Sgt. 1st Class Christopher A. Celiz, a native of Summerville, South Carolina, enlisted in the United States Army in January 2008. He completed Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training as a combat engineer (12B) at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Celiz’s first assignment was with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Following this assignment, Celiz was transferred to Company C, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, also at Fort Hood, as a team leader.
Celiz was then assigned to the 530th Engineer Clearance Company, 92nd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia, where he served as a sapper squad leader and platoon sergeant.
In 2013, Celiz was selected to serve with the 75th Ranger Regiment and was assigned to Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia, where he served as the battalion master breacher and engineer. In March 2017, he was assigned to Company D, where he served as the mortar platoon sergeant.
Celiz deployed from 2008 to 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and from 2011 to 2012 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was on his fifth deployment with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, when he was killed.
Celiz’s military education includes the Infantry Mortar Leader Course; Senior, Advanced and Basic Leader Courses; Jumpmaster Course; Sapper Leader Course; Ranger Assessment and Selection Program 2; Basic Airborne Course; U.S. Army Ranger Course; Route Reconnaissance Clearance Course-Sapper and the Combat Lifesaver Course.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (2 bronze oak leaf clusters), the Navy Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medals (4 bronze oak leaf clusters), the Meritorious Unit Citation Medal (2), the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star (3), the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star (2), the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Ranger tab, the Sapper tab, the Combat Action Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.
Celiz is survived by his spouse, Katie Celiz, and their daughter.