By Jill Stephenson
My son was killed in 2009 while actively serving as an Army Ranger. Because of this
I connected with rangers of all eras from all over the country. One of those rangers was
a gentleman from the greater Tulsa area. He let me know about Chris Horton, who was killed in 2011. He told me that he and Chris were friends and had participated in shooting competitions together. He told me because I had connected with many other families of the fallen and he thought I might reach out to his widow, Jane. Although I have only lived in the area for one year, I have known of Chris since shortly after he died. When I started writing these stories, I knew Chris’ story was one I wanted to share.
Chris was a graduate of the Missouri Military Academy. He was captain of the rifle team and 2nd Platoon Leader during his senior year. He enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard in 2008 after being recruited by the Army Marksmanship Unit. During his time with the ONG he trained to be an infantryman, was SWAT certified, sniper qualified and graduated at the top of his class. Chris proved his expertise by earning numerous awards in 2008-9. He was professionally sponsored as a shooter by the US Shooting Academy in Owasso. He volunteered as a police officer, worked on many political campaigns and was patriotic and passionate about freedom.
Horton deployed for the first time in the summer of 2011. In a letter he wrote while in Afghanistan he said, “The path to becoming a sniper is by no means easy, and if you complete your training, it is a very hard and lonely job. It isn’t what you see in the movies or video games. It is a very difficult but rewarding career. There is no other job in the military like it.”
Sadly, Chris was killed only three months into that deployment. In a 2015 interview with his widow Jane, she said she never thought he would be killed because he was the best
of the best. Chris didn’t think he would be either. I asked her how you get to a place
of acceptance knowing someone who was so strong and so prepared doesn’t come home? She answered, ”I don’t think you do. Life is short therefore we should live in the moment and be grateful for every day we have. Many people, like Chris, didn’t get that opportunity.”
In 2022, a two-day Chris D. Horton Memorial Sniper Competition was started in Jackson, Nebraska by Garrett Grover, who was in the same sniper section as Chris when he was killed. Grover said the event honors Horton, sharpens competitors’ skills and strengthens bonds in the sniper community. Developing that camaraderie is especially important in a career that Horton had described as very isolating.
Grover stated, “The way you think about it going back to ancient times, what warriors are, what warriors do, and the warrior mindset; that was Chris.”
Becoming a widow at such a young
age changed the trajectory of Jane’s life. While her heart was set on growing old and having children with Chris, not long after died, she left Oklahoma and moved to Washington, D.C. She is an active supporter and advocate for veterans and Gold Star Families. She discovered there were issues related to the processes families had to deal with and no one
was working on them. She wanted to help other families, which included the thirteen (at the time) other ONG families that
had experienced a loss. Since 2011, Jane has worked with eight Secretaries of War, including the current one, as his Senior Advisor. She also serves as a member
of the Gold Star Counsel, which was implemented by the current SOW, Pete Hegseth.
Incidentally, SPC Christopher Horton and my son CPL Benjamin Kopp are laid to rest steps apart in the infamous Section 60 at Arlington. I had the privilege of attending a dinner with Jane over Memorial weekend in 2017 at the DC home of the Afghanistan Ambassador to the US. That is a story for another time, however
it remains one of the most honoring and memorable events I have experienced since my son died.
Oklahoma Senate Bill 1320 designates four sections of highway 169 to be named after fallen soldiers from the area. In his honor,
U.S. 169 from 106th Street N. to 116th Street N. is named “Specialist Christopher D. Horton Memorial Highway.” May he rest in peace knowing he is not forgotten.
