06/05/2004
We are deeply saddened to announce that at approximately 10:30 am, June 5, 2004, CIS special operations officer Christopher Neidrich (RAVEN 18) was killed in an ambush near Baghdad International Airport. Chris was on temporary assignment in Iraq providing Executive Protection for American diplomats.
Chris came to CIS in 1993 after being Honorably discharged from the United States Navy. Chris was accepted into the Navy’s prestigious Basic Underwater Demolition School, where he trained to be a Navy SEAL. Due to personal reasons, Chris had to separate from the Navy but still wanted to be apart of an elite force, which brought him to CIS.
While with CIS, Chris served in the SSG division where he was an integral part of what we are today. Chris later transferred into the Executive Protection Division where he was assigned to high profile celebrities, business executives, and a number of other details where he always proved to be a valuable asset to CIS. In December of 2003, Chris was scheduled to certify as an Anti-Terrorism Officer giving him one more identifier as a trained professional; Unfortunately this was delayed due to his selection by Blackwater USA to deploy for assignment in Iraq.
Chris is survived by his 4-year-old son Gage Neidrich and his fiancé Angela. Chris will be missed and always remembered as a true warrior that not only spoke about being a professional, but also lived as one.
A special memorial page has been put up to honor Chris and his contributions to CIS. CIS personnel and people who knew Chris are welcome to contribute comments in memory of Chris by sending an email to cgundry@cisworldservices.org.