars		Rifle Marksmanship Medal (Expert)		Pistol Marksmanship Medal (Expert)
Badge	Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia

See also

• List of snipers
• Longest recorded sniper kills
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Simo Häyhä, the record-holding sniper for any major war with 505 confirmed kills

Bibliography

• Kyle, Chris; McEwen, Scott; DeFelice, Jim (2013). American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. New York: W. Morrow, 2012. ISBN 0-062-08235-3 OCLC 733224029
• Kyle, Chris; Doyle, William (2013). American Gun: A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms. New York: William Morrow, 2013. ISBN 0-0622-4271-7 OCLC 813286737

Further reading

• Mooney, Michael J., The Life and Legend of Chris Kyle: American Sniper, Navy SEAL (e-book, 70 pp.), Little, Brown and Company (an imprint of Hachette), April 23, 2013

External links

• American Sniper at IMDb
• Chris Kyle at Find a Grave
• Craft International at thecraft.com, tactical training company Kyle founded to serve the U.S. military and law enforcement communities.